Top employers in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)

Access to clean water and sanitation is a human right, yet 1.42 billion people live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability, according to UNICEF. The sixth Sustainable Development Goal is to “ensure access to water and sanitation for all” but 2.6 million people worldwide die from water-related diseases every year. There are countless organizations working toward achieving this goal and you could be a part of them. From intergovernmental organizations, to private consultants and NGOs, here is a list of the top employers dedicated solely to WASH issues and achieving water access and sanitation for all. WaterAid Headquarters: London, United Kingdom NGO Founded in 1981, WaterAid was the first charity dedicated solely to global water and sanitation issues. They work with a variety of stakeholders, from individual communities to governments, and provide assistance for three main objectives: Clean water, improved sanitation, and proper hygiene for all. They facilitate water projects in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, Asia and Pacific, and Europe, with offices in the U.K., U.S., Australia, Sweden, Canada, Japan, and India. See Wateraid’s current vacancies here. International Water Management Institute Headquarters: Colombo, Sri Lanka Institute A long-standing, not-for-profit, scientific research organization, IWMI have focused their work on creating a water-secure world since their beginnings in 1985. They work with governments, civil society, and the private sector to develop and promote the sustainable use of water and land resources in developing countries. From their head office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as well as regional offices across Asia and Africa, they develop scalable agricultural water management solutions. They focus on providing evidence-based solutions to share with and influence policymakers, development agencies, and individual farmers. They lead the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research program on water, land and ecosystems. See IWMI’s current openings here. Charity: Water Headquarters: New York, United States NGO Founded in 2006, charity: water has been recognized for using innovative and modern marketing techniques in the development sector. They provide access to clean and safe water by investing in sustainable projects, partnering with local governments and organizations around the world to form strong water committees that will continue to function and manage the projects. They invest in the training of local mechanics, so they can make repairs to keep the projects running, as well as installing GPS tracking and remote sensors to monitor and ensure continued functioning of the projects once they are completed. 100 percent of their running costs are covered by private donors, including staff salaries to office rent and supplies, meaning all public donations go directly to the water projects themselves. View charity: water’s current openings here. Solidarités International Headquarters: Paris, France NGO Founded in 1980, Solidarités International began as an organization set out to deliver aid where humanitarian crises occurred. Today, their focus has shifted to water, and fighting water-related diseases is at the center of their efforts. They have been recognized for their expertise and knowhow in water, hygiene, and sanitation access issues. As well as providing humanitarian assistance, they influence public policies on water-related issues, aiming to impact top-level decision-makers across France, Europe, and the United Nations. See Solidarités International’s current openings here. Water Integrity Network Headquarters: Berlin, Germany NGO Network Rather than implementing clean water projects, Water Integrity Network connects an open network of organizations, individuals, and governments to reduce corruption and improve water sector performance across the globe by promoting water integrity. WIN was initially formed by a small, informal group of individuals who met at the Stockholm World Water Week 2006, and has since grown into an international NGO network. They focus on advocacy for fair, inclusive, transparent, and corruption-free decision-making around water along with capacity development, which involves the development or adaptation of relevant tools and indicators to measure integrity, corruption, and outcomes of water integrity work. They offer internships, volunteer opportunities, as well as their employment vacancies, and calls for proposals when they arise. View their current job openings here. Nile Basin Initiative Headquarters: Entebbe, Uganda Association An intergovernmental partnership between 10 countries across the Nile Basin, this group aims to provide a platform for coordination and consultation surrounding the sustainable management of shared water and other basin resources. Their purpose is to ensure the equitable and sustainable management of resources between all members and promote prosperity and peace. Staff work with member-state governments, civil society, the private sector, women, youth, development partners, and others, to reduce poverty, ensure water security for all, environmental sustainability, regional peace and security, and preserve the integrity of the Nile. View their current opportunities here. International Water Association Headquarters: London, United Kingdom Association Focused on water and wastewater management, IWA connects water professionals around the world to share the latest in water science, technology, and best practice. It’s the largest international network of water professionals with staff and members across 130 different countries. They have offices in London, The Hague, Nairobi, Dakar, Bangkok, Beijing, and Nanjing, made up of about 60 members of staff. They partner with actors and individual people on implementing projects, hosting world-class events, and influencing political agendas surrounding three main programs: - Sanitation Services program: Partnering with water utilities, national, and international institutions, to ensure the safe, reliable, equitable, and efficient supply and service delivery of water and sanitation. - Cities of the Future: Creating water-wise cities through integrated planning and design of water services and infrastructure. - Basins of the Future: Guiding cities, industries, and other actors on how to sustainably manage their river basins, so as they are not exhausted and made vulnerable by the ever-increasing demand for water. IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands Think Tank IRC is a global think-tank — or a “think-and-do tank” as they call themselves — working to find solutions to the global water, sanitation, and hygiene services crisis. They work with stakeholders at every level, from governments to NGOs, entrepreneurs and people everywhere, to come up with sustainable solutions and large-scale programs. They have roughly 80 members of staff implementing projects in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, mainly coaching and consulting for governments and WASH organizations to transform and strengthen their work and capacity. They also head the WASHCost project — a $14.5 million, five-year action research project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — through which they gather and share information on the true cost of providing WASH services in specific countries, as well as publishing and sharing research through working groups, learning programs, conferences, and more. WASH Institute Headquarters: Kodaikanal, India Institute Based in India, WASH Institute is recognized by the Indian government’s Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation as a National Key Resource Centre. They receive much of their funding from the United States Agency for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and assist with projects throughout the country. They provide technical assistance to national and state governments; training and capacity building to various stakeholders, from engineers to school children; research and advocacy on sanitation and faecal sludge and septage management; and grassroots implementation of WASH promotion in schools, households and communities. They offer a range of consultancy services in monitoring, evaluation, research, advocacy, and technical services; internships; and formal academic courses in WASH subjects. They are continuously open to applicants from professionals in the WASH sector and those looking to work as a trainer or a resource person for assignments. Axiom Water Technologies Headquarters: Cairns, Australia Development consultants Axiom Water Technologies is a specialist Integrated Water Management consultancy delivering national and international projects, ranging from community level through to large industrial projects. They have their own staff as well as subconsultants who work on the technical and participatory development areas of water supply and sanitation delivery, from school water supplies in Papua New Guinea to desalination plants in Russia. Wherever possible, they partner with local organizations to increase local capacity and ensure the best, most inclusive, and most appropriate results are achieved. Other development employers working in WASH: Aguaconsult Headquarters: Essex, United Kingdom Development Consultants Land and Water Bolivia Headquarters: La Paz, Bolivia Consultants Millennium Water Alliance Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Association Terraclear Headquarters: Laos Goods supplier Water for People Headquarters: Denver, United States Nonprofit Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Advocacy NGO