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MAY 6, 2025
Telesto Strategy Champions Water Week Conversation on the Future of Corporate Water Stewardships
Telesto Strategy hosted the event as part of Current’s Chicago Water Week and featured insights on emerging water trends, business opportunities, and meaningful dialogue among professionals in the water and sustainability space.
CHICAGO, IL – May 2025 –
Telesto Strategy, in partnership with Sloan, Culligan, Chicago Climate Connect, and Current, hosted 120 people at an event during Chicago’s Water Week event convened leaders from across Chicago’s business, sustainability, and water sectors for a compelling presentation and thought-provoking panel discussion on the future of water and its critical role to business sustainability.
The conversation covered both current challenges and actionable solutions. Attendees remained highly engaged well beyond the formal program, staying to exchange ideas, expand their networks, and discuss shared obstacles and opportunities in the evolving water landscape.
Telesto Partner Ben Vatterott kicked off with a presentation that explored evolving water trends and shifting priorities. Vatterott highlighted the growing frequency of water shortages across the U.S., and expected to be worse -, driving up water costs and increasing material risks for businesses tied to regulations, stranded assets, and the interconnections between water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy consumption.
In response, more companies are disclosing water-related impacts, joining coalitions, setting measurable water targets, and adopting innovations to reduce usage. “Companies are increasingly recognizing the urgency of addressing water sustainability, not only as a risk, but as a strategic business opportunity. More regulations, shifting customer expectations, and mounting costs are putting pressure on operations, while also opening the door to innovation, efficiency, and long-term savings. Organizations that take action now will be better positioned to stay ahead of market constraints and capitalize on emerging opportunities.”
The following panel with Jonathan Goodell (Current), Christina Beckman (Culligan), and Paul Sambanis (Sloan), moderated by Mackenzie Siren (Climate Connect), discussed the unique potential of water solutions. “There are a lot of decarb solutions for CO2 already, but when it comes to water, there’s a lot more potential for new solutions. Companies are now pivoting to circularity because the water energy nexus generates an ROI on every investment made,” said Sambanis. “The price is also going up for treatment of wastewater, so companies are asking, how do we reuse this? But that’s what I love about water innovation, there is optimism for the change we can make.”
This marks Telesto’s second year participating in Chicago Water Week, reflecting our ongoing commitment to helping our clients navigate the increasingly complex water landscape. As a Chicago-based firm, we are proud to champion the city and the broader Great Lakes Region for their leadership in water circularity and will continue to support efforts that position the region as a global hub for the blue circular economy. We extend our thanks to the Loyola Baumhart Center for Social Enterprise & Responsibility and Current for leadership of this his important initiative, and Sloan for hosting the event.
About Telesto Strategy
Telesto Strategy equips private and public sector leaders with focused advisory and AI-powered solutions to navigate the essential macro-trends of our time – the restructuring of global supply chains, energy transition, business sustainability and circularity, ESG disclosures, and climate risks. For more information, visit www.telestostrategy.com.
Media Contact
For more information:
Simba Mariwande
simba.mariwande@telestostrategy.com
