Adaptation to Climate Change: An Investigation into Woolworths’ Water Management Measures

Abstract

This chapter investigates how and why business organisations contribute to efforts to adapting to climate change in countries where the state is not always able or willing to fulfil its traditional governance functions (i.e. the provision of public goods and enforcement of rules) and struggles to respond effectively to the uncertainties and complexity of climate change. Given current concerns about the socio-economic and environmental dimension of the effects of climate change in South Africa and other emerging and developing economies, the contributions that business can make to climate change adaptation are an increasingly important area of investigation. The exploratory case study here is that of the South African retailer Woolworths, and its proactive engagement in water management. The retailer is one of only five South African companies listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). It was also one of only three companies in Africa to be named as one of the 16 sustainability champions of the developing world, in a report by the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group (Woolworths Holding, 2011b).