32 SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – Team 17

Team Reflection

Businesses are one of the main motors that ensure the common good. However, in recent decades, businesses’ societal roles and responsibilities have changed dramatically. Companies rely on capital provided by their shareholders. So, businesses should provide as much value to the shareholders as possible—however, more than this view is needed. Climate change has made it very clear how companies negatively affect society and the planet. The advent of social media has made companies wary of their corporate image, as customers, employees and their suppliers can significantly affect their image and earnings (Smith, 2016). Investors like Blackrock include sustainability and social metrics in their investments, as these metrics ensure the long-term sustainability of their investments (Hawley, 2000).

Companies affect shareholders, suppliers, customers, employees, and society. Companies can make negative or positive externalities in the public sphere. Thus, there is a push for companies to transform their shareholder business models into true stakeholder ones (Freeman, 2010). According to this model, businesses contribute to society through the triple bottom line: People, profits, and the planet. People refer to how businesses impact society. Planet refers to the environmental impacts of a business. Finally, Profit is a self-explanatory concept in the business world (Freeman, 2010).

Moving forward, our group believes businesses contribute to society in 4 different ways.

1. Provide wealth and income to the company workers, suppliers and distributors:

This is the traditional Libertarian doctrine championed by Milton Friedman. Business revenue adds value to many of the company stakeholders. Monetary gains sustain their stakeholders’ standards of living, education and well-being. Suppliers and customers gain from the company’s revenue. Employees gain a portion of the business revenue through their salaries. Most of all, shareholders enjoy increased stock value and dividends (Friedman, 2007).

1. A sense of purpose and service for the workers:

Companies can essentially fulfill almost the entirety of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They ensure security, food, and a sense of purpose to workers. Workers need a sense of self-realization and purpose. They need to feel they are useful and contribute to something greater, using their natural talents. Companies offer workers a way to learn skills and fulfill their potential.

Fulfillment for their workers is unrestricted to the business environment. Altruism, social services and charity work (aka, Corporate Social Responsibility) is a way for companies to fulfill their responsibility to their stakeholders. CSR also allows workers to make a difference in society, fulfilling their sense of purpose. In the last decade, many companies made CSR part of their core business model (Aguinis, 2012). Take FreeWater, for example. They advertise products while giving water to people who cannot afford it as a resource, fulfilling both a business and an altruistic need (Smith & Jones, 2023).

1. Innovations in the efficient use of valuable resources for the population:

Innovation is intrinsically linked to the private sector. Many innovations that have fundamentally changed society have come from the private sector. Examples include semiconductors, telephones, lightbulbs, etc. Innovations have also been made regarding the efficient use of valuable and scarce resources. Companies like YIMBY and Eko Kamat (shown in our aim2flourish lectures ) innovate in waste removal and their transformation into fertilizer.

Aerofarm and Lluvia Sólida reduce the water needed for crops and increase the efficient distribution and reuse of water (Tapias Baena, 2021).

1. Provide solutions to social and environmental problems.

Companies can solve social and environmental problems through their business model. The Spanish company Auara, for example, uses its revenue from selling water to provide wells in Africa (Opoku Marfo, 2024). Other companies, like the Plastic Bank, pay people for their plastic, providing a source of income for the impoverished and a way to clean the environment (ALFONSO, 2021). Companies do not need to focus solely on impact-driven business models to make a difference. Google has plenty of projects that strive to solve complex social and economic problems (Porto Castro, 2022).

Regarding our teamwork for Coil, we have learned a lot from this experience. Different time zones and cultures bring out different forms of work, each with advantages. We also learned that each SDG has a global scale, but the obstacles in each country vary immensely. For example, whereas Canada has an abundance of freshwater, Spain faces harrowing droughts that risk the water supply. Solutions need to be applied locally, not globally. SDGs cover a lot of goals and many objectives, which, however, makes them very unfeasible to accomplish (Legrand, 2022).

Regarding the final deliverables, Olivia and Stephanie worked on the poster while the rest of the team delved into the final reflection. Most of the other work was divided as much as possible. The aim2flourish articles were distributed equally by team members (as it was ten articles divided by five team members). Olivia handled the submissions, whereas Juan Diego shared the screenshots. Olivia, Stephanie, Juan, and Juan Diego coordinated the meeting logistics.

Establishing meeting time is a hurdle, and many team members needed more time to meet for more than 30 minutes. However, we did establish an effective meeting schedule and coordinated tasks. In addition, the aim2flourish readings did not greatly inspire us. These readings did not consistently challenge our existing knowledge and were superficial and not reflective or unbiased. They did, however, give us some ideas for business practices.

In conclusion, we believe businesses affect the common good through their innovations and the degree to which they invest in benefiting their stakeholders through economic and social means. Through our meetings and readings, we learned many insights into sustainable development and practiced our organizational skills. But most of all, we have learned different and valuable ways of seeing the world through cultural backgrounds.

Individual Reflections

Lizie Felisha

Working in a team with individuals from diverse backgrounds and various countries under the COIL program to study Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) has been a truly enriching and eye-opening experience. Our collaboration on this important global issue has not only broadened our perspective but has also allowed us to develop valuable skills that will be beneficial in both our personal and professional life. Over the course of 6 weeks, we have had the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and engage with each other even though we’re all from different parts of the world, all while working towards a common goal of understanding how to ensure  clean water and sanitation for all.

One of the most striking aspects of this study was the diversity of perspectives and ideas that were brought to the table. With each person bringing a unique cultural lens to the discussion on SDG6. From sharing personal experiences with water scarcity to discussing innovative solutions for improving sanitation infrastructure, we were all impressed by the depth and breadth of knowledge that we were all able to bring to the table.

Additionally, navigating the challenges of different time zones and schedules was another aspect of this exciting study that pushed us out of our comfort zone. Coordinating group meetings and collaborative assignments across multiple time zones required effective communication and flexibility, but it also taught us valuable skills in adaptability and time management. Through open dialogue and compromise, our team was able to overcome these obstacles and successfully work together.

To overcome this obstacle, we established a rotating schedule for our meetings, taking into account each member’s availability and preferences. This required a high level of organization and communication, as we had to regularly update each other on our schedules and be willing to adjust our own availability to accommodate others. Despite the initial difficulties, we were able to find a system that worked for all of us and allowed us to effectively collaborate on our project.

One of the most significant aspects of working in a team with students from different countries is the wealth of knowledge and perspectives they bring to the table. Each team member has a unique set of experiences, cultural background, and expertise that greatly helped us approach the study of SDG6 from multiple angles. This diversity of viewpoints has facilitated a more comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand and has opened my eyes to different ways of thinking and problem-solving.

Stephanie Buchan

Through the COIL team program, I have gained a great insight into the Sustainable Development Goal 6: Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, and how this can be related to many different business innovations. By completing the weekly tasks and group meetings, this has allowed me to see specifically how businesses can adopt these SDGs into the heart of their innovations in order to tackle these global issues and better society as a whole.  This has also allowed me to gain a new perspective to try and relate these business innovations to the issues within my own country to tackle the issues of water sustainability faced in Canada too.

Working as part of a team to complete these weekly tasks has given me a great insight into the differences between each of the countries we live in. It has allowed me to see the different perspectives given by each team member through their different approaches to each task and the innovative ideas they have proposed. This has enabled me to broaden my knowledge by discussing these different perspectives and how the issues of water scarcity and sanitation differ between each country.

Through this project, we did face the challenge of the different time-zones, which could be challenging at times when trying to plan group discussions. However, we overcame this issue through discussion, where we decided to hold our weekly meetings at the same time each week on our specified day. This enabled consistency in our planning, so we could ensure everyone was able to attend these meetings each week in order to contribute their ideas. It also allowed me an internal deadline to ensure I was prepared with my findings to discuss each week in our planned meetings.

Overall, this COIL experience has been beneficial within my studies as it has allowed me to participate with my other team members from Spain and Africa to share our ideas and contributions to the tasks provided each week. It has been great to participate in these weekly meetings in order to learn from my other teammates about their home countries and personal experiences in relation to our SDG.

Olivia Stasiak

As a team member participating in the COIL activity, I found the overall experience extremely rewarding. Being part of a team where members were from different parts of the world presented an opportunity to learn and grow in a collaborative setting.

Managing cross-cultural dynamics within the team demanded high cultural intelligence and sensitivity. I approached this project with an open mind, embracing the team’s diversity of perspectives and backgrounds. By actively listening, seeking to understand different viewpoints, and fostering a culture of respect, we could turn our cultural differences into strengths rather than obstacles.

Communication was a critical factor in our team’s success. For instance, we once had a misunderstanding due to language nuances, but we overcame this by establishing clear communication channels and setting group expectations. We used a combination of video conferencing, messaging platforms, and email, ensuring that information flowed smoothly and everyone felt included in discussions and decision-making processes.

Dealing with multiple time zones was another aspect that required coordination and flexibility. Scheduling meetings that accommodated team members from different parts of the world was not just a logistical challenge but also a test of patience and understanding. However, by prioritizing transparency, experience, and compromise, we were able to find mutually convenient times for our meetings, ensuring that everyone had the opportunity to contribute and participate.

Our virtual team faced cross-cultural dynamics, communication barriers, and time zone differences. We succeeded by valuing each other’s perspectives and contributions and practicing inclusivity. This experience taught me the power of effective communication, cultural awareness, teamwork in virtual team settings, and collaboration in achieving shared objectives.