• Philanthropic program to provide safe water solutions in wake of natural disasters
CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2008 -- ITT Corporation has announced a strategic partnership with Mercy Corps as part of its corporate philanthropy program, ITT Watermark. The partnership includes a three-year, $1 million commitment to help provide safe water during emergencies created by natural catastrophes such as floods, droughts and earthquakes. ITT's announcement was made from the Water Environment Federation's annual conference in Chicago.
When natural disaster strikes, access to safe and potable water is often the most critical need. Through this new partnership, ITT, a global leader in the transport and treatment of water, will support Mercy Corps' relief and recovery efforts, which include the provision of dewatering and water purification equipment. In addition, ITT will aid Mercy Corps' on-the-ground staff with rebuilding and recovery of water and sanitation infrastructure long after disaster strikes. Mercy Corps, a global relief and development agency, collaborates with the United Nations to implement water and sanitation solutions during worldwide disasters.
"Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, there has been an increasing number of devastating natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, the 2007 floods in Tabasco, Mexico, as well as the recent China earthquake and Myanmar cyclone. ITT has utilized its strength and expertise in fluid technology in each of these situations to meet the water needs of affected communities," said Steve Loranger, chairman, president and chief executive officer, ITT. "Through ITT Watermark and our partnership with Mercy Corps, we are building on our legacy of commitment, formalizing our proactive emergency response strategy and increasing our ability to deploy our resources as quickly as possible."
Emergency Response Committee
As part of the ITT Watermark initiative, ITT has established an Emergency Response Committee responsible for the coordinated deployment of ITT resources directly to disaster sites during water-related emergencies. The committee will work with Mercy Corps during the balance of this year to develop a plan for reducing risks and implementing turnkey emergency response protocol.
"With ITT as a partner, we will have the opportunity to tap into their expertise and resources to respond quicker and deliver real-time impact on the ground," said Nancy Lindborg, president of Mercy Corps. "Our priority is to help families rebuild their lives after a disaster and ITT shares our goal to implement solutions in a sustainable way that builds local capacity."
This relationship with Mercy Corps is the second strategic partnership for ITT Watermark. In August, the company announced it had partnered with Water For People, an international development organization, to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to 300 schools in Asia and Latin America by 2010.
Tap into ITT Watermark Discussion Series
To further educate its stakeholders on ITT Watermark and the issues it is designed to address, ITT has organized a several-part discussion series featuring the company's executives, non-profit partners and other industry experts.
The last event in the series will examine the importance of safe water during times of emergencies and the role the private sector can play in this response. The panel will include Colin Sabol, vice president, ITT Fluid Technology; Ned Breslin, director of international programs at Water For People; and Randy Martin, director of global emergency operations at Mercy Corps. The panel will be moderated by J. Carl Ganter, director and cofounder of Circle of Blue, a nonprofit media project of the Pacific Institute focused on covering the global freshwater crisis.
>>Click here to watch the video
ITT Corporation is a diversified high-technology engineering and manufacturing company dedicated to creating more livable environments, enabling communications and providing protection and safety.
Mercy Corps works amid disasters, conflicts, chronic poverty and instability to unleash the potential of people who can win against nearly impossible odds.
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