TRANSPARENCY & COMPLIANCE
An institutional commitment to transparency, compliance and accountability
Waterships operates under a reinforced governance framework designed to ensure full transparency, regulatory compliance, and institutional accountability across all activities. This framework reflects the expectations of partner States, international agencies, multilateral donors, and certification bodies. It also guarantees that all humanitarian, hydric, environmental, and climate‑related operations are conducted with the highest standards of integrity.
The Group’s entities — MCREF, the Waterships Association, Waterships Climate & Forests (WCF), and national SAS operators — adhere to a unified compliance architecture aligned with international norms, including DNV‑supervised certification requirements and global MRV standards.
Core principles of the Waterships transparency framework
1. Alignment with international standards
Waterships implements globally recognized standards for transparency, MRV (Measurement, Reporting & Verification), carbon certification, and institutional governance. These standards ensure that all data, operations, and financial flows meet the expectations of international partners and certification authorities.
This includes:
adherence to DNV certification protocols
compliance with international carbon‑market methodologies
alignment with humanitarian and environmental reporting norms
integration of traceability and auditability requirements into all operations
2. Full traceability of operations and financial flows
Waterships ensures complete traceability across all operational and financial processes. This includes:
hydric production and distribution
humanitarian interventions
reforestation and agroforestry activities
MRV+ data collection and verification
carbon‑credit generation and certification
Financial flows are strictly separated between nonprofit and operational activities, in accordance with the legal obligations of MCREF as a French endowment fund.
All transactions and operational actions are documented, timestamped, and consolidated within secure digital systems.
3. Conflict‑of‑interest prevention and ethical governance
Waterships maintains a rigorous ethical governance framework. Key mechanisms include:
a mandatory register of interests for all Board and Executive Committee members
disclosure obligations for any direct or indirect interest
recusal procedures in case of potential or actual conflicts
immediate protective measures in situations of reputational or governance risk
These measures ensure impartiality, independence, and integrity across all decision‑making processes.
4. Data governance and cybersecurity
Waterships applies strict rules for the management, protection, and transmission of operational, scientific, and personal data. This includes:
secure data‑storage protocols
controlled access to sensitive information
cybersecurity responsibilities defined in internal regulations
procedures for incident response and non‑compliance management
These safeguards ensure the reliability, confidentiality, and integrity of all data used for humanitarian, hydric, environmental, and climate‑related activities.
5. Independent external audits
The Board of Directors may mandate independent external audits covering:
legal and regulatory compliance
financial transparency
hydric, humanitarian, and logistical operations
MRV systems and climate‑related activities
certification processes and international commitments
Audit findings are shared with the Board, the General Assembly, and institutional partners when required.
6. Institutional reporting and enhanced transparency
Waterships produces comprehensive annual reporting that includes:
a moral and institutional report
an operational report (hydric, humanitarian, environmental, MRV indicators)
a financial report (accounts, budgets, commitments)
a transparency report for public, private, and international partners
This reporting ensures that all stakeholders have access to clear, verifiable, and consolidated information on the Group’s activities and impacts.
7. Cross‑entity legal supervision by Bracewell LLP
Bracewell LLP serves as the Group’s transversal legal counsel on a pro bono basis. Its role includes:
ensuring legal coherence across all entities
supervising the drafting and harmonization of inter‑entity agreements
advising on regulatory compliance in France and internationally
supporting risk prevention and institutional security
ensuring alignment between nonprofit and operational structures
This legal oversight reinforces the Group’s institutional robustness and long‑term sustainability.
Strategic objectives of the transparency and compliance framework
Waterships’ transparency and compliance architecture aims to:
strengthen trust with partner States and multilateral institutions
ensure alignment with international certification and reporting standards
mitigate legal, operational, and reputational risks
guarantee the traceability of hydric, climate, and financial commitments
support the production of certifiable, auditable, and interoperable data
reinforce the Group’s institutional credibility and long‑term resilience
