Green Urban Association Presents the Smart Water Zone Project at the PRME Chapter Eurasia Annual General Meeting

On May 28, 2026, the Annual General Meeting of PRME Chapter Eurasia — which brings together business schools and educational organizations implementing the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education — took place at Narxoz Business School in Almaty. During the event, Yuliya Yakupbayeva, Chairperson of the Green Urban Association, presented the Association’s activities and key sustainability projects.

Special attention during the presentation was given to the new Smart Water Zone project, aimed at assessing and reducing the water footprint of organizations. The initiative is based on international Water Stewardship approaches and helps companies analyze the efficiency of water resource use, identify opportunities to reduce consumption, and implement best practices in sustainable water management.

Yuliya Yakupbayeva noted that water resource management is becoming one of the most significant areas of the ESG agenda for business. In this regard, the Green Urban Association is building a platform for exchanging experience and implementing practical solutions aimed at responsible water use.

The results of the Smart Plastic Zone project, implemented jointly with Coca-Cola, for 2025 were also presented. The project is aimed at reducing organizations’ plastic footprint and developing a culture of responsible waste management. Since its launch in 2025, around 80 companies from various sectors of the economy have joined the initiative, and the total area of participants’ facilities has exceeded 5.5 million square meters. In 2026, the project will continue to scale up and expand its geographic reach.

Yuliya Yakupbayeva emphasized that the Green Urban Association works across 11 areas, including sustainable urban development, urbanism, Smart City, green education, urban health, sustainable tourism, and the circular economy:

“We are not a classic association that fights for legislative changes and lobbies for government support measures. We bring together representatives of business, government bodies, the academic community, and the expert community to implement practical projects aimed at improving the quality of the urban environment and achieving sustainable development goals. Our motto is ‘Business for cities. Cities for life.’”

The Green Urban Association invites companies from all industries to join the Smart Water Zone and Smart Plastic Zone projects. Participation in these initiatives allows organizations to implement practical ESG solutions, reduce their environmental footprint, and contribute to the sustainable development of Kazakhstan’s cities.