This call to action goes out to utilities everywhere in the Danube region: Please visit the website linked below and support the compilation of a comprehensive report on workforce demographics, recruitment/retention strategies, training, career paths, and future workforce needs in the water sector of the Danube region.

Broad participation from utilities of every size and structure is urgently needed to gather comprehensive insights as a basis for strategies to strengthen and modernize the water utility workforce in the Danube region. A deeper understanding of regional workforce dynamics will help the sector to develop targeted initiatives to address the challenges we all face.

As we all know, these challenges are significant: Many utilities in the region employ an aging workforce and face related risks to the continuity and quality of services. Your input will help identify the extent of this issue.

Competing against sectors like energy and construction, utilities fight uphill to attract and retain qualified professionals and maintain a skilled workforce. Your participation will add valuable data that can help to develop effective human resource practices tailored to the region's specific context.

HR experts widely agree that diverse and inclusive work environments produce better decision-making, a climate of innovation, and overall success. By sharing information on your utility's demographics and policies, you contribute to efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity in the region´s sector.

There is a wide-spread need for ongoing capacity building, and identifying existing skill gaps and training needs will enable the design of targeted professional development programs, ensuring that the sector´s workforce is equipped to meet current and future challenges.

In this environment, going alone is not an option: Your participation will foster knowledge exchange and cooperation among utilities in the Danube region, facilitating the sharing of best practices and collective problem-solving.

For all these reasons, participating is all-important. Please mind that all information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality. Data will be aggregated and anonymized to ensure that individual responses cannot be traced back to specific utilities.

That said, Voice of the Danube recommends your participation. Please follow the link to the website below, where you can find the questionnaire. It is available in six languages: English, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Bosnian, and Albanian. We appreciate submission of the completed survey to jnewton@worldbank.org by 21 March 2025.

For any questions or further information related to the study, please contact Joshua Newton, jnewton@worldbank.org. Thank you for your contribution to this vital initiative!