A Story of Change

Towards an inclusive water management model in Argentina's Puna

As lithium exploration expands across the Puna (Andean highland grasslands), so do concerns over the future of freshwater in this fragile landscape. In the Salar de los Pastos Grandes, wetlands and shallow lakes sustain both local ecosystems and the daily lives of communities such as Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes.  

At the same time, lithium, a mineral central to the global energy transition, has created new economic opportunities while raising questions about how water should be managed, protected, and shared.

Yet decisions on mining, water use, and environmental protection remained fragmented across provincial authorities with different mandates. In this context, the absence of significant social conflict in Pastos Grandes, unlike in other provinces, created a valuable opportunity to advance participatory mechanisms and more inclusive multi-stakeholder decision-making, while generating lessons for similar processes in other territories.  

Building Shared Solutions: When dialogue needs data — and data needs trust 

The proposed solution aimed to create stronger conditions for inclusive water governance early in the mining cycle in the Salar de los Pastos Grandes. At that point, there was no watershed scale tool to support a shared understanding of water availability and ecosystem dynamics among stakeholders. Existing information was fragmented, largely produced for regulatory or corporate needs, and not well suited to joint decision making. 

Rather than beginning with predefined solutions, the process focused on building the technical, institutional, and relational conditions needed for meaningful engagement. This involved compiling hydroclimatic data from different actors, integrating complementary local and global datasets, and identifying key knowledge gaps to advance the construction of a watershed-scale water model. It also included stakeholder outreach and the creation of an Argentine Lithium Expert Council to support technical and institutional coordination. 

A central first step was securing the commitment of diverse actors to participate in a co-construction process. This required engaging stakeholders with different interests, expectations, and incentives, including a mining company, provincial authorities, and community actors from Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes.  

Creating the basis for practical and inclusive solutions to water governance challenges, this initiative enables territorial authorities to progressively integrate evidence into transparent and informed decisions on water use. For the mining company, it is offering a way to assess water availability at the scale required for project approval. For the community, it will help build the capacities needed for dialogue and negotiation on more equal terms. Over time, all actors will develop a broader understanding of the potential impacts on water and ecosystems beyond the scope of conventional environmental impact assessments. 

Above: Community dialogue in Salar de Pastos Grandes, 2025. Unlike other parts of Salta Province, Pastos Grandes face growing pressure from lithium development without major social conflict, creating a rare opportunity to pilot more inclusive and participatory water governance in a context of fragmented institutional decision making. (Photo: MARS)

Progress and Results

Early Shifts Toward an Inclusive and Legitimate Process Based on a Common Reference Point

The most important progress during this first phase has been subtle but meaningful. As the co-development of an inclusive water management model advances in Pastos Grandes, a shared technical reference point is beginning to take shape, one that enables more consistent engagement across actors, even when their interests do not fully align.

This shift is reflected, for example, in the participation of Lithium Americas (now Lithium Argentina), the Secretariat of Mining and Energy of Salta Province, the Secretariat of Water Resources of Salta Province, and the governing committee of Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes, all of whom signed agreements to engage in the model co-construction process

Transparency has increasingly become a shared demand. This is evidenced by Lithium Argentina’s sharing of roughly two years of hydroclimatic data with SEI Latin America, and by subsequent discussions with the company’s technical team on how that data should be used in the watershed model. The process has also made it clear that the model’s scope, assumptions, and uncertainty must be communicated clearly to all parties.

These early shifts are already translating into tangible effects across different stakeholder groups. In the private sector, Lithium Argentina has moved beyond engagement limited to technical experts and is now involving legal and public relations functions integrating a more holistic view within the enterprise.

 

Participation was driven less by trust than by necessity: a shared recognition that, without collaboration, no legitimate watershed-scale understanding of water resources could be achieved.

On the public side, the Secretariat of Mining and Energy and the Secretariat of Water Resources have committed to participate on the basis that the model can support technical review, staff training, and a future validation process. The Environment Secretariat is also identified in the initial context as a relevant authority responsible for biodiversity and critical ecosystems, underscoring the need for integrated decision-making.

Community participation is also gaining a clearer role. The agreement with the governing committee of Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes includes support for organizing workshops and for identifying community members with specific knowledge of water resources, aquatic ecosystems, and their relationship to local livelihoods.

In parallel, the process is being technically strengthened through an expert council led by the National University of La Plata, with anticipated contributions from the National University of Salta to address gaps in endorheic watershed modelling, wetland ecology and community livelihoods in the Argentine Puna.

Progress and Results

Early Shifts Toward an Inclusive and Legitimate Process Based on a Common Reference Point

The most important progress during this first phase has been subtle but meaningful. As the co-development of an inclusive water management model advances in Pastos Grandes, a shared technical reference point is beginning to take shape, one that enables more consistent engagement across actors, even when their interests do not fully align.

This shift is reflected, for example, in the participation of Lithium Americas (now Lithium Argentina), the Secretariat of Mining and Energy of Salta Province, the Secretariat of Water Resources of Salta Province, and the governing committee of Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes, all of whom signed agreements to engage in the model co-construction process

Transparency has increasingly become a shared demand. This is evidenced by Lithium Argentina’s sharing of roughly two years of hydroclimatic data with SEI Latin America, and by subsequent discussions with the company’s technical team on how that data should be used in the watershed model. The process has also made it clear that the model’s scope, assumptions, and uncertainty must be communicated clearly to all parties.

These early shifts are already translating into tangible effects across different stakeholder groups. In the private sector, Lithium Argentina has moved beyond engagement limited to technical experts and is now involving legal and public relations functions integrating a more holistic view within the enterprise.

 

Participation was driven less by trust than by necessity: a shared recognition that, without collaboration, no legitimate watershed-scale understanding of water resources could be achieved.

On the public side, the Secretariat of Mining and Energy and the Secretariat of Water Resources have committed to participate on the basis that the model can support technical review, staff training, and a future validation process. The Environment Secretariat is also identified in the initial context as a relevant authority responsible for biodiversity and critical ecosystems, underscoring the need for integrated decision-making.

Community participation is also gaining a clearer role. The agreement with the governing committee of Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes includes support for organizing workshops and for identifying community members with specific knowledge of water resources, aquatic ecosystems, and their relationship to local livelihoods.

In parallel, the process is being technically strengthened through an expert council led by the National University of La Plata, with anticipated contributions from the National University of Salta to address gaps in endorheic watershed modelling, wetland ecology and community livelihoods in the Argentine Puna.

Contact MARS for more information

Henrik Hallgren Programme Director
Andres Hernandez Regional Program Manager

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.

Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.

The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.

The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.

Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.

The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.

Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.

The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.