Senior business leaders from across the UK will converge on Cumbria this week to see first-hand how communities recover from catastrophic flooding – and find out if they could do more to help in future.

Around 25 organisations including EDF Energy, Imtech UK and South Staffordshire Water will visit Cockermouth and Thirlmere to mark the end of Responsible Business Week, which runs from March 31 until April 4. The event is being led by Steve Fraser, managing director of water company United Utilities.

Responsible Business Week is run by the charity Business in the Community (BiTC) to inspire, equip and challenge businesses to do more to meet the world’s most needs – like flood recovery and resilience.

In Cockermouth, delegates will see how businesses and communities work together to reduce and manage flood risk since the devastating floods of November 2009.

After a tour of the town’s new flood defences, they will go to Thirlmere reservoir near Keswick to see how United Utilities is working with local people to try to provide additional flood attenuation.

Steve Fraser commented:

“Over the last few weeks we’ve all watched with mounting horror as floods in the UK once more engulfed homes, devastated communities and left lives in tatters. Given the regularity with which we are seeing flooding, we hope that what we see in Cumbria will act as a source of inspiration for action elsewhere in the UK.”

“Our ongoing work with people like Keswick Flood Action Group at Thirlmere is an example of how we are doing our bit, even today. Thirlmere’s purpose is to supply drinking water, but we recognise that it can play a role in flood alleviation and we’re working hard with local people to strike the right balance. If we are doing it, other businesses can too.”

In 2009, floods left a quarter of Cumbria’s sewage works under water and severed a water main near Lorton. As well as working round the clock to get services back in order, the water company provided specialist engineers to help survey Cumbria’s bridges and stabilise a river bank, removed gravel from farmers’ fields and provided a Landrover ambulance.

United Utilities holds BiTC’s highest award for corporate responsibility, the Platinum Big Tick, and heads its National Water Taskforce, bringing together companies, regulators and non Governmental organisations to recognise the risks and opportunities of water management.

At the end of the day businesses will be asked to commit to actions, which will be reported back to HRH the Prince of Wales, whose Business Emergency Recovery Group was set up as a direct result of the Cumbria flooding of 2009.