Ongoing collaboration with the International River Foundation and celebrating the Thiess International Riverprize

For more than 20 years, Thiess has proudly partnered with the International River Foundation (IRF) to accelerate and scale river solutions around the world, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for all.

In 2025, Thiess was a Principal Sponsor of the 26th International River Symposium (IRS) in Brisbane – a global forum that united over 500 delegates representing 22 countries across three days of knowledge sharing and collaboration, to accelerate solutions for our rivers. The event culminated in the awarding of the Thiess International RiverPrize, which celebrates outstanding achievements in river restoration, protection and management.

Friends of the Chicago River was awarded the 2025 RiverPrize for its transformative restoration of the 251 km Chicago-Calumet River system. Once heavily polluted and neglected, the Chicago River is now a thriving urban waterway, evidenced by the 2025 community swim – the first since 1927. Since 1979, Friends of the Chicago River has catalysed a regional movement for river protection, engaging more than 100,000 people annually through education, outreach, and hands-on stewardship.

With Thiess Group Executive Chair and CEO Michael Wright serving as IRF Chair, Thiess was proud to contribute to the 26th IRS and share insights from their own river restoration initiatives in Indonesia, delivered in collaboration with the IRF. These efforts include establishing waste recovery facilities, delivering community educational programs, and reducing plastic pollution in waterways – helping create lasting environmental and social benefits