NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

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INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN HALL, KANTAR

Jonathan Hall, Managing Partner, Sustainable Transformation Practice at Kantar, chats to Water Unite on how consumers are looking to retailers, businesses and governments to 'do the right thing', and how this can be done in a commercial way. Key Take Outs:Consumers expect businesses and government to take responsibility of environmental and social issues Sustainability is a trillion dollars of opportunity, $382 billion within the FMCG sectorConsumers want helps from brands to align their action...

THE ETHICALLY CONSCIOUS CONSUMER

By Chris Sellers (CEO)  Originally posted on LinkedIn: A consumer segment has emerged in the last decade that is not defined by the usual metrics of age, race, gender or even economic class. Rather by their concern for society, the environment and their fellow humankind.  “Today $1 in every $5 spent on fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) products come from conscious consumers” - Kantar ¹ Nearly all of the efforts towards influencing consumers and their shopping habits over the ...

2021 - THE GREAT RESET?

Our Chair, Lord Malcolm Bruce, former Chair of the Parliamentary Select Committee on International Development, discusses the role Water Unite has in Build Back Better in a Post-Covid world. Key Take Outs:Successful businesses are adaptableTackling the climate & rebuilding things sustainably will both help the planet & speed recovery and poverty reductionSliding back into how things were before will be a mistake - Water Unite helps explore how cooperatively how we can rebuild post-COVIDWater & s...

2020 IN REVIEW

Duncan Goose, our Founder, has taken a look back at Water Unite's year in 2020 in our new film."2020 has been a really interesting year for lots of reasons, not least because of all the COVID impact, but from a Water Unite perspective, I think there's been some fantastic progress that we've made throughout the year."...

WATER UNITE VIRTUAL CONVENING - MEET OUR SPEAKERS

Just under four weeks to go until our online convening goes live. Bringing together multiple stakeholders from the private, development, political and finance sectors we will create a new, highly innovative, catalytic fund that addresses the global issues of plastic waste and lack of access to clean water and decent sanitation. We've invited a wide range of individuals to speak at our convening, all of whom are passionate about what they do and recognise that collaboration will help us move...

THE UNITED NATIONS CAN STILL CHANGE THE WORLD

One of the effects of the Covid-19 crisis has been the literal and metaphorical drawing up of bridges around the world as nations focus on their own responses to the pandemic. Levels of lockdown, testing, social distancing and economic stimulus packages have all differed country to country. Some evidence of international co-operation or co-ordination does exist, especially in the sharing of scientific knowledge about the virus itself, but the overall picture remains one of national self-interest...

WATER UNITE IMPACT - FINANCING A BETTER FUTURE

Water poverty, lack of adequate sanitation, and plastic pollution are three of the most pressing issues that the world faces today. The poorest nations bear the brunt of this devastating reality with hundreds dying every day as a result. While the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to address the problem, there is a funding gap in the water, sanitation and plastics sectors which risks the fulfilment of these goals. Water Unite endeavours to fill this gap through an innova...

SHOPPING WITH A CONSCIENCE - LIFE AFTER LOCKDOWN

By Chris Sellers (CEO) As good as it gets The Covid-19 crisis is having, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the retail world. Some retail sectors have been hard hit, others like grocery, have not only seen heavy demand, but shone through this dark time. From large multiples to local stores they have demonstrated an ability to both meet new challenges and to act for the greater good.  Of course, there have been some hiccups along the way. The ‘just enough, just in time’, ...

WATER, WOMEN AND THE WAR AGAINST DISEASE

The beginning of March saw the world celebrate International Women’s Day, while March 22nd's World Water Day inevitably suffered from the ongoing fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic with events, activities and conferences all cancelled. It’s an ironic turn of events as women, water and epidemics actually have a lot in common. Because restricted access to water, sanitation and hygiene is an issue that has a disproportionately large effect on women and also on the spread of disease. Every da...

EBOLA, WATER AND BEATING EPIDEMICS

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) breaking through the containment barrier and now entering the ‘delay’ stage, advice and opinion from every quarter isn’t hard to come by. Many of us are lucky enough to live in developed economies with advanced healthcare systems, effective media and governments that, for the most part, are organised and focused on finding a way through the crisis. Still, amongst the best advice we have is to wash our hands a lot. At Water Unite this has focused our attentio...

A LEAP OF FAITH

2020 is a leap year, so today we’re gifted with an extra day to do as we wish, including the traditional, and now probably redundant, opportunity for women to turn the tables and propose to men.   But here at Water Unite we have another proposal in mind. One that retailers around the world are beginning to buy into as they realise that their customers are increasingly driven by social and environmental concerns.   For every one litre of bottled water sold, 1 cent is donated...

MAKING A DIFFERENCE, ONE CENT AT A TIME

By Chris Sellers (CEO) Originally posted on LinkedIn: In a week when the Davos World Economic Forum gets under way and the movers and shakers from the world of politics and finance jet in to listen to Greta Thunberg talk, it’s worth remembering the words of another teenage activist at the launch event.  Autumn Peltier, who has been campaigning for clean water since she was 8, told the conference; “If you have an idea, or a solution, or a way you can help us, just do it.” That’s a qu...

ELIOR UK JOINS WATER UNITE TO COMBAT PLASTICS POLLUTION

[Steve Murrells, CEO of The Co-op, and Catherine Roe, CEO of Elior UK, signing the Water Unite compact]...

CO-SPONSORSHIP OF THE ALQUITY TRANSFORMING LIVES AWARDS

Water Unite is proud to co-sponsor two of the eight awards of the Alquity Transforming Lives Foundation supporting innovative plastics schemes in India and Kenya. The 2019 winners will benefit from up to $600,000 (£498,000) in investments. We will be awarding $50,000 (£42,000) to Plastics For Change in India, and Gjenge Makers in Kenya, two innovative organisations focused on the UN Sustainable Development goals of Improving livelihoods, productive employment and decent work for all. Plastics ...

WATER: WHY WE NEED BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL

By Usha Rao-Monari (Vice-Chair)  Originally posted on LinkedIn: In preparing to attend the World Water Week gathering in Stockholm, I am encouraged by the growing consensus and recognition of the central role that water plays in all aspects of social and economic development – indeed, it is the foundation upon which all of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals can be delivered. Participants from nearly 130 countries and representing over 400 organisations will gather at thi...

WATER UNITE IS REDUCING WATER SCARCITY AND POLLUTION

Originally posted by Borgen Magazine:  For millions of people around the world, water scarcity is a grave problem that can affect every aspect of daily life. Without clean and plentiful water, crops and animals die, which leads to starvation for the people living in the area. Children do not receive an adequate education because they are required to help their families get drinking water every day. Furthermore, access to basic sanitation is lost, raising the risk of diseases....

WATER UNITE ANNOUNCES THREE INITIAL PROGRAMMES

Generous support from the Rockefeller, Osprey, Stone Family and Vitol Foundations enabled the feasibility and initial set up phase of Water Unite. Co-op, the UK’s largest community retailer, has signed a Partnership Compact as a pioneer partner - every branded bottle sold by Co-op contributes a penny per litre to Water Unite. We are in active dialogue with dozens of other major bottled water retailers. While still early days, our journey has begun. A new board, chaired by Lord Malcolm Bruce, h...

WATER UNITE TO RAISE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM BOTTLED WATER TO HELP END WATER POVERTY AND PLASTIC POLLUTION

On World Water Day 2018, partners in a new global investment fund for water will unveil Water Unite – a purpose-driven brand uniting individuals and companies against water poverty and plastic pollution.  Participating partners in Water Unite are harnessing fast-growing revenues from bottled water sales, directing around 1 cent per litre to the Water Unite fund.    Founding partners include Co-Op UK, with discussions underway with other major retailers and bottled water pro...

FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER CONVENES BOTTLED WATER CHIEFS TO DISCUSS WATER UNITE

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Chair of the Sanitation and Water for All partnership, has hosted a meeting of some of the world’s major bottled water brands and retailers to discuss Water Unite. Based on the concept of directing one cent per litre from bottled water sales, the fund has the potential to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to fight water poverty across the developing world and tackle plastic pollution head on. As well as leaders of major bottled water producer an...

CO-OP UK TO BE PIONEER PARTNER IN WATER UNITE

The Co-op UK already donates money from the sales of its own-label bottled water, but will extend its commitment to donate a penny per litre from all branded water it sells across its 2,600 stores in the UK to contribute to the initiative. Steve Murrells, Group Chief Executive, Co-op, said: “For over ten years, the Co-op has championed the need to invest in water sanitation and hygiene projects in countries such as Kenya and Malawi. “Water Unite is an exciting new initiative which has the po...