Ethical brand celebrating huge funding milestone on World Water Day

Richmond Upon Thames-based ethical brand One Water is celebrating a £30 million fundraising milestone with its charity partner The One Foundation today (Friday), which is appropriately World Water Day (March 22).

The brand and The One Foundation were founded by ethical entrepreneur Duncan Goose in 2004 and the millions of pounds raised through the sales of bottled water, corporate partnerships and donations, has helped to change the lives of more than 5 million people around the globe.

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"Having set out to change just one life, to have changed 5 million is an incredible milestone and one that would not have been possible had it not been for all our partners, customers and the wider public who’ve been buying One water over the years," said Goose.

He was inspired to start the brand after being caught in Hurricane Mitch in Honduras in 1998 during a two-year round-the-world motorbike adventure and experiencing the issue first-hand.

Around the planet, there are still 703 million people who lack access to safe, clean drinking water, including 115 million who still collect untreated surface water from lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

These people survive on as little as 5 litres for all of their daily needs, whereas just one flush of a toilet typically uses over litres of water. The average person in the UK uses 152 litres of water per day.

By purchasing any of One's products, a donation is made to The One Foundation to fund life-changing water programmes.

Co-op have worked with The One Foundation for more than 15 years and donate 3p per litre from sales of Co-op branded water, which has significantly helped to reach the £30 million milestone.

The funds raised are invested across two key sectors, currently focused in Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi and Kenya, where large scale urban water systems are being implemented and handpump repair in rural communities.

The ambition, meanwhile, of The One Foundation is to fund self-sustaining water solutions, to help create a world in which everyone has access to clean, safe water, forever.

Goose added: "I would particularly like to recognise Co-op who have been such a significant part of our journey and given so much over the years, as well as Starbucks and World Duty Free and all the other partners who share our vision for a fairer world.

"My hope is that One is recognised for all it has done and becomes a truly global brand for change.”

One Water is currently available in Co-op stores, Holland & Barrett, NISA, Starbucks, Whole Foods Market, World Duty Free, other leading hospitality and convenience outlets and major wholesalers including Bidfood and Brakes.

Recently, One Hydration has also been launched, which is a range of water supplements to improve hydration at work and play.