One Water Raises £1,000,000 For African Water Projects

One, the ethical bottled water brand, has recently celebrated the milestone of donating £1,000,000 to fund water projects in Africa, giving nearly half a million* people access to a clean, sustainable and safe drinking water source. This comes just three years after the first bottle of One rolled off the production line in 2005.

One is the brainchild of ‘social-preneur’, Duncan Goose, who left his advertising role in 2004 to set up Global Ethics Limited, an organisation whose primary remit is to raise funds by manufacturing and marketing products with all profits going towards humanitarian projects in developing countries.

The organisation was borne from the simple premise of like for like or ‘water for water’, when UK consumers drink One water, Africa drinks too. The product, so called, as it wouldn’t eradicate water scarcity overnight but could change the world one person, one day at a time.

It was this concept and Duncan’s unique sustainable business model that has enabled both the brand and organisation to grow organically whilst donating 100 per cent of its profits towards funding the installation of roundabout PlayPump® water systems in Africa. These PlayPump water systems are powered by children’s roundabouts so as children play, water is pumped up from deep underground to water storage tanks.

Unlike many of today’s start-ups, Global Ethics was not backed by venture capitalists but funded privately, primarily by Duncan remortgaging his home and borrowing from family and friends. Duncan’s gamble paid off, as just three years on, the company which is based in London, now employs a staff of twelve with the brand stocked in some of the UK’s leading retail outlets including Morrisons, Co-op, TOTAL service stations, Waitrose, Tesco and World Duty Free.

Commenting on the milestone and success of One’s unique business model, Stefan Chomka, formerly of the Grocer, the UK’s leading food and drink retail publication said: “Duncan’s approach is unorthodox yet simple and is based on transparency and trust. He approaches retailers and tells them exactly how much it costs to supply them with the brand and then asks how much they are prepared to pay. Large retailers may pay less, but on the basis they will sell more, while smaller players may pay more. Whatever they pay, retailers have Goose’s word that every penny goes towards funding water projects.”

Actress and One water Ambassador Claire Goose said: “In 2004, Duncan’s vision was to implement a simple yet completely sustainable business model, a model that was not based on donations but based on business transactions. One gives consumers the opportunity to make an ethical choice when buying ‘on the go’ bottled water, enabling them to ‘give’ and make that difference without having to donate a penny.”

As a result of Duncan’s vision, 187 PlayPump® water systems have now been funded supplying 187 African communities with clean safe water. In less than one year, One water has gone from funding a PlayPump every eleven days to every three days, with the ultimate aim of funding a PlayPump every single day of the year.

Claire continued: “A PlayPump isn’t just about providing fresh clean water, it provides a community with a sustainable resource that saves time and energy and ultimately facilitates healthy, safe and educated lives.”

“By having access to a clean water supply on tap, children are spared from having to walk up to five hours a day just to collect water. Instead they are able play, go to school and get the education they deserve in order to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.”

Although delighted on reaching the £1 million milestone, Duncan will not be resting on his laurels and has ambitious plans for the future. In addition to the continued marketing and sale of One, Global Ethics is set to launch a number of other like-for-like ventures, with the launch of a brand of condoms later this year that will help prevent and educate people on HIV.