NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

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URBAN WATER RESILIENCE - LIVING IN BALANCE WITH OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Water security is under threat and governments, leaders and stakeholders are under pressure to create viable, cost-effective solutions. 52% of the world’s population will live in water-stressed regions by 2050. However, there is no ‘one shoe fits all solution’ to urban water resilience; climate shocks have surfaced in different countries in different forms, all of which impacting water security.  For some countries climate shocks have led to floods. In Pakistan more than 1300 people h...

WATER UNITE IMPACT INVESTS INTO GREE ENERGY TO SCALE WASTEWATER INTO BIOGAS SOLUTION

GREE Energy secures pre-series A investment from Water Unite Impact to support its mission in decarbonizing the food supply chain. GREE Energy, a company that decarbonizes food processors in emergent countries by transforming their wastewater into biogas, secures a pre-series A investment from Water Unite Impact. Water Unite Impact, managed by impact investment specialist Wellers Impact, invests into private sector water SMEs globally to transform lives and communities whilst generating ris...

2021 IMPACT UPDATE

In 2021, thanks to your support, our programmes helped:Water Stewardship: Return over 4.1 billion litres of water to regional systems Sanitation & Hygiene:  More than 650,000 people gain access to safe sanitation and hygiene  Environment: Save the equivalent of 31,000 trees by the adoption of biomass fuels Climate: Offset over 2800 tonnes of CO2 eq Employment & Livelihoods: Support almost 2500 jobs in emerging markets...

IMPACT INVESTMENT, MICROLEVIES AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY - AN INTERVIEW WITH CYRILLE ANTIGNAC

Cyrille Antignac¹ is an Investment Partner at Wellers Impact where he looks after investments and acts as a portfolio manager of Water Unite Impact fund. Cyrille has 20 years of experience in Corporate Finance and Private Equity in Asia, Africa and Europe. He is also the founder and former chairman of UBERIS, an impact investing firm. He is also an author and lecturer in leading universities on the topic of impact investing....

WATER UNITE IMPACT BACKS MR GREEN AFRICA - A KENYAN PLASTICS RECYCLING PIONEER

Water Unite Impact is pleased to announce that we are joining the ranks of a diverse group of investors, including DOB Equity and Global Innovation Fund, in the latest round of investment into Mr. Green Africa. Mr. Green Africa, a Kenyan plastics recycling pioneer, has been boosted by a major round of investment by impact driven investors and key industry stakeholders to scale its business model across the continent. Mr. Green Africa’s mission is to turn waste into value, thereby integrating a...

SUSTAINABILITY IS DRIVING SALES IN FMCG - AN INTERVIEW WITH RUPEN SHAH

It was a pleasure to sit down with Rupen Shah, who describes himself as British Kenyan Indian who comes from humble roots. Rupen freely disclosed that he has been incredibly fortunate to be afforded opportunities and to have the support of people who believed in his potential, enabling him achieve more than he realised he was capable of at the time. The personal benefits Rupen accrued from his career now afforded him choices in life and because of his roots, he has a strong desire to give back a...

COP26 - WHAT NOW?

COP26 has come and gone. The circus has packed up and left town, leaders and activists from Boris Johnson to Greta Thunberg have shared their words. In its wake, over 140 countries have committed to net zero goals, covering 90% of global emissions. But will our governments stand by their word and will these policies ever see action? Oxtera Consulting ran a survey within their COP26 panel asking attendees and virtual attendees to vote on what they considered to be the biggest barrier to reaching ...

WATER AT COP26 - NOT AN AFTERTHOUGHT BUT A NECESSITY

The final countdown is on for COP26, described as ‘the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control’. With just days to go ahead of the October 31st start date the final events and panels are being added to the Green Zone agenda. We are delighted to see water-related topics being featured in these new additions. However, considering how closely water and climate change are linked, it was concerning that only one ‘water’ event directly relating to climate ch...

THROWN IN THE SHALLOW END - A WATER SCARCITY CRISIS

Adapting the management of natural resources is an urgent matter and one that needs careful consideration. To many people who live in developed nations, water scarcity may not be of much concern. However, it is not an exaggeration to say that life revolves around water, and water scarcity grows in severity for each passing day in which no action is taken. Restoring the planet’s natural resources is no easy feat - it takes time, money and international co-operation to make meaningful, long term...

FEMALE CHANGE-MAKERS - THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND DEVELOPMENT

It is well documented that one of the major barriers to development is gender inequality. What is less well documented are the female entrepreneurs working to create sustainable solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems in development. These powerful advocates of equality in development can be seen across our partners and investees, so this month, we are celebrating the female change-makers in the waste & WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) sectors. Across both sectors decision and po...

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT POO - AND IT'S A PROBLEM

In this fast-paced, consumer-driven world, we rarely take the time to talk about sewage and waste, simply because it doesn’t make for ‘polite’ conversation. So, ahead of Compost Week, we at Water Unite want to take the time to address the elephant sized pile of waste in the room - why it is such an extensive problem and what we are doing about it. Although the current climate of “throw away” culture is finally being discouraged by the mainstream media, much work still needs to be done ...

SANIVATION ANNOUNCED AS FIRST INVESTEE OF WATER UNITE IMPACT INVESTMENT VEHICLE

Water Unite Impact Investment Vehicle, a partnership between Water Unite and Wellers Impact, is pleased to announce the closing of its first transaction, an investment into the Kenyan sanitation developer Sanivation Ltd (“Sanivation”). The Water Unite Impact  Investment Vehicle, which has a planned capitalisation of US$ 100 million, invests into private sector water, sanitation and plastics pollution reduction  SMEs globally. The fund uses a catalytic capital structure relying on W...

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]...