UK. Avolta subsidiary World Duty Free has raised more than £2.7 million (US$3.4 million) for The One Foundation through sales of ethical hydration brand One Water.
The One Foundation’s mission is to support sustainable water and sanitation services to communities living in some of the most extreme poverty. For every bottle of One Water sold, a donation is made to The One Foundation, funding clean water projects all around the world.
The confirmation of the ‘milestone’ fundraising effort coincides with the launch of One Water’s latest sales incentive in collaboration with World Duty Free. The eight top-sellers of One’s bottled water over June and July will earn a place on a trip to Malawi at the end of the year to see first-hand the impact of donations made through One Water sales.
One Water and The One Foundation Founder Duncan Goose is visiting 14 high-footfall branches of World Duty Free stores in UK airports and at Eurotunnel Folkestone, covering a distance of 2,000 miles on his Honda Africa Twin motorcycle.
Goose’s journey echoes a round-the-world trip he made in 1998 on the same bike when an encounter with Hurricane Mitch – the second-deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record – in Honduras inspired a new career in global development.
The water brand was called One to represent the fact that there were 1 billion people (in 2005) in the world lacking access to clean water. According to the organisation, it “seeks to change one life, one day at a time”.
World Duty Free was one of the first in the UK to stock the ethical water brand and has been its commercial supporter since 2006, with One available at its stores in UK airports and train stations and onboard ferries. To date, The One Foundation has raised over £30 million (US$38.1 million) through partners such as World Duty Free, Bidfood, Co-Op and Starbucks.
“Water is essential for life, yet 703 million people globally still do not have access to safe drinking water and over 1.7 billion people lack access to a decent toilet,” Goose said. He noted that 3.4 million people die every year from waterborne diseases, many of them children under the age of five years old.
“Around the world, women and children often bear the responsibility of collecting water for their families and can walk up to four hours a day just to find water. We want World Duty Free’s fantastic staff to see for themselves what their hard work has contributed to. We thank them for their continued support, it means everything to us and the beneficiaries who they are supporting in sub-Saharan Africa. We hope the trip will inspire them. Their help has been life-changing for millions.
“We estimate that there are still 65,000 handpumps in Malawi that are in dire need of repair and World Duty Free are integral to facilitating change, one day at a time.”
World Duty Free Commercial Director UK Eve Fifer commented: “As a company we are committed to supporting The One Foundation and the vital work they do, and our World Duty Free store staff are all extremely passionate about the brand and the projects the funding supports.
“For the duration of the campaign our entire UK business will be engaged in actively promoting the brand and its charitable giving to the thousands of travellers who visit our stores during the busy summer month of June.”
The World Duty Free One Water Incentive will run until the end of July. The proposed Malawi trip will take place in November and will include all flights, food and accommodation. Attendees will meet NGOs that The One Foundation work with and visit key sites in which change has been implemented. They will be also be treated to traditional Malawian hospitality and a visit to a National Park. 
