UK. Dufry-owned World Duty Free has celebrated the milestone of raising more than £2.5 million (US$3.2 million) for The One Foundation. The funds are being used to provide over 400,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa access to safe and clean water.
The retailer was one of the first in the UK to stock the ethical water brand One and has been its commercial supporter since 2006. It has made the brand available at its stores in UK airports and train stations and onboard ferries.
Since it was founded in 2005 by Duncan Goose, The One Foundation has striven to help resolve the lack of access to clean water across the globe. There are currently 844 million people who suffer from poor access to clean water.
The water brand was called One to represent the fact that there were one billion people (in 2005) in the world lacking access to clean water. The organisation seeks to change one life, one day at a time.
This £2.5 million fundraising milestone coincides with the celebration of Goose’s aound-the-world motorbike journey that first inspired him to start this brand – one of the UK’s first “brands with a purpose”.
The brand founder embarked on a tour of World Duty Free stores around the UK in July to thank the staff for their hard work over the years – and to meet and chat with customers.
Dufry Commercial Manager in the UK Rosemary Brett said: “As a company, we are committed to supporting The One Foundation and the vital work they do and our staff are all extremely passionate about the brand and the projects the funding supports.
“The entire business has been engaged in actively promoting the brand and its charitable giving to the travelling public during the month of July and there have been so many fantastic photo opportunities along the way.”
Goose commented: “It’s been a real honour to be able to celebrate this milestone with so many World Duty Free staff around the UK over the last couple of weeks.
“Their passion for the brand, the foundation and what we do has always been there, but to be able to share the story of how it started and why we do what we do, has really been an emotional experience for me, as much as for them. A big thank you to World Duty Free for all they do, as it really does change hundreds of thousands of lives.” ✈
