IMPACT PROJECT/INVESTMENT OF THE YEAR - WATER
We are extremely proud to inform you that Water Unite Impact (a collaboration between Water Unite and Wellers Impact) has won the Impact project/investment of the year: Water category in Environmental Finance's IMPACT Awards 2021.
Environmental Finance's IMPACT awards seek to recognise and reward the work of impact investors everywhere and highlight emerging pockets of best practice, across all asset classes and all geographies. The winners were decided by a panel of judges made up of prolific impact investors from across the globe, therefore Water Unite Impact winning is truly a fantastic achievement. The market’s stamp of approval means that the Environmental Finance award is a highly prized accolade.
The award recognises the innovative financial structure of Water Unite Impact and its ability to create systemic change in a way that cannot be achieved with philanthropic capital alone. As a reminder, Water Unite Impact uses micro-contributions, for example from bottled water sales (1 cent/pence per litre sold) in the form of donations from international retailers, as Catalytic Capital to attract commercial capital and expertise that has the power to transform the water, sanitation and plastics recycling sector.
It supports corporations to meet ESG goals through impact investment and helps retailers and investors report transformational impact to their consumers, clients and stakeholders. Micro-contributions make it possible for consumers to directly contribute to scaleable commercial solutions making water and sanitation more inclusive and removing plastics out of the environment.
This fantastic achievement has only been possible because of support that we have received from our key partners.
Investor Partners: Water Unite and The One Foundation
Legal Counsel: Wellers Law Group
“It has been a privilege to work on the Water Unite Impact project with partners such as Water Unite, The One Foundation, The Co-op and Elior. These are organisations that understand the very pressing issues of plastics pollution and access to water being experienced in many different parts of the globe and are addressing it. We at the Wellers Law Group and Wellers Impact are delighted to have been able to play our part by using the significant legal and the impact investment knowledge we have under one roof, to help structure this unique and important investment vehicle and proposition and bring it successfully to market. We see this as a future model for both sustainable investment managers and charities to deliver positive outcomes and financial returns.” Neil Sandy – CEO – Wellers Impact and Wellers Law Group
"From the inception of Water Unite, it's been clear that using a proportion of the micro-contributions from retailers and brands as catalytic capital for impact investments would allow the model to have even greater impact around the world. Having successfully granted over USD$1 million to programmes across Africa and Asia, it's fantastic to accelerate our work with the development of Water Unite Impact (WUI). We're thrilled WUI has been announced as an IMPACT Awards 2021 winner, which provides further confirmation of the viability of the model" Water Unite
“The One Foundation is delighted that the Water Unite Impact fund has been recognised with this award for their work. As a founding partner of the fund, we are proud of the impact that the fund is making and are excited to see what potential leverage can be made through this innovative financing model.” The One Foundation
“We are proud to be a pioneering partner of Water Unite and Water Unite Impact. The Co-op is committed to tackling the issue of water poverty and the partnership has allowed us to amplify our impact, providing clean water to some of the world’s poorest communities. We’re excited Water Unite Impact has won the ‘Impact project of the year’, highlighting the importance of its innovative work” Cathryn Higgs - Head of Food Policy – The Co-op
“As the first foodservice company to adopt the Water Unite micro-contribution model, Elior has always backed innovation within the Sustainability space. The Water Unite Impact investment vehicle is a further example how new models can make greater impact in tackling water poverty and reducing the impact of plastic on our oceans and environment” Charlotte Wright - Head of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability- Elior UK
For more information, please contact
Roopal Kanabar (Roopal.kanabar@wellersimpact.com)
Louis Goring-Morris (louis@waterunite.org)
Wellers Impact is a UK-based, FCA-Regulated Impact Investment Manager which works to unlock community-focused impact through SDG-focused impact investing. Through innovative investment models that utilise fair economics, Wellers Impact originates investment opportunities across three core business activities; real estate developments in partnership with local land-owning not-for-profits in East Africa, financial support for agriculture firms and supply chains globally through sustainable development finance and direct investment into private water, sanitation and plastics recycling firms globally. Investment involves risk. Suitable for Sophisticated, Professional and High Net Worth Investors only.