impact partnerships at belu
Our impact partnerships are integral to how we are changing the way the world sees water and showing that there is a better way to do business. We have joined forces with a handful of businesses and invested in nature based projects across the UK we believe will benefit waterways, wildlife and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.
We support and align our impact partnerships with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 6, 12, 13, 14 and 17.
In 2021 Belu made the decision to move away from opaque carbon offsetting initiatives and instead chose to redirect funding to invest in nature-based solutions in and around the UK, starting with our mineral water source in Montgomeryshire, Wales.
Belu follows PAS 808 principles and best practices to foster stakeholder alignment across our partners and the Belu Collective as a whole. We are a purpose-driven organisation, it’s at the heart of everything we do and embedded within our policies and processes.
We are committed to doing the right thing through our climate and environmental efforts, raising awareness and empowering the hospitality sector with the best equipment, service and knowledge in order to minimise and reduce industry emissions and reinvest in sustainable initiatives for UK rivers, canals, waterways and coastlines.
We are always keen to connect with likeminded organisations with similar values.
If you would like to enquire about partnering with Belu, please email press@belu.org.
Belu & WATERAID
1 in 10 people still don’t have clean water to drink and 1 in 4 people don’t have access to a decent toilet.
We invest in WaterAid’s work across 28 countries so that they can work where the need is greatest, to bring clean water to everyone, everywhere within a generation.
Since our collaboration began in 2011, Belu has committed to giving 100% net profits to WaterAid. These funds are entirely unrestricted so WaterAid can choose where to use them. That means the most urgent and important projects can be prioritised and it’s one of the things that makes our partnership so special.
To date, we’ve given WaterAid £5.5 million, enough to transform over 360,000 lives worldwide with clean water.
Photo credit: WaterAid/ Ernest Randriarimalala
Current impact partners & investments
River Ravensbourne and Glass Mill Pond
Belu has supported the restoration and clearance of the River Ravensbourne and Glass Mill Pond in South London.
Read more about this project here.
Rivers Trust portal
We have supported the build and maintenance of a digital portal which tracks all our nature based projects across the UK.
Sussex Kelp Recovery Project
This project will develop a roadmap to biodiversity certificates which can be replicated for other conservation and marine protection projects.
Sustainability guide for small businesses
We will be launching a guide to sustainability for small hospitality businesses in the UK and Hong Kong, in early 2024.
Holistic Water for Horticulture project (HWH)
We are supporting a project in the South East, with emphasis on the River Medway, to prevent chemical runoff from farms, develop water resilience maps and mapping polytunnels.
Completed impact investments
Canal & River Trust Leaky Dams (2023)
We funded a ‘leaky dam’ project with the Canal & River Trust along the Montgomery Canal near our mineral water source in Wales. The dams prevent farm spillover from entering the canal and protect rare plant species and wildlife such as otters and dragonflies who have made the canal their home.
Certification bodies & memberships
Provenance
Provenance are an independent fact checker for the FMCG sector. We use Provenance Proof points across our website and products to verify our sustainability claims.
Institute of Hospitality
The Institute of Hospitality is the professional body for managers and aspiring managers working and studying in hospitality, leisure and tourism.
Food Made Good
The Food Made Good Standard, created by The Sustainable Restaurant Association, is the only sustainability accreditation for food and beverage businesses, and is available worldwide.
Green Key
Green Key is an international eco-label awarded to accommodations and other hospitality facilities that commit to sustainable business practices.
Social Enterprise UK
Social Enterprise UK (known as SEUK) is the UK's membership body for social enterprises.
Decanter
Decanter is the world’s leading wine media brand. They also present Decanter World Wine and Retailer Awards, which Belu sponsors.
CODE Hospitality
CODE Hospitality is a community created to reward, inspire and connect hospitality professionals.
King’s Award for Enterprise (pending)
The King’s Awards for Enterprise recognise outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of: innovation, international trade, sustainable development and social mobility.
Plastics Treaty
An agreement laid out by the United Nations which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production, use and disposal
Courtauld Agreement 2030
Belu has signed the Courtauld Agreement 2030 pledging to reduce waste and emissions in the drinks sector.
Science Based Target initiatives (SBTi)
The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting.
Buy Social
Led by SEUK in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The Buy Social Corporate Challenge involves 30 of the UK's largest businesses and aims to diversify and add social enterprise suppliers to their operations.
