8 minute read
WATER THAT MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE
By Belu Water, A Purpose-led Sustainable Drinks Business is 'Bringing Business for Good' to Hospitality and Workplace Venues in Hong Kong
With forthcoming new legislation on single-use plastic bottle reduction, glass bottle levies and municipal waste charges coming into play, Belu is excited about the opportunities for business growth in Hong Kong, as more businesses look to move away from singleuse bottles to refillable options when it comes to guest or workplace drinking water solutions.
Belu launched in Hong Kong in 2021 after an approach from The Upper House, who were seeking a sustainable water solution for their restaurant, Salisterra, and were attracted by Belu’s purpose-led business model. Belu jumped at the chance to ‘go global’ with Swire, a group that cares about sustainability by branching out into Hong Kong For Belu, business growth means positive impact for people and planet through their innovative Social Enterprise business model.
Filter in Action
Founded in London in 2002 , to bring an environmentally improved bottled water proposition to market, Belu expanded into filtered water dispensers from 2015 and introduced a range of adult soft drinks in 2021 to the British market Due to their environment-first approach Belu will only offer ‘Belu Filter in Action’, their filtered water dispenser offering outside of the UK to minimise footprint.
Through the partnership, Belu has enabled The Upper House to serve guests premium still and sparkling water on tap in reusable jugs, reducing waste and carbon footprint, saving on storage and deliveries and supporting Belu’s bold purpose ‘to change the way the world sees water’.
Belu offers filtered water solutions with leading carbon filter technology for a range of hospitality needs from front to back of house and now has over 60 filtered water systems in Hong Kong with plans to double growth this year.
The Belu HK Collective
A range of trailblazing Hong Kong hospitality venues have joined its ‘Filter in Action Collective’ including more Swire Group businesses, Mandarin Oriental, Maximal Concepts, Pizza Express HK, OVOLO Group, SpiceBox Organics, Bar Leone and Shady Acres, all serving Belu premium filtered water in reusable glass bottles.
Some venues invite customers to pay a small charge for unlimited still and sparkling free flow filtered water, which often results in better value for guests than paying for mineral or spring water in single-use bottles.
The switch can positively affect a restaurant’s bottom line too; Mr and Mrs Fox, part of EAST in Quarry Bay, saw a 72% uplift in water sales from the prior year
Thinking ‘Environment First’
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (particularly 6, 12 and 13) underpin Belu’s purpose
As a social enterprise on a mission to do business differently whilst helping to solve some of the world’s problems at the same time, Belu invest 100% of profit in pursuit of their purpose. That means investing to reduce emissions, supporting water stewardship projects, advocating a circular economy and bringing clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene to everyone everywhere in partnership with WaterAid
Belu gives all net profit to WaterAid
Belu believes that everyone should have access to clean water, however in today’s world, 1 in 10 people still do not have clean, safe water to drink in poor communities worldwide and every minute a newborn dies from infection caused by lack of safe water
Since 2011, Belu has committed 100% of net profits to WaterAid, totalling £5.5million (HK$ 55m), transforming over 366,808 lives worldwide with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene
Belu gives to WaterAid on an unrestricted basis, based on trust in the leading global charity’s ability to allocate funds where they are needed most to fund work across 27 countries from South and Southeast Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Communities are transformed because they no longer face water-related diseases and the challenge of having to collect water, often from miles away, every day.
Clean, secure water sources are important for health, dignity, safety and economic progress
It makes business sense to invest in Global Goal 6 ‘Clean water and sanitation for all’, for every US$1 invested in water and toilets, $4 is returned in saved medical costs, averted deaths and increased productivity (WHO)
Making a positive impact in Hong Kong
Belu remains optimistic about growth in Hong Kong, proving that when given the choice, people will embrace ethical and sustainable options
Prior to installing their Belu water filtration machines, the restaurant at The Upper House was purchasing 30,000 glass bottles of imported water per year. Since 2021, their switch to Belu has saved over 90,000 single use glass bottles being shipped across the world, minimising their water service carbon footprint
Every bottle of Belu filtered water served in Hong Kong, saves more than 5kg of CO2 emissions* and one single use glass bottle going to waste. Every 500 refills saves almost as many CO2 emissions as a flight from Hong Kong to London.
Maximal Concepts, the global F&B group behind some of Hong Kong's top restaurants says:
Partnering with Belu was an easy choice when striving to be more sustainable throughout multiple brands in our restaurant group. There are so many advantages to this partnership from reducing our carbon footprint, minimising transportation and shipping costs, and reducing waste. Not to mention it is a product that not only our guests love, but our staff is proud to be serving.
- Matt Reid, Co-Founder/ Director, Maximal Concepts
Team Belu
Belu is headed by two female Co-CEO’s (inspired by Shine theory), London Mayoral Independent Candidate Natalie Campbell MBE and Charlotte Harrington, both based in the UK.
Global Director, Claire Pearson, is currently based in Hong Kong, and the first local full-time Belu Hong Kong Lead has recently been recruited, with further support from Belu’s central office in London
Belu adopts a local partnership approach to ensuring efficiencies and best-in-class service. Hong Kong based technical support partner Metagroup, has partnered with Belu since 2021, ensuring efficient servicing and maintenance of Belu Filtration systems, Foxtrot Partner supports the business with corporate governance, with accounts support from Fresh Accounting
Belu’s Purpose P&L™
Belu’s carbon savings, monies to WaterAid and investment in nature all feed into the brand’s transparent and trademarked ‘Purpose P&L’
Showing exactly where the money flows and impact delivered, published annually in their Impact Report. Belu use their Purpose P&L as a blueprint for best practice and through their networking and thought leadership activities, it’s inspiration for others to do business differently.
Taking steps to a zero carbon future
Since 2010, Belu has reduced the carbon intensity of its business by 59%, and for 10 years, was certified to British Standard Institute PAS 2060 for carbon neutrality; making a forward commitment to carbon reduction and offsetting remaining emissions
In 2022, agreeing with a report from WWF and Boston Consulting Group, Belu changed its approach to Carbon Management, feeling that buying carbon credits to offset remaining emissions was not the right way to go.
Belu is aiming for a zero carbon future through investing in climate resilience and nature-based solution impact investments to regenerate and restore biodiversity and working closely with supply chain partners to remove emissions over the long term
Investments include their partnership with Blue Marine Foundation, a global NGO, to support research into kelp forests along coastlines. Maintaining kelp forests is important because many plants and animals use them as shelter and protection from predators and storms Just one kelp plant can support up to 80,000 individual animals
What next for Belu?
In Hong Kong, Belu continues to invite more likeminded partners in the food, beverage and workplace sectors to join them in changing the way the world sees water and will also be launching a beautiful new reusable bottle for retail and corporate gifting
Supporting the Hong Kong workplace sector’s Supplier Diversity goals
With Supplier Diversity strategies a focus for multinational corporations, Belu is planning to launch into the workplace sector this year, after success in the UK where they partner with a range of businesses from large investment banks and insurance firms to coworking spaces, supplying hot and cold filtered water taps to keep teams and guests hydrated with purpose
Taking Belu Global
Hong Kong’s food scene, environmental goals and overall vibrancy made it the natural first global port of call for Belu Now, Belu is ready to scale further across the globe starting in APAC then further afield
Next stop is Singapore, to help the hospitality and business communities with their sustainability goals, where Belu will again partnering with the British Chamber of Commerce
At Belu, we feel that the opportunity to grow Belu Filter Action is endless; the move to refill and reuse when it comes to water service is a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ for businesses worldwide. We enjoy doing business for good with good people, helping businesses at whatever stage of their own sustainability journey they’re at. The more our business can grow, the more positive impact for people and planet we can achieve together, through saving lives through our partnership with WaterAid and minimising impact on the planet.
- Claire Pearson, Global Growth Director
Claire Pearson Global Growth Director
To find out more visit belu.hk or contact
Claire Pearson directly
clairep@belu.org
+852 6084 7627
[*compared to importing 3 standard Belu bottles of water]
