As we begin a New Year director Dipalee Jukes outlines Ground & Water’s 2024 Mission Pledge and Purpose. “We exist to build sustainable communities in the UK and beyond, through better ground engineering. In short… Better living, engineered.”

So what does this mean?

Mahatma Ghandhi said, “be the change you wish to see in the world”.

At Ground & Water we truly believe, even though we are small, we can be mighty with our passion and our impact; and we can change people’s lives.

Now in its 15^th year of business, Ground & Water is growing up, evolving and finally understanding its place in the world. The brand represents more than our logo, our founders’ story, or even the work we produce. It is about how we help and serve others, be a responsible and sustainable business and look after our planet. This is summed up in our values of: integrity, trust, courage, and community.

For our team, it’s about how we nurture and support them, yet challenge and encourage them to become better versions of themselves. It’s about creating a community and sense of belonging for everyone who is in our tribe. For our customers, it is ultimately the experience they have with us, the trusted relationships we build; and for our planet, it has always been about how we leave a positive legacy.

What is our responsibility to the world?

In summer 2023, the Ground & Water team explored the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and discussed which were most important to us as individuals and as a group. We explored our place in the world, our purpose, aligning values with our work and the problems we were here to solve.

Follow this link for more info about what the goals are, what they mean: https://sdgs.un.org/goals

After unpacking each of the 17 SDGs, and discussing them against the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, we can reveal the top four goals that Ground & Water is pledging its commitment to going forward:

• SDG 5 – Gender equality
• SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation
• SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
• SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities

So how do we make an impact? How can we be changemakers?

The words “If you want to change everything, start with one thing”, are wise ones.

And this is exactly what Ground & Water will do.

We are starting by focusing on SDG 6 – clean water and sanitation – and partnering with one charity, before introducing others.

Why Water?

In April 2019, I had a dream that would shape a future course for Ground & Water. I dreamt that the company was helping rural communities in Africa by drilling and installing drinking water wells. We have always wanted to lead the business with a purpose that was going to do good in the world. This vision stayed with me, and today, it will be put into action and become reality.

Before we go further, please take a minute and do this:

1. Get yourself a glass of water if you don’t already have one next to you.
2. Take a sip.
3. Think about all the activities you use water for every day.

Now imagine how your life would be impacted if you had to walk six miles a day to go and fetch clean water to use!!

The facts

• Women in sub-Saharan Africa spend a combined 16 million hours a day collecting water. When a community gets water, women and girls get their lives back. They can continue their education, start businesses, contribute to the economy, improve their homes and have opportunities

• Marginalised groups, such as woman and girls are affected disproportionately from water shortages

• 584 million children don’t have clean water at school

• Diseases from dirty water kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. 43% of these deaths are children under five years old

• Introducing clean water, toilets and handwashing at schools improves health and concentration, boosting overall attendance by 31%, especially for teenage girls

• Access to clean water and basic sanitation can save ~16,000 lives every week.

Ground & Water’s ‘WATER’ story – Water is in our name, part of our DNA!

Joking aside, water is the most precious commodity on earth and having access to clean water is a human right. 703 million people in the world live without clean water. That’s 1 in 10 or 10 times the population of the UK.

For people in developing countries, clean water changes everything.

This is the reason why Ground & Water is partnering with Charity: Water to raise funds to install drinking water wells in the most needed places across the planet. An important factor in choosing to partner with Charity: Water is because the charity donates 100% of donations towards its projects and is completely transparent with its reporting.

Performance with Purpose

During 2024, Ground & Water and its team will raise money as a company, and as individuals to help fund drinking water well projects.

The average drinking water well project costs £8,000. We believe the Ground & Water team can join forces and collectively change the lives of people, of real communities by raising the funds to sponsor at least three projects this year.

• MINIMUM TARGET – £24,000
• TIMEFRAME – 12 months

Ground & Water is committed to contributing a percentage of its profits, as well as the team organising a big team fundraising event and individual events.

So, watch this space, for team events and individual pursuits, with some ticking off comfort zone challenges and bucket list items. Our amazing A team is on a mission to change lives and communities for the better.

And finally, this chosen Sustainable Development Goal not only directly impacts the other three on our shortlist, but an additional five. So no better place to begin.

Happy New Year