Dustin Leonard, Founder and CEO of Little Ripples. Image courtesy Little Ripples

Sydney based wine company Little Ripples are on a mission to help provide clean drinking water to the world. They have partnered with Pernod Ricard and major retailers worldwide to help provide clean drinking water to five million people over the next ten years.

The initiative is one of the largest of its kind with the joint ambition to help people in need access an essential resource.

To mark World Water Day (22 March), Little Ripples will give access to clean water to one person in need for one year for every bottle of wine sold and have announced an exclusive supply agreement with Pernod Ricard Winemakers.

Since its launch in 2019, purchases of Little Ripples have already enabled the construction of nine water wells that are currently providing the equivalent of 115,000 people with one year of clean drinking water in Africa.

The global coalition of brands and the agreement with Pernod Ricard will see the geographical expansion of the clean water initiative into India and across South East Asia.

Little Ripples founder and CEO Dustin Leonard said with the support of Pernod Ricard Winemakers and global retailers, the ambitious goal was attainable.

“This is the first time a group of private companies and corporations have joined forces to create such a significant social change and we are proud to be leading it,” he said.

“The water crisis has devastating effects on individuals in developing communities, disproportionately affecting women and girls whose role it is typically to walk anywhere from 2 to 10 kilometres every day to collect water from a contaminated surface pond.

“Water is the most important element of life and clean running water is something we often take for granted in Australia.

“The fact that so many people around the world lack access to clean water is unthinkable.”

Major retailers across the world have provided support of the goal and the company is also in talks with retailers in the UK, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia.

Pernod Ricard Winemakers has agreed to support the initiative and become Little Ripples’ supply partner to see the donation goal come to fruition and change the lives of millions of people. Production of Little Ripples’ wine will take place in Barossa Valley in South Australia.

“We are proud to be supporting Little Ripples on its mission to provide life changing access to clean and safe water to five million people in need,” Brett McKinnon, Chief Operations Officer at Pernod Ricard Winemakers said.

“At Pernod Ricard Winemakers, sustainability sits at the heart of what we do, and we know that driving positive change is a truly collaborative effort. As soon as we met Little Ripples we could see the alignment of our values and the opportunity to support the business in achieving its mission and aiding those in need. We look forward to establishing our relationship and seeing the difference it will make to so many lives.”

Together with its charity partner, The BridgIT Water Foundation, Little Ripples identifies the communities most in need, facilitates the construction or repair of a water well, and implements a strategy to maintain and manage the well for at least 10 years.

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