We are privileged in Denmark – also when it comes to drinking water, which for most people here is a given in their everyday lives. Our water is of high quality, but this is not the case everywhere, which is why Evald – Brasserie & Café in Silkeborg has decided to enter into a charity-based partnership with UNICEF called “Share your Water”.
Clean water is essential for life, development and survival, yet today millions of children have no access to clean water. Approximately 1000 children die from diarrhea because of the lack of clean drinking water and good sanitation.
This is far from being a romantic story and it does not have a fairytale ending, however if restaurants like Evald – Brasserie & Café in Silkeborg work together with charities and, through the sale of their water help marginalised children, it is a step in the right direction explains Heidi Lambertus, Creative Director and Partner at Evald.
According to the Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark, Denmark has some of the best drinking water in the world – the water is both clean and it tastes good. Today, ground water accounts for almost 100% of the drinking water supply and water is easily accessible in the majority of Danish households. As such, it is perhaps curious that restaurants and cafés charge for the water they serve their guests. For the restaurants however, there is much more to it than simply a bottle of water on the table. With the serving of the water comes labour, for example the waiter serving and refilling the water for the guests, the washing of the bottle, and in general, the water should be served in decent and comfortable surroundings which also demands resources. All of these factors influence the guests’ restaurant experience and are a part of the pricing calculation, which results in guests paying 35kr for water ad libitum at Evald.
“In Silkeborg we have really good drinking water that comes directly from the tap. We feel incredibly privileged to have this which is perhaps why it also hurts a little when we hear stories from abroad about unclean water that makes people, children in particular, sick. Since we began our work with UNICEF, we sell more water than before in fact! The donation we make to UNICEF is therefore much greater than we expected, and that we are proud of!” says Heidi Lambertus from Evald Brasseri & Café.
Charitable donations lead to satisfied customers and increased sales
For each bottle of water Evald sells, UNICEF donates 120 liters of clean water to some of the world’s most impoverished children. In addition, they build wells and give out clean water and water cleaning equipment in remote villages, poor slum areas and places that have experienced catastrophe. Since the start of the collaboration, Evald has sold even more water, which has meant an increase in their donation to UNICEF. They receive far fewer comments about having to pay for water as many of the guests have great empathy for the charitable project – it is easy to relate to both because it is about children and also because the focal point is water which is taken for granted in Danish society. Furthermore, it is refreshing for the staff at Evald that the conversation about having to pay for water has shifted from being a complaint, to being a positive dialogue about the reason for the pricing, which they can also be proud of.
As a result of the collaboration, Evald has received marketing material from UNICEF which is communicated to the guests via small wooden labels on the bottles. This also means that the staff at Evald are reminded on a daily basis why they are doing what they do, and how big an impact such a small part of their menu has on such a large group of marginalized children whose lives are at risk.
Read more about the project here.
If you would like to make a donation, send an SMS with DELVAND to 1900 (This results in a payment of 20 kr. for a donation of approximately 3300 liters of water).
