While most businesses focus on economic growth and profit, there is a growing number of organisations that recognize the importance of being socially geared toward a more sustainable future Kirst Ritchie and Paige Albyn started HUDDLEUP (PTY) LTD in 2015 after witnessing firsthand the mismanagement of corporate CSI spend within communities. It was apparent that many companies, who may have had good intentions for impactful work, were driven by assumed needs and a lack of proper understanding. “One of the glaring faults in the CSI space was the lack of follow through and sustainability in Corporate spend. It had become a box ticking exercise, seldom with any real impact on the ground. Legal requirements in South Africa were driving the wrong Corporate behavior resulting in a lose-lose scenario. ” – HUDDLEUP Witnessing human rights being curtailed, and the environment being destroyed, it became necessary to combine initiatives that holistically solved environmental issues while also enhancing the quality of life from within communities. Far too often companies assume communities’ needs and invest a great deal of time, effort and money into ‘solving’ these issues, without making sure that basic needs are being met. This is when HUDDLEUP decided to dedicate their time into creating a company that project manages Corporate Social Investment opportunities. By strategically matching clients with credible initiatives that are skills, enterprise and socio-economically driven, they enhance social impact and deliver on long-term strategies while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through sourcing innovative technology that can address human rights, HUDDLEUP provide sustainable solutions to corporates looking to invest their resources toward Water Solutions, Food Security, Agri-Business, Health, Education and Enterprise Development. Source Innovative Solutions Promoting Human Rights. Trusted Organisations for Partnerships. “Any CSI initiative that does not look to solve an issue and equip communities is ill-advised and not geared toward sustainable development and transformation.” – HUDDLEUP Through credible partners who specialize in asset-based methodologies to make sure that spend is relevant, and monitoring and evaluating firms that measure corporate spend, we can attempt to mitigate the loss of funding within the CSI industry. “In 2018, we believe that companies have a unique opportunity to make social responsibility a core part of their strategy and identity. ” – Paige Albyn – Co-founder of HUDDLEUP Looking to solve global issues on a large scale. South Africa is facing a water crisis with a minimum of 14 million people not having access to clean, safe, drinkable water. With our country’s declining confidence in the safety and quality of municipal water supplies, HUDDLEUP know that there are solutions available that have the power to deliver on basic human needs, without quality being compromised. At least 11 out of 19 water management areas in SA have water supply problems At our current rate of water consumption, this country’s supply will be in extreme jeopardy by 2040 One of HUDDLEUP’s missions is to address South Africa’s ongoing critical water issue and help communities and schools become water resilient. We can achieve this through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts with government and corporate. “Being proactive and innovative in the ways companies handle water, waste and energy could also have lasting effect on the communities in which we live and work” – Dhesigen Naidoo CEO Water Research Commission HUDDLEUP partnered with a consortium of partners and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have 70% funded a social initiative that promotes water security in schools and communities in South Africa, called GreenSource. “With portable water supplies diminishing globally, GreenSource has created an innovative system that integrates modern filtration technology, with one of South Africa’s greatest passions – soccer.” – Paige Albyn GreenSource is a world-class 40×20 astro soccer field that has a 63m^3 water storage reservoir underneath, with a Pentair filtration unit that has the capacity to clean up to 17 million liters of water per year, when connected to a sustainable water source. GreenSource technology addresses the issues of the country’s declining confidence in the safety and quality of municipal water supplies. Not only does every field provide water security & eliminate dehydration for children at schools, a further 200 households must have access to free potable water supplies. Anything in excess can be an economic spin off from within the community in the form of enterprise development and job creation. “For the past 8 years, water crises have been among the top five risks in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report. This has filtered through to the corporate world. Look at water as a commodity with investment potential.” -Dhesigen Naidoo CEO Water Research Commission GreenSource provides access to clean drinkable water for communities. Other outcomes include the following; Health improvement outcomes Socio-Economic development Sport development outcomes Job creation opportunities Enterprise development Training & skills development Education HUDDLEUP have been tasked to source schools in need of potable water supplies in South Africa and are identifying schools through their education partner; Partners for Possibility. This groundbreaking project is in need of more South African sponsors to complete the remaining 30%. Committed to sustainability, HUDDLEUP have extended their reach and have partnered with the Let’s Play Playing Field Project that currently runs nationwide, currently impacting over 90 000 students. Let’s Play is a corporate social responsibility initiative developed by SuperSport and partners, creating equal opportunity for all children to play and be coached. The Playing Field Project equips under-served schools with sporting infrastructure for professional sport development, in partnership with Active Education and Department of Basic Education. SuperSport will grant the sponsor the right to participate in the Let’s Play initiative and be granted exposure on 5 SuperSport channels. GreenSource will provide a Section 18A certificate. GreenSource is a flagship water project that combines water security, sport development and job creation. For more information on our other water saving innovative products such as waterless toilets, ultra-filtration membrane technologies and water purification units, please contact HUDDLEUP at info@huddleup.co.za In closing “We encourage all those who participate in CSI to do it with pride and with the promise that their business is geared toward the transformation of our beautiful country.” – HUDDLEUP Value Added Services: CSI Strategy, B-BBEE Certification & Compliancy, Impact Measurement & Evaluation, Employee & Community Engagement. For more information contact paige@huddleup.co.za or kirst@huddleup.co.za