DDSD: how KRNWTR+ contributes to sustainability

We recently organised our first Sustainable Thinking Together (DDSD) event, where we, Elemental and Strategy Factory, invite everyone to share knowledge and experiences around sustainability. For this session, Babs van de Voort, CEO of KRNWTR+, was our guest. In this blog, we would like to share Babs' story with you.

What is DDSD?

DDSD stands for Sustainable Thinking Together and was born out of a desire to learn from each other. There is a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in the field of sustainability, as many organisations are working to contribute to a sustainable society. Why reinvent the wheel? Let's learn from each other, because making the planet sustainable is something we need to do together.

Each DDSD session focuses on a different company that has made significant strides in sustainability, and this time it was: KRNWTR+!

What is KRNWTR+?

KRNWTR+ is a social enterprise that works for a better world with every sip. KRNWTR+ grew out of a social movement in which the founders asked themselves, "Isn't it strange that we drag plastic bottles of water around the world when we have perfectly drinkable tap water?" From that idea, they first introduced decanters in the hospitality industry. Now KRNWTR+ offers water taps with chilled, filtered and sparkling water, with natural syrups for those who prefer it. The "+" in KRNWTR+ stands for the fact that in addition to tap water with natural syrups, they also offer an alternative to soft drinks.

How does KRNWTR+ contribute to a sustainable society?

Every minute, more than 1,000,000 plastic bottles are wasted worldwide. These bottles are unnecessarily produced and transported around the world, causing pollution during production, bottling, packaging, transportation and ultimately in waste disposal or recycling. By 2030, KRNWTR+ aims to save 30 million plastic bottles by offering their packaging-free alternative.

What challenges does KRNWTR+ face?

During the interactive portion of the event, subgroups came up with ideas
During the interactive part of the event, subgroups came up with ideas. KRNWTR+ sees opportunities to expand internationally. In the Netherlands, the taste and quality of tap water is good and people already drink a lot of tap water. But in countries like Spain, where the quality of tap water is good but has a chlorine taste, people still buy bottled water. Filtering tap water with KRNWTR+'s solution can improve the taste, allowing people in other countries to enjoy tasty, drinkable tap water too. But how do you choose which countries KRNWTR+ should expand in first?

This was the challenge we worked on with the diverse group of participants. In the interactive part of DDSD, we split into subgroups (both online and physical) to brainstorm ideas for KRNWTR+'s challenge. This provided several inspiring perspectives, such as criteria for selecting a new country and identifying who should be involved in the process to ensure a smooth launch.

After the interactive session and a lively Q&A, we concluded the day with a convivial networking drink.

What did we learn from this?

One of the key insights was the importance of understanding the underlying customer needs. If you fully understand that latent need, the question behind the question, you can fulfil that customer need in a different way. For example, the story about Spain, where people don't drink tap water because of the taste, even though it is safe. If you can address the taste issue, people have less need for bottled water. This perspective can be applied to other problems related to the unsustainable use of our resources by asking the question, "Why do people do things this way?"

Many thanks to Babs van de Voort and Angelo de Voogd of KRNWTR+ for sharing your story!
DDSD is jointly organised by Elemental and Strategy Factory.