The global sanitation crisis is a pressing and urgent matter that impacts public health. Although it should be one of the top priorities for development agencies, aid organizations, or charity funding sources, little attention is paid to it by policy makers, donors or nonprofit organizations.
Who Gives a Crap is here to help. Founded in 2012, this eco-friendly company donates half of its profits to organizations building toilets in developing countries.
The Story
Who Gives a Crap is an Australian toilet paper company dedicated to providing sanitation and hygiene for communities around the world. Established in 2013 by Danny Alexander, Simon Griffiths and Jehan Ratnatunga who identified that 2.4 billion people lack access to proper sanitation around the world. To address this issue, Who Gives a Crap donates half of its profits to organizations and charities working to build toilets and improve sanitation conditions in developing nations.
Who Gives a Crap has managed to craft an irreverent brand that resonates with customers around the world, despite its serious cause. Their website features playful messages like “It’s time for some bathroom fun!” and “Bamboo paper is better for your bum.”
Its product line offers a selection of sustainable items, such as bamboo and recycled toilet paper rolls. Furthermore, the company sells dream clothes and other eco-friendly accessories.
Who Gives a Crap is dedicated to providing top quality products at an affordable price. To do so, they invest in research, audit their supply chain, and employ sustainable practices.
The company’s sustainability initiatives include sourcing recyclable and alternative fibers, using only carbon-neutral shipping, and minimizing packaging. Furthermore, it aims to calculate and offset its carbon emissions as a way of contributing to the environment.
Who Gives a Crap’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its product design. Their toilet paper is made with 100 percent post-consumer recycled content, significantly reducing the environmental impact of producing one roll. Furthermore, the brand provides bamboo tp lines which use much less energy than other options on the market.
Who Gives a Crap’s marketing is equally as clever, featuring cheeky yet irreverent messages designed to encourage customers to stock up and reorder more frequently. Plus, their products have been certified B Corp, meaning they have undergone rigorous scrutiny for social and environmental impacts.
The company is supported by an impressive group of investors, including Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon Brookes and former Unilever CEO Paul Polman. Other investors include Craftory, JamJar Investments, Airtree Ventures, and Giant Leap.
The Global Sanitation Crisis
Sanitation is one of the most pressing human rights concerns facing today. It prevents disease, upholds dignity and gives people opportunities to thrive - a basic right that everyone deserves according to international law.
The global sanitation crisis is a pressing health issue that threatens people’s access to clean water and hygiene. Poor sanitation leads to diseases like cholera, diarrhea and septicemia (World Bank). Untreated waste pollutes the environment by clogging public sewers and waterways with untreated waste; this spreads illness more easily. Furthermore, it reduces women’s ability to manage their periods properly which contributes to the gender gap in educational attainment.
It’s a complex issue that necessitates multiple solutions. The conventional toilets, sewers and wastewater treatment systems that work in wealthy countries don’t meet the needs of people living in poverty - especially those living in urban settings or informal settlements.
Households in developing nations often face the burden of paying for sanitation services on a one-time basis, whether they use on-site or off-site systems. In many informal settlements, this initial capital outlay may exceed 300 percent of their average monthly incomes.
While off-site solutions like septic tanks or pit latrines may be cheaper than sewers, they require extensive upkeep and often pose public health hazards. Furthermore, such initiatives require significant government capacity to regulate and enforce standards.
Sewers, on the other hand, provide hygienic and convenient sanitation in dense urban areas and multistory buildings. However, they can be expensive to construct and maintain, leaving many families in developing nations with limited incomes without access to these amenities.
We studied 15 cities in the global South and discovered that 62 percent of human waste ended up unsafely managed, in some form or another, within local waterways. This was largely due to lack of access to public sewers as well as inadequate treatment of faecal sludge.
Recent water shortages in cities such as Cochabamba, Maputo, Mzuzu, Kampala and Nairobi have created challenges for sanitation systems to function optimally. Furthermore, some towns have lost their natural sewage disposal system which makes it increasingly difficult to transport waste away from populated areas and unsustainable as population increases.
Who Gives a Crap’s Business Model
Who Gives a Crap is an innovative social enterprise that sells ethical toilet paper to raise funds for sanitation projects worldwide. It donates half of its profits to charity partners who use the funds for clean water and sanitary facilities in developing countries.
Products, largely sourced from China, are constructed using eco-friendly materials such as recycled paper or bamboo fibres. Furthermore, its packaging is biodegradable so it can be recycled or composted.
With more than 400 million people still living without access to clean water and toilets, Who Gives a Crap has taken on this challenge head-on. Simon Griffiths, Danny Alexander and Jehan Ratnatunga founded their business nine years ago with the knowledge that 2.4 billion people around the world don’t have safe places for bathroom breaks. Their solution? Provide them with safe places!
Water and toilet issues are often disregarded when discussing development, aid and charity funds. While much attention is given to other pressing concerns like disaster relief, female empowerment or HIV/AIDS, water and toilet issues rarely make the cut.
To address the lack of awareness around climate change, Who Gives a Crap has created an eco-friendly alternative to paper towels or tissues. Their product provides convenience too - so busy people can get their fix easily.
They offer a subscription-based model that allows customers to buy and pay for an amount of rolls at once, with auto refill options for busy consumers who don’t want to waste time or money. Klaviyo automatically sends notifications to subscribers when supplies run low, keeping everyone informed when their next supply will arrive and enabling customers to easily pause or delay orders when more product is needed.
Who Gives a Crap has achieved great success, building an enthusiastic base of subscribers that continues to expand rapidly. They needed an effective way to stay informed about deliveries, improve communication with them and foster stronger relationships.
How “Who Gives a Crap” Creates an Impact
After realizing that 2.4 billion people did not have access to toilets, cofounders Danny Alexander, Simon Griffiths, and Jehan Ratnatunga set out to create a company which could give back in an environmentally responsible way. As it turns out, Who Gives a Crap has donated over $10 million dollars towards sanitation projects around the world.
The company’s toilet paper is made from recycled office paper, notebooks and bamboo, eliminating the need for virgin pulp which in turn reduces deforestation. They offer carbon-neutral shipping and plastic-free products such as tissue paper made from 100% bamboo fibre - significantly more eco-friendly than conventional TP.
Who Gives a Crap donates 50% of their profits to impact partners, whose local and innovative solutions help build toilets and improve sanitation around the world. Each partner is trustworthy, transparent, and has an unwavering vision for what needs to be done to benefit communities - meaning their work can have a long-lasting benefit on those most in need.
Who Gives a Crap’s business model revolves around making replenishment as straightforward and effortless for customers. They’ve built out a customer portal to let subscribers skip or delay shipments, while using Klaviyo to send an upcoming order email three days before each billing cycle. This enables them to communicate with their customers more directly, creating deeper connections that further boost the brand’s global appeal.
They’re competitively priced, making them an attractive option for those wanting to be green without breaking the bank. Plus, they have a risk-free trial period so you can try the product out before committing!
Finally, Who Gives a Crap only uses factories certified by the Business Social Compliance Initiative in China to manufacture their products. This guarantees their employees are safeguarded and given the best conditions possible to do their jobs successfully.
The Who Gives a Crap team is passionate about their mission and they’re doing everything possible to ensure their company does as much good as possible while still having fun and being irreverent. They’re showing that it’s possible to balance serious matters with irreverence and humor, showing businesses can be just as much impact makers as profit generators.
In Conclusion
Who Gives a Crap is an inspiring example of a social enterprise that is making a significant impact on a pressing global issue. By providing sustainable and ethical products, they are not only addressing the lack of access to proper sanitation and clean water but also raising awareness and funds for this crucial issue. Their dedication to sustainability is evident in their product design, packaging, and business practices, and their commitment to transparency and accountability is reflected in their B Corp certification.
Moreover, Who Gives a Crap’s success demonstrates that businesses can be a force for good while still being profitable. By recognizing the importance of addressing the global sanitation crisis and creating a business model that addresses it, they have shown that social enterprises can be a viable and effective solution to pressing social and environmental issues. Who Gives a Crap’s success story is a testament to the power of creativity, innovation, and passion in creating meaningful change in the world.
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