Water for All turns 40! A history to be proud of
Forty years ago, on August 22nd, the vision of providing access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene to people in need sparked the creation of Water for All. This grassroots initiative began in 1984 by two Atlas Copco employees, addressing an ongoing drought in Peru, South America. Over the decades, Water for All has transformed millions of lives through different water projects, including drilling and digging wells, providing rainwater harvesting facilities, repairing water system and educating people in sanitation and hygiene, advocating for water as a human right.
Water for All is Atlas Copco Group's main community engagement initiative
Water for All is run on a voluntary basis by employees within the Atlas Copco Group. The basis for the funding comes from voluntary employee donations, all employee donations are then matched with twice as much by the company.
For Atlas Copco Group supporting Water for All is related to our willingness to contribute to healthy and well-functioning societies, free from poverty and conflict. That is the corporate reasoning for supporting Water for All.
Water for All symbolizes our culture of innovation and commitment. I take great pride in our employee-led initiative reflecting our dedication to empower people and provide clean water and sanitation for communities in need.
For the employees, Water for All offers the opportunity to actively and voluntarily take part in community engagement as individuals, doing even more to support development and empowerment, especially of women and children.
The work continues
As we celebrate this 40th anniversary, we also look to the future. Challenges like climate change, population growth, and pollution persist, but Water for All continues to innovate solutions and protect this vital resource. The anniversary celebrations will span from August 22nd to the year’s end, promoting education and advocacy.