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“ We put purpose , sustainability , and inclusion at the heart of our work long before it was the thing to do . We worked with businesses like Marks & Spencer , Virgin Media , and Channel 4 , challenging our clients to put people and the environment first . We were proud disruptors of ‘ business as usual ’.
“ When I saw the role at Belu , I jumped at the chance . I thought I was inheriting a six-million-pound turnover business with millions in profits going to WaterAid , but three weeks into joining the company , the pandemic hit and sales pretty much flatlined to zero . Consequently , we spent that year during the pandemic reorganizing the business and thinking about what Belu could become over the next ten years , to continue purposeful growth and change lives as a result ,” Natalie shares .
Doing differently
Belu is a drinks business that thinks differently . It is a social enterprise that invests 100 percent of its profit in pursuit of its purpose : to change the way the world sees water . In fact , Belu has given £ 5.8 million to WaterAid since 2011 to help do just that , investing in bringing clean water , decent toilets and hygiene education to the world ’ s poorest communities . The organization is one of the UK ’ s best-known social enterprises serving the UK hotel , restaurant , and catering sectors to fulfil their water requirements with the lowest carbon footprint possible .
Incorporated by Reed Paget in 2002 , in 2007 , Belu was officially launched as an environmental social enterprise . Karen Lynch led the business from 2010 , securing a national network of customers , making the company a respected name in the hospitality industry . Natalie took over the helm in 2020 , and in September of that year invited Charlotte Harrington , then COO , to join her as Co-CEO to scale filtration and take Belu to new territories outside of the UK .
An innovative , successful and sustainable business , Belu has delivered an incredible social impact and many ‘ firsts ’, such as moving all
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