Water.org Partners with Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab to Launch Get Blue™, Advancing Water.org's Goal of Reaching 200 Million People by 2030
Rhea-AI Summary
Water.org and founding partners Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) launched Get Blue™ on Jan. 19, 2026, a global initiative to accelerate access to safe water and sanitation using Water.org's market-driven WaterCredit model.
Get Blue will mobilize partner-enabled capital, consumer and enterprise activations, and brand-led programs to fund long-term water and sanitation solutions. Water.org has reached 85 million people to date and aims to reach 200 million by 2030. Consumer and commercial rollouts are planned later in 2026.
Positive
- Water.org has reached 85 million people with access to water or sanitation
- Organization goal: 200 million people by 2030
- Starbucks committed $50 million to WaterEquity
- Amazon's projects expected to return ~18 billion liters of water annually once complete
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
ECL was down 0.24% while most chemical peers (APD, SHW, PPG, IFF) gained between 0.54% and 1.67%, with only DD down 1.31%, suggesting a stock-specific setup rather than a sector-wide move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 08 | ESG recognition | Positive | +1.1% | CDP double ‘A’ rating for water and climate leadership. |
| Jan 05 | Earnings scheduling | Neutral | +3.2% | Announcement of Q4 2025 results webcast and conference call. |
| Dec 16 | Strategic acquisition | Positive | +0.9% | Closing Ovivo ultrapure water business acquisition to expand tech water. |
| Dec 04 | Dividend increase | Positive | -1.8% | Raised quarterly cash dividend 12% to $0.73 per share. |
| Nov 14 | Product launch | Positive | -1.3% | Launched Cooling as a Service program for data centers. |
Recent ECL news has often produced modest moves, with most positive strategic or ESG updates aligning with small gains, while some growth-friendly actions like dividend increases and new programs saw short-term pullbacks.
Over the last few months, Ecolab has highlighted multiple strategic and sustainability milestones. A CDP double-‘A’ for water and climate on Jan 8, 2026 and data-center cooling innovations on Nov 14, 2025 underscored its water and AI-linked capabilities. The Dec 16, 2025 Ovivo ultrapure water acquisition expanded its high-tech footprint, while a 12% dividend increase on Dec 4, 2025 reinforced capital return. Against this backdrop, today’s multi-brand Water.org partnership fits the pattern of leveraging water expertise and sustainability positioning.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Ecolab’s role in a high-profile Water.org initiative alongside Gap Inc., Amazon and Starbucks, reinforcing its strategic positioning in water stewardship. It complements earlier moves like the Ovivo ultrapure water acquisition and data-center cooling offerings, which tied growth to water efficiency in technology and industrial markets. Investors may watch how this coalition translates into branded programs, measurable impact for Water.org’s 200 million-people goal, and any future disclosures on commercial or financial contributions from Ecolab’s side.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Founding partners will activate products, content, and experiences that help fund access to safe water and sanitation through Water.org's proven solutions
Today, 2.1 billion people—nearly one in four worldwide—still lack access to safe water, while 3.4 billion people lack access to safe sanitation. When families have access to safe water and sanitation at home, the benefits are immediate and lasting–supporting improved health, time gained for education and income, and opportunity.
Get Blue is designed to be a long-term platform that enables companies across consumer and business-to-business sectors to treat water as a core operating and market issue. By recognizing water as a growing business imperative, the campaign gives enterprises a way to turn leadership, collaboration, and customer participation into sustained investment in solutions that Bring Water Home™.
"At Gap Inc., we bridge gaps to create a better world — and the gap between people who lack access to water, let alone clean water, is far too big. We believe everyone should have access to clean water," said Richard Dickson, president and CEO of Gap Inc. "Through the launch of Get Blue, we're uniting some of the world's most influential brands behind a shared mission. As an industry, we have both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead—using our scale, creativity, and influence to turn awareness into action. By coming together, we can help make safe water accessible to every person on the planet and demonstrate what's possible when our industry steps up as a force for good."
Water is foundational to business performance, underpinning the systems and supply chains companies rely on and the communities they serve. As the water crisis intensifies, more companies are advancing water stewardship, reducing operational water use, managing supply-chain risk, investing in access and conservation projects, and supporting community education.
"Solving the global water crisis is possible if the business community comes together and focuses on measurable change. Water sits at the center of opportunity in the global economy. Get Blue gives companies a way to lead on an issue their industries depend on, and to help scale solutions that are already reaching millions of people who need them. This is the kind of leadership required to end the water crisis within our lifetimes," said Gary White, CEO and co-founder of Water.org.
Water.org was founded by Gary White and Matt Damon with a shared belief that access to safe water and sanitation is foundational to health and opportunity. Through the organization's WaterCredit solution, families use small, affordable loans to access safe water and sanitation at home. To date, Water.org has reached 85 million people with lasting access to safe water or sanitation, working toward an ambitious goal of reaching 200 million people by 2030. The Get Blue campaign will help Water.org extend its reach as part of a broader portfolio of strategies.
Get Blue will mobilize scalable, partner-enabled capital through corporate brands, enterprise partnerships, and integrated business and consumer activations. A portion of proceeds will drive funding support to Water.org's market-driven solutions, helping families finance, maintain, and sustain their own long-term water and sanitation solutions.
The launch to consumers and commercial customers is planned for later in 2026, with Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab already developing activations across fashion, food and beverage, and technology—demonstrating the initiative's scale, cross-sector collaboration and cultural reach.
"I've been fortunate to work with Gary and Matt for years and have seen firsthand the transformative impact of their work," said Kara Hurst, chief sustainability officer at Amazon. "Access to safe water is foundational to healthy communities and building a more sustainable business. Through Get Blue, we're using Amazon's scale and innovation to show what's possible when companies work together toward a common good."
"The water crisis requires sustained, meaningful action, and Get Blue is an example of what the private sector can do to help raise awareness and work together to drive solutions and impact. This approach builds on Amazon's aim to be a responsible water steward in communities—and water stressed regions— where it operates, as it works to reduce water use across its operations through investment, innovation and implementation. Globally, Amazon has announced more than 40 water replenishment projects that are expected to return upwards of 18 billion liters of water annually, once complete. As part of that work, Amazon set a goal to return more water to communities than it uses across its data centers by 2030, and is already more than halfway to meeting that goal—and the company set a goal to return more water than it uses across its entire operations in
Each of the founding partner companies has prioritized water as an issue that is important to their business, their stakeholders, and their communities. Each also brings a distinct value proposition and perspective to helping everyone, everywhere gain access to safe water.
"Clean water is essential to healthy families and communities," said Marika McCauley Sine, chief sustainability officer, The Starbucks Coffee Company. "In some coffee, tea, and cocoa farming regions, people lack access to clean water and sanitation. For Starbucks, helping these communities thrive is both the right thing to do and strengthens our business and supply chain. By partnering with Water.org and investing
"Ecolab is built on the belief that when we help our customers use water smarter, we unlock both business growth, value and social impact," said Christophe Beck, chairman and CEO, Ecolab. "Through Get Blue, we're joining forces with global leaders to expand access to safe water and strengthen the communities where we all operate."
"Get Blue is already starting to bring together a community that recognizes everyone's individual roles in helping end the global water crisis. When brands especially use their influence this way, progress proliferates — and that's exactly what this movement is designed to do," said Matt Damon, co-founder of Water.org.
Water.org is inviting companies across industries to join Get Blue and help tackle the water crisis. To learn more about partnership opportunities, contact Ben Albert at balbert@water.org.
About Get Blue
Get Blue™ is a global movement mobilizing brands, creators, consumers, and capital to Bring Water Home™ and help solve the global water crisis. Co-created with founding partners including Gap Inc., Amazon, Starbucks, and Ecolab in partnership with Water.org, Get Blue brings the power of the collective organization's commerce to one of the world's most pressing challenges. Proceeds of specially branded Get Blue products will directly power Water.org's proven solutions to connect families to safe water and sanitation. Get Blue was created in collaboration with global brand consultancy Wolff Olins. Learn more at GetBlue.water.org.
About Water.org
Water.org is a global nonprofit organization that has transformed more than 85 million lives through access to safe water and sanitation. Founded by Gary White and Matt Damon, Water.org's solutions — WaterCredit, WaterEquity, and WaterConnect — offer distinct and complementary approaches that break down barriers between people and access to safe water. Collaboration is central to the strength of Water.org's approach. In 2026, a roster of world-renowned brands and Water.org partnered to launch Get Blue, a global movement harnessing culture and commerce to take action to solve the water crisis. Learn more at Water.org and GetBlue.water.org.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth's Best Employer, and Earth's Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc., a purpose-driven house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children available worldwide through company-operated and franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet through its commitment to bridge gaps to create a better world. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to responsibly sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 40,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at about.starbucks.com or starbucks.com.
About Ecolab
A trusted partner for millions of customers, Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) is a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and the resources vital to life. Building on more than a century of innovation, Ecolab has annual sales of
Media Contact
Cate McGeady
Senior PR Manager
978-495-2029
cmcgeady@water.org
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SOURCE Water.org
FAQ
What is Get Blue and which companies launched it on Jan 19, 2026?
How many people has Water.org reached and what is its 2030 target?
What role will Amazon play in the Get Blue initiative?
How much has Starbucks invested related to Water.org initiatives?
When will Get Blue launch consumer and commercial activations?
How can companies join Get Blue and who is the contact for partnerships?
