Owner and chief executive officer – Earth Water International – www.earthwater.ca

When Kori Chilibeck was in Nepal, he saw an old man with no shoes or coat, laden with cases of Coca-Cola in a woven straw basket on his back. Chilibeck recalls thinking about the futility of the situation: Obviously,
the man was working for such a pitifully small wage, he couldn’t even afford to consume the product he was carrying.

Upon his return to Edmonton, Chilibeck resolved to help. His idea was to purify Strathcona County water by reverse osmosis… bottle it… sell it… donate profits to help those in need.

He submitted a proposal to the United Nations in which he committed to creating a for profit company that would donate 100 percent of its net profits to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Chilibeck was diligent and determined: He phoned, e-mailed, and wrote the UN for three months before someone contacted him. He was given 10 minutes to talk to a UN representative. His persistence paid off.

In October 2004, Earth Water International was launched—the only product authorized to display the UN logo. In the past 16 months, the company has been growing at a phenomenal rate, selling its bottled water in the United States and Canada. Chilibeck went to the Netherlands to set up a European Earth Water office.

In June, he traveled to Southeast Asia to meet with potenial importers. Earth Water is a partner in ninemillion.org, launched on World Refugee Day, June 20, 2006. Nine million children are refugees, and the campaign helps those in refugee camps “through education and sport.” The ninemillion.org logo is now on Earth Water labels. Chilibeck’s long-time friend, Atlantic series racecar driver Mike Forest recently added the Earth Water label to his Champ car.

Although not a traditional business, the 27 year-old says the company answers to its shareholders just like any other. “Our shareholders are everyone in the world in the worst conditions.”