Drinkwell Bangladesh, a US company providing safe and affordable water directly to residents of densely packed neighbourhoods in Dhaka, has received the Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) 2022 in the climate resilience category. "Drinkwell is building resilience to climate change in Bangladesh, where only about a third of the population has access to safe drinking water. That's critical for avoiding serious waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid fever," Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W Fernandez said at the award ceremony in Washington DC early Saturday. "As climate change warms our planet, droughts and rising sea levels are making clean water even scarcer, drying up some sources and contaminating other sources with seawater. So one of Drinkwell's founders developed a water purification system that's cheaper and that's more efficient. And it's easier to operate than other models." Read: Drinkwell, Bangladesh among winners of 2022 US Award for Corporate Excellence "The company has also created a new delivery method, ATM – ATM-style machines – that sell and dispense clean water in Bangladesh and are more accessible for people whose homes aren't connected to water pipes," the under secretary of state said. "For about eight years, since 2015, Drinkwell has created hundreds of jobs for people in Bangladesh and brought almost 200 million gallons of clean water to low-income communities in Dhaka, enough drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people a year." "Drinkwell is also a testament to the power of international exchanges. And one of the company's founders is a Bangladeshi American whose grandfather died of a waterborne illness," Fernandez said. Read More: BAT Bangladesh scoops up ‘ICMAB Best Corporate Award’ for sixth time "He – so he got a Fulbright – he got a Fulbright to study the problem and potential solutions to Bangladesh, and there he met a chemical engineering professor from an American university, and together the two of them went on to found Drinkwell." Earlier, the US Department of State's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs announced four winners for this year's edition of the ACE award in the responsible business operations, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth categories. The other winners of the award are Anova Indonesia, Gap India, and Intel Costa Rica. Established in 1999, the ACE recognises the crucial role US companies are playing in elevating higher standards of business conduct. Together, these companies are leading the way in addressing some of the greatest global challenges. Read more: Walton wins ICMAB Best Corporate Award

The US Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs has announced four winners of the 2022 Secretary of State’s Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE). In the climate resilience category, the 2022 ACE winner is Drinkwell, Bangladesh. Drinkwell provides safe and affordable water directly to residents of densely packed neighbourhoods in Dhaka, according to US Department of State. US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will present these four American companies, large and small, with the award during a ceremony on December 9, 2022 at the State Department. The 2022 ACE categories are Responsible Business Operations, Climate Resilience, and Inclusive Economic Growth. Also read: Students, professionals receive BGMEA's Sustainable Design and Innovation Award Two companies were awarded in the category Responsible Business Operations. Anova Technical Services, LLC, a small-sized enterprise in Bali, Indonesia, won this year’s award for offering fully traceable seafood through secure tracking from its point of catch to its point of sale. GAP Inc., India, was awarded for taking care of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit and their suppliers were unable to pay their employees, GAP Inc. stepped in, negotiated payment of wages, and ensured financial security for those most vulnerable to the economic impacts of the pandemic. In Inclusive Economic Growth, the 2022 ACE Winner is Intel, Costa Rica for its "Skills 4 Life" capacity-building training, designed for underserved Afro-descendent and indigenous populations in one of the lowest-income regions in Costa Rica. This year commemorates the Award for Corporate Excellence’s 23rd year. Established in 1999, the ACE recognizes the crucial role U.S. companies are playing in elevating higher standards of business conduct. Together, these companies are leading the way in addressing some of the greatest global challenges. The U.S. Department of State is committed to working with companies to further responsible business practices worldwide and to recognize their efforts to improve lives at home and abroad.