During a 2017 state visit to Ghana by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Grundfos signed a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ghana’s Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.

The MoU initiated a collaboration through which Grundfos supplied sustainable, energy-efficient technology and technical expertise to support Ghana’s aim of providing water for all by 2025. This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal number 6: to “ensure access to water and sanitation for all by 2030”. At a signing ceremony on 14 July 2020, this MoU was renewed and marks the continuation of this strong collaboration for the next three years.

Denmark has been developing sustainable water solutions for many years, with a focus on combining quality, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This makes Danish companies valuable partners, as they offer a high level of expertise and experience in water technology.

According to the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol, the government of Denmark has made a strategic decision to support activities of Danish companies that have Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embedded in their business. In this regard, Grundfos is a prime example of a company that is walking the talk and showcasing how to build a business and strategic priorities around the SDGs. Said Degnbol at the signing, “We need all actors from civil society, government authorities and companies to join in the efforts towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.”

Noah Tumfo, chief director of Ghana’s Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, said, “We have had enormous support from the Danish government in water infrastructure delivery, and have had collaborations with Grundfos in the past – we see them as a trusted products and solutions provider, and we, too, look forward to building a strong collaboration to aid us in reaching our goal to provide water for all by 2025.”

The collaboration is critical because water delivery in the urban areas of Ghana is directly related to quality of life and the continued financial growth and stability of Ghana.

“We hope to contribute to the already strong development within sanitation and water that the ministry is driving. We see opportunities to mutually benefit from sharing experience, know-how and technology to ensure a healthy and full water cycle, from water supply to waste-water treatment,” said Claus Villekjaer Nielsen, general manager of Grundfos Ghana. Nielsen heads the team running the pilot project – the Ghana Water initiative – that aims to provide one million people in Ghana with safe, clean water by 2025.

Water and energy are the main areas of expertise and focus for Grundfos, and so the company has set very ambitious financial goals and environmental targets using water solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability as three main pillars. The UN, too, has set high targets for the world with its Sustainable Development Goals. Of these, Grundfos has chosen SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 13 (combating climate change) as its guiding lights and principle foundation for all activities, now and into the future.

“We want to continue playing our part in achieving critical sustainable development goals, and we hope our work and pilot projects in Ghana can and will be one of the milestones in this journey for us,” said Okay Barutcu, regional managing director for the Grundfos EEWAA region. “Water solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability are the three core pillars of our company strategy, which go right to the heart and spirit of this memorandum of understanding. I want to thank the government of Ghana and its Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources for your trust and giving us this opportunity; the Danish Embassy in Ghana for facilitating this meeting and the signing of the MoU; and everybody else involved in drafting and finalising the agreement from both sides.”

The Embassy of Denmark is thrilled to see Danish companies like Grundfos investing in sectors that Denmark has traditionally supported over decades, and carrying on this good work. It wished the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources and Grundfos all the best in this collaboration.