Scott Harrison has helped to bring clean drinking water to millions of people around the world. The founder and CEO of charity: water, one of the most well-known philanthropic organizations in the world, shares how his approach to running a non-profit — from innovation to strategy to partnerships — can be applied to any business to help create outstanding success.
Harrison spent almost 10 years as a nightclub promoter in New York City before leaving to volunteer on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia as a volunteer photojournalist. During this time, he witnessed extreme levels of poverty and illness and came to learn that many of the infections and diseases needing treatment were waterborne. With a newfound understanding of the global water crisis, Harrison returned to New York City in 2006 to found his non-profit organization, charity: water.
Since then, with the help of more than 1 million donors worldwide, charity: water has raised more than $850 million and funded nearly 138,000 water projects in 29 countries. When completed, those projects will provide over 17.5 million people with clean, safe drinking water.
Harrison has been recognized on Fortune magazine’s list of “40 Under 40”, Forbes’ Impact 30, and Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business”, where he earned the #10 spot. He’s the recipient of the Martin Luther King Center Salute to Greatness humanitarian award and author of the New York Times Bestselling book, Thirst.
