Latest news with #SimonGriffiths
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
On a roll: Who Gives a Crap toilet paper co-founder aims for ‘world domination'
It has been ubiquitous in middle class British bathrooms since a flush of growth during the Covid pandemic. Now Who Gives a Crap is aiming to wipe out the Andrex puppy, Cushelle's koala and Little Duck's little duck with a more ethical version of toilet roll. Its product, made from recycled paper or bamboo and wrapped in colourful paper, has risen rapidly to become the UK's third biggest non-supermarket brand. Now, the company – which claims to be the first ever online specialist loo roll maker – is aiming for 'world domination' with a rollout into Tesco supermarkets, and beyond. The Australian brand gives 50% of its profits to clean water and sanitation projects, and raising money for good causes is a key part of the company's purpose, according to its co-founder, Simon Griffiths. After experiments with a 'click to give' donations website and then a bar that sold beer and wine from developing countries, he settled on the idea of linking philanthropy to an everyday product that could reach every household. Griffiths says a trip to the loo inspired a 'quarter-second epiphany' on what that product could be, alongside the company's risque name and its mission to raise funds to provide access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries via partners including WaterAid. From the beginning, the company promised to donate half its profits to sanitation projects and as sales around the world have rapidly grown, it has raised close to £10m so far for projects such as eco-friendly waterless toilets in Kenya and school toilet blocks in Timor-Leste. Sales at its UK arm rose 17% to £45.5m in 2024 when operating profits more than doubled to £2.8m, according to the most recent figures available at Companies House. The company does not reveal international profits, but it donated £2.43m to sanitation projects last year, suggesting they have hit almost £5m. The brand is aiming to more than double donations to A$50m (£24m) by 2028 and within a decade collect 'hundreds of millions' of donations by adding new products and new countries. 'The reason why we exist is because there's still 2 billion people without access to adequate sanitation today, globally,' Griffiths says. 'If you're going to solve that problem that affects billions of people, you need to eventually be everywhere. That's not something we plan to do in the next 12 months. In 30 years' time, I think we will want to be in every supermarket in the UK.' The brand, which began online, is already in more than half of Australian supermarkets and went on to Tesco shelves earlier this month in the UK after launching in Whole Foods Market and Waitrose in 2023 . However, further expansion may be tough during a cost of living squeeze and the imposition of US tariffs on Chinese-made goods which is pushing up prices in what is now its biggest market – just ahead of the UK. Even in the UK, the ethical stance comes at a price for shoppers, with its 100% recycled rolls priced at 39p for 100 sheets for a six-pack at Tesco – on a par with Cushelle's six-pack but a considerable mark-up on the 16p for the supermarket's recycled own-brand and ahead of the 32p for 100 sheets for Andrex's 'family soft' nine-roll pack. He cheerfully admits that its success so far is down partly to the colourful paper wraps on its loo rolls, which people like to show off in their bathrooms, as much as its environmental and ethical considerations. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion From the outset the plan was to provide a stylish and ethical counterpoint to 'this sea of white and purple and different colours and pictures of puppies and pillows and feathers and things that were entirely unrelated to toilet paper' on supermarket shelves, Griffiths says. He has said the company might be only a fifth of the size it is today if it wasn't for the wrapping. Having started with 100% recycled loo roll made using waste – such as old letters and cardboard boxes – it now also sells a version made from bamboo. Other products include recycled tissues and, perhaps more controversially, recycled plastic bin bags and dog poo bags. The group is also expanding geographically including entering Canada this year – taking it to 37 countries in total. It is a long way from the toilet seat where Griffiths sat for 50 hours as part of a 2012 crowdfunding campaign that raised A$50,000 to back the first order and where it also signed up the brand's first 1,000 customers. Expansion today is underpinned by A$41.5m in 2021 from investors including Verlinvest, the Belgian investment company behind the oat milk Oatly and the fair trade chocolate brand Tony's Chocolonely. So far, a rising number of shoppers seem persuaded that the product is worth paying more for than bog-standard rivals and Griffiths insists it is more than a passing fad with every decision based on 'trying to do the right thing'. 'We've been around now for about 12 years in Australia. I don't think there's a risk of us kind of going out of fashion in the same way that you might see with clothing,' he says.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Camden National Corporation Announces its Second Quarter 2025 Dividend
CAMDEN, Maine, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon Griffiths, President and Chief Executive Officer of Camden National Corporation (NASDAQ: CAC; the "Company"), announced today that the board of directors of the Company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share. This quarterly payout results in an annualized dividend yield of 4.23% based on the June 23, 2025, closing price of the Company's common stock at $39.72 per share as reported by NASDAQ. The dividend is payable on July 31, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 15, 2025. About Camden National Corporation Camden National Corporation (NASDAQ: CAC) is Northern New England's largest publicly traded bank holding company, with $7.0 billion in assets. Founded in 1875, Camden National Bank has 72 banking centers in Maine and New Hampshire and is a full-service community bank offering the latest digital banking, complemented by award-winning, personalized service. Additional information is available at Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Comprehensive wealth management, investment, and financial planning services are delivered by Camden National Wealth Management. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Camden National Corporation Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Camden National Bank Selects Spiral to Empower Customers with Personalized Savings and Financial Wellness Tools
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spiral, an award-winning personalized banking platform, today announced a partnership with Camden National Bank, a premier Northern New England community bank. Known for its commitment to helping individuals and businesses achieve their financial goals, Camden National Bank will leverage Spiral's innovative platform to enhance its digital banking experience, deepen customer engagement, and drive customer loyalty. "With Spiral, our customers will be empowered to save effortlessly for their life goals, such as buying a home, taking a vacation, or saving for a car. We're making it easier for customers to reach their financial goals." Share Through this partnership, Camden National Bank's customers can seamlessly round up everyday debit card transactions to savings or donate to causes they care about. Additionally, Camden National Bank's new Giving Center will allow customers to donate directly to a nonprofit organization from their bank account, track their impact, and get real-time donation receipts for tax purposes. "We're always looking for innovative ways to help our customers build financial security while making a meaningful impact," said Simon Griffiths, President and CEO at Camden National Bank. "With Spiral, our customers will be empowered to save effortlessly for their life goals, such as buying a home, taking a vacation, or saving for a car. We're making it easier for customers to reach their financial goals, find new ways to grow their savings, and support their communities through everyday banking." Many Americans continue to struggle to save for such long-term goals or emergencies, with one in four Americans having less than $1,000 in savings, according to a 2024 survey by Forbes. Furthermore, according to the 2025 Bankrate's Savings report, 19% reported having no emergency savings at all. Camden National Bank has partnered with Spiral to offer innovative savings tools that enable customers to make saving easier, more automated, and accessible to people across all income levels and demographics. "Camden National Bank's commitment to helping customers build stronger financial futures and support their communities is remarkable," said Shawn Melamed, CEO and Co-Founder of Spiral. "We are proud to empower more financial institutions to thrive, drive financial wellness, and grow deposits while delivering experiences people love—making saving easier, more rewarding, and more impactful." Spiral's turnkey solutions integrate with leading digital banking providers and core systems. To learn more about Spiral's platform, please contact Spiral here. About Spiral Headquartered in New York City, Spiral is the award-winning platform that helps banks and credit unions grow deposits and build deeper relationships that boost retention and loans through personalized banking experiences. With Spiral, financial institutions can empower their account holders to achieve financial freedom and easily support their communities through any online bank account, debit card, or credit card. Thus, Spiral makes it simple for financial institutions to drive positive change and empower millions of people to build better lives. Spiral is backed by Team8, Euclidean Capital, Intuition Fund, Communitas Capital, Phoenix, Nidoco AB, MTVO, Curql, ICBA, and more. To learn more, visit About Camden National Bank Camden National Corporation (NASDAQ: CAC) is Northern New England's largest publicly traded bank holding company, with $7.0 billion in assets. Founded in 1875, Camden National Bank has 72 branches in Maine and New Hampshire, is a full-service community bank offering the latest digital banking, complemented by award-winning, personalized service. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Comprehensive wealth management, investment, and financial planning services are delivered by Camden National Wealth Management.
News.com.au
19-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Who Gives A Crap Delivers 100% Recycled Toilet Paper Aussies Love
From Melbourne start-up to global sensation, this loo roll brand is making millions, helping millions and having fun doing it. These products are hand-picked by our team to help make shopping easier. We may receive payments from third parties for sharing this content and when you purchase through links in this article. Product prices and offer details are not assured, and should be confirmed independently with the retailer. Learn more When Simon Griffiths co-founded Who Gives A Crap in 2012, he wasn't chasing headlines or investors. He was focused on one thing: helping tackle the global sanitation crisis – and doing it through something as everyday as toilet paper. 'We started Who Gives A Crap when we learnt that over two billion people don't have access to clean water and sanitation,' Mr Griffiths said. ' Impact has always been at the core of our business – and that's something that will never change.' FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS The idea was simple: Sell sustainable toilet paper online, donate 50 per cent of profits to clean water and sanitation projects, and make the customer experience feel good – literally and figuratively. From its first crowd-funding campaign to now, the brand has stuck to that formula, growing from a Melbourne-based start-up to a global powerhouse. 'We raised $50,000 in 50 hours from our original crowd-funding campaign, which told us pretty quickly the idea resonated,' Mr Griffiths said. COVID'S TOILET PAPER CRISIS A few years later, a pivotal moment in time catapulted the brand's reach: The toilet paper panic of March 2020. As supermarket shelves were stripped bare during the pandemic's first wave, Who Gives A Crap completely sold out – and built a waitlist of half a million people. '#ToiletPaperGate was an unprecedented time,' Mr Griffiths said, 'but it showed us just how connected our community had become.' As demand soared, the team stayed focused on their long-term goal: donating more, and reaching more people in need. 'Donating more than $10 million in our first 10 years was huge for us,' he said. 'But our largest donation – $5.85 million in 2020 – really showed the kind of impact this model can have when scaled. And hopefully we can beat that in the next couple of years!' WORLDWIDE DOMINATION Now operating in almost 40 countries, Who Gives A Crap has sold more than 800 million rolls of toilet paper to date, and donated over $18 million to its WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) partners – all while keeping its distinctly cheeky tone. It's a business that's managed to pair lightness with purpose, engaging people with humour while working to solve a serious issue. 'While we love a good toilet joke, our real aim is to use humour and humanness to engage people in a serious issue – making sure everyone has access to clean water and a toilet,' Mr Griffiths explained. 'In a world where people already feel overwhelmed by constant bad news, we believe doing good shouldn't feel like another burden. 'By adding a bit of joy and delight to the everyday, we hope that we're showing that making a difference can be surprisingly easy and a lot of fun.' COLOUR, MOVEMENT AND LOTS OF PUNS That approach – wrapping a mission-led brand in brightly coloured packaging and very good puns – has helped Who Gives A Crap carve out a cult following. Customers share their deliveries on social media, submit pet photos featuring the product, and in one case, even used the rolls to decorate a wedding cake. 'Even Harry Styles' mum is a fan,' Mr Griffiths said. Alongside the playful tone is a successful business model that's generating impressive results. The company now holds nearly 10 per cent of the Australian toilet paper market, has passed one million Australian customers, and continues to expand its presence in the UK and US – with retail partners including Whole Foods and Waitrose now stocking its signature rolls. It hasn't always been easy. Running a purpose-led company across multiple regions comes with its own set of challenges – especially when your brand name includes the word 'crap'. 'We've learnt that 'crap' can be a contentious word in some markets,' Mr Griffiths said, laughing. 'That hasn't stopped us from sticking with the same brand name globally – it's been a huge strength of ours.' HONESTY THE BEST POLICY Mr Griffiths also stressed the importance of transparency, especially for brands trying to balance purpose and profit. 'You don't have to be perfect,' he said. 'Failing is usually okay as long as you're transparent. We have a saying that our customers will forgive us for our lumps and bumps as long as we're honest about them.' That authenticity extends to the company's internal culture and its approach to innovation. 'We've learnt the importance of zigging when everyone else is zagging,' Mr Griffiths said. 'So many of our best decisions have come from staying true to our values and listening to our community.' 'A FORCE FOR GOOD' The business has already expanded beyond toilet paper, too – launching garbage bags and pet waste bags in late 2024, with more product innovations and limited-edition drops planned for the months ahead. 'We've got some fun things in the works,' Mr Griffiths said. 'Whether it's new products or new designs, we're always thinking about how we can make sustainable choices feel exciting – not like a compromise.' At its core, Who Gives A Crap remains proof that doing good doesn't have to be boring. It can be fun, funny – and financially sustainable. 'We're showing that business can be a force for good,' he said. 'And the more we grow, the more impact we can have.' Looking for more great shopping deals? Sign up to our free to stay up to date on all the latest shopping news and sales. Meet the expert Louise Conville is a journalist, copywriter and endurance athlete with a passion for compelling storytelling across fashion, beauty, health and fitness. With two decades of editorial and content experience, she blends creativity with strategic insight to deliver content that resonates. Outside of work, she's an ultra runner and aspiring triathlete who's happiest on a long trail – occasionally off course, but always moving forward. For stories on writing, running and everything in between, find her on Instagram @louise_conville.
