Oct 15 2011 @ 11:36

Positive Impact... Served frozen, at 100 mph

A few months ago, we got together with our friends at Public Inc. to think up some smart ways to connect Canadians to Africa. During a lull in the conversation, when people were running out of energy, Goerge Roter, EWB’s CEO shared a story about driving by GM place in Vancouver in October 2009, and smiling at the thought of a puck made of fair trade rubber being used to score the winning goal of the 2010 Olympic gold medal hockey game.

Everyone laughed. Then slowly, brows furrowed, it got very, very quiet in the room and you could see eyes lighting up as the idea took root.

Photo: Flomo, a rubber tapper from MARCO (Morris-American Rubber Company) taps a rubber tree at the company's plantation. MARCO is one of Liberia's largest rubber producing and processing companies. Courtesy Arthur Kong/EWB.

Today, we’re well on the way to making that idea a reality, and we’ll hit a major milestone this weekend when RUBR pucks will be used at university hockey games nation wide (there's also a good chance they'll be coming to a major Canadian retailer very soon). RUBR's slogan is "it's better with RUBR", and that's not just marketing:

It’s better for Canada. Check your hockey bag. There is a very good chance your pucks are manufactured outside Canada. RUBR pucks are proudly made in Canada in partnership with Viceroy, makers of quality hockey pucks for more than 40 years.

It’s better for Liberia. RUBR is not charity. Our plan is to create a global business that will create jobs, grow the local economy and spur redevelopment, especially for local rubber farmers. They’re not fair-trade certified yet, but that’s our goal.

It’s better for the environment. There are plenty of pucks made of synthetic rubber, which is derived from petroleum. RUBR is tapped naturally from rubber trees, addressing one major environmental concern.

How RUBR Happened

In the feasibility phase, EWB took the lead researching, sourcing, importing and manufacturing the pucks, while PUBLIC focused on the brand, marketing, communications and partnership development.

EWB alumni David Damberger and Arthur Kong went to Liberia to make connections and learn about the rubber industry and value chain, and their new-found knowledge guided the production of this first batch of pucks. The partnership with Canada Interuniversity Sport (CIS) happened quickly afterwards — they recognized the value of the idea and wanted to get on board immediately.

What we're trying to achieve

We've already been asked if we think a puck is going to save the world. Our answer is a resounding "no". We hope that, as the demand for RUBR grows, it will make a big difference to Liberian farmers, both directly with this product, and hopefully later through influence on the entire Liberian rubber industry. But our focus with RUBR right now is here in Canada.

The pucks illustrate two important things for Canadians:

1. Just how easy it is to turn purchasing power into positive social impact.
2. That we should see countries and people in Africa differently, and that our relationship between Canadians and Africans must go beyond charity.

So no, hockey pucks aren't going to "end" poverty. But Canadian consumers can make great strides in that direction by buying socially conscious products like this one. To us, that's the value of RUBR — showing Canadians the power that they have to create real, lasting positive change, not through charity, but through smart, informed decisions. Public Inc. feels the same way, calling it a "win-win-win" proposition for consumers, causes and companies.

Look for a RUBR on the ice on your campus this weekend. For more information visit rubr.ca.

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