Peter Alan Thum is an American social entrepreneur, business executive, and humanitarian. He is the founder of the social venture Ethos Water and the non-profit organization Giving Water.
Thum is married to the American actress and writer Cara Buono, and lives in New York City, New York.
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Thum had the idea for Ethos Water in 2001 while working for McKinsey & Company on a project in South Africa where he saw water issues firsthand. Thum led Ethos as President through its acquisition by Starbucks in 2005. From 2005 to 2008, he managed Ethos and other businesses as a vice president of Starbucks and guided its philanthropy as a Director of the Starbucks Foundation.[1]
Starbucks donates US$0.05 per bottle sold to the Ethos Water mission. To date, Ethos Water has generated more than $6.2 million for water programs around the world, helping more than 420,000 people get access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.[2]
Thum is involved in business and social missions. He advises for-profit and not-for-profit organizations on social venture creation and corporate social responsibility programs.[3] Thum speaks about social and business topics at conferences and in the media. He serves on the boards of The Center for Human Rights Leadership; The Dean’s Council of the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and Impossible to Possible Ultra-Athletic Adventures.[4]
Thum previously worked at McKinsey & Company and Gallo Winery in the United States and Europe.[5]