Water as a Human Right

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Water as a Human Right

Coca-Cola and Unilever are engaging in the global community and becoming more active in solving resource, environmental and social problems

dhP8fu2.jpgLifebuoy

Unilever is a multinational company that recognizes "building a better society and a better business goes hand in hand." Unilever’s "Help a Child Reach 5" campaign and "Lifebuoy Handwashing Behaviour Change Program" aim to educate over 1 billion people on health and sanitation practices.  

Over 2.4 million people lack access to proper hygiene or sanitation and each year over 2 million children succumb to water-related illnesses, such as diarrhea, before their fifth birthday. Nearly 88 percent of those deaths are linked to inadequate hygiene, poor sanitation and contaminated water. Up to 35 percent are preventable with soap handwashing practices.  

Lifebuoy’s campaign focus is India, the leading country in water-borne illnesses — 318 out of 1,000 children under age 5 die from preventable diarrhea and respiratory infections each year. While Lifebuoy’s campaigns have reached over 130 million people in India, the truly innovative aspect of the campaign is the varied partnerships and stakeholders involved in Lifebuoy’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) mission. Over 1,500 company employees volunteer at schools in India to promote better hand washing and sanitation practices.

coca-cola_11.12.14.jpgThe Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola, as the world’s largest beverage provider, is a company where "[fresh] water is a strategic priority — it’s the main ingredient in every product the company makes."  

Coca-Cola, which has targeted Africa as a focus of emerging market growth since 2009, also has engaged in multi-million dollar water sustainability initiatives in the region that are focused at the local level. In fact, the region accounts for 10 percent of Coca-Cola’s revenue and this figure is expected to double before 2020. 

Coca-Cola’s partnership with the WWF and its RAIN initiative illustrates how addressing water risk is in the company’s best interest as a global citizen, as well as necessary to support business growth. 

Source: GreenBiz

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