Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Global manufacturer unveils Water for Life programme
Kimberly-Clark Professional has launched a groundbreaking new initiative designed to address poor access to water and sanitation in the communities where it operates.
The Water for Life programme, which is being rolled out to the entire Kimberly-Clark Corporation, will act as a platform to enable the organisation to collaborate with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to deliver clean drinking water, adequate levels of sanitation and education on essential hygiene standards to people who need it most.
According to the United Nations, about 700 million people in 43 countries worldwide suffer from water scarcity. Under Water for Life, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation has pledged to participate in several water replenishment projects designed to return at least 200 million gallons of water every year to water-stressed communities around the globe over the next decade.
Projects are now underway in Colombia, Israel, India, the UK and Spain, with more set to follow in Brazil, El Salvador and France as the manufacturer continues to engage with consumers and NGOs worldwide.
"Water is one of the planet's most precious resources and cannot be taken for granted," says the company's Sustainability Manager Lori Shaffer.
"As a responsible manufacturer, we understand our role in helping to preserve water and also the obligation we owe to the communities where we operate to help ensure they have access to clean and safe water supplies. Water for Life will help us achieve this and we're proud to be involved."
Water for Life will run in conjunction with Sustainability 2015, Kimberly-Clark's ambitious and comprehensive sustainability strategy. Sustainability 2015 is founded on a framework of three key pillars: People, Planet and Products. Under each of these pillars, Kimberly-Clark is working towards meeting a range of demanding targets that will make a major difference to the sustainability of its operations and, potentially, affect millions of people's lives for the better. One of these targets is an absolute reduction in water use of 25%.
Water is a key input into the manufacture of the company's tissue products. In 2011, the Kimberly-Clark Corporation as a whole used a total of 34 billion gallons of water. However, most of this - 94% - was treated and returned, leaving the company's net water use at 2 billion litres.
"Extending our water reduction programme beyond the factory gate and into the localities where we operate fits perfectly with our goal of working towards a better future by being responsible stewards of the environment and positive contributors to communities," adds Lori.
21st June 2012