Walmart is partnering with Procter & Gamble and its Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program to launch a 2019 Global Event program that will raise awareness of the global water crisis.
Access to clean drinking water is a challenge every day for nearly 844 million people, and the burden for family household water needs disproportionally affects children around the world. In fact, nearly 1000 children die every day from water-borne diseases—more than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.
Walmart will support the “1 purchase = 1 liter of clean water” campaign in countries where they have a presence, enabling shoppers to contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6 that looks to ensure water and sanitation for all.
This global initiative kicked off in South Africa and Japan in February. The next launches will be in Argentina, China and India in March. Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Canada and the U.K. will participate in the second half of 2019.
For every P&G product consumers purchase in the participating countries during the campaign period, P&G will provide one liter of clean water to help children and their families through its Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program. P&G and Walmart International have set a goal to raise 100 million liters of clean water during 2019.
“Water scarcity is a significant challenge in many of the markets where we operate. As we continue to do our part to be good stewards of the environment and help people around the world live better, this global partnership with P&G will empower our customers and associates to make a greater impact in our communities,” says JP Suarez, Executive Vice President & Chief Administration Officer, Walmart International.
P&G introduced the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program in 2004, working with NGOs around the world to bring clean drinking water and education on proper sanitation and hygiene. To date, the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program has delivered more than 14 billion liters of clean water to people in more than 90 countries.
