Improving health & well-being

By the end of 2018 we had reached 1.24 billion people through our programmes on handwashing, safe drinking water, sanitation, oral health, self-esteem and skin healing.

^Δ In 2018, 48% of our portfolio by volume met the highest nutritional standards. This is based on an assessment of every single product in all countries, and across our total retail and foodservice business.

Lack of safe drinking water, and poor sanitation and hygiene, cause millions of preventable deaths each year – particularly among children. By 2020 we will help more than a billion people to improve their health and hygiene. This will help reduce the incidence of life-threatening diseases like diarrhoea, which is one of the main causes of deaths in children under five.

Today, more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight – that’s 39% of the world’s population – with 40 million children classified as obese. At the same time, micronutrient deficiencies are estimated to impact over 2 billion people. By 2020, we will double the proportion of our portfolio that meets the highest nutritional standards, based on globally recognised dietary guidelines. This will help hundreds of millions of people to achieve a healthier diet.

Our approach encompasses health and hygiene and improving nutrition. We are uniquely placed to deliver change at scale as we are the only multinational consumer goods company with a portfolio across Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, Foods and Refreshment. The business case is compelling – delivering our commitments is driving more growth, lower costs, less risk and more trust.

Our approach, which directly supports a number of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, focuses on:

• Selling appealing products with health, hygiene and nutrition benefits
• Encouraging people to take action on health, hygiene and nutrition through behaviour change programmes
• Advocating to bring these issues higher up the national and international policy agenda
• Working with partners dedicated to health, hygiene and nutrition, to broaden our impact.

^† Independently assured by PwC