Hull’s role in the health of the globe has been outlined by RB’s worldwide chief executive Laxman Narasimhan as he launched a new fund to help improve access to products, education and information.
It comes as the city-founded giant donates 15 million face masks with a focus on pharmacists and health care workers across all major markets.
It is also providing 10 million bars of Dettol soap to the most vulnerable, with a commitment of £32 million the back of more than £6 million of initial support to tackle coronavirus.
Mr Narasimhan said: “We have a 200 year history of making a material difference to the lives of our consumers. Dettol was born 70 years ago in Hull, with the ambition of improving maternal health. Dettol took on the challenge in 1932 to reduce the incidence of sepsis by 50 per cent.
“Lysol was first introduced in 1889 and has played a part in major public health challenges ever since. Our brands have a critical role to play in promoting hygiene and health in the fight against the current Covid-19 pandemic. I have been witness to heroic efforts across the company to live our purpose and our fight. I am in awe of the ‘can do’ attitude across the RB organisation and the relentless pursuit by my colleagues to make the world cleaner and healthier.”
The RB Fight for Access Fund to improve access to health, hygiene and nutrition for all, and will see a commitment to ring fence annual investment of 1 per cent of profits.
Mr Narasimhan said: “We recognise that consumers and customers are facing shortages for some of our products with this unprecedented demand. We are doing all we can to meet demand while protecting the safety of our people and following local rules. In 2020, we are examining further investments to increase capacity of critical products such as disinfectants, sanitisers, soaps and surface cleaners.
“RB has mobilised an additional £32 million as part of our RB Fight for Access Fund to address our collective fight against the spread of Covid-19. Our immediate focus is to address the stress faced by our consumers and communities where we operate, to break the chain of infection.”
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It is working with governments, national medical associations and other stakeholders to deliver public service campaigns to educate consumers on handwashing and sanitation in Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, UAE, and Vietnam.
It follows a £6 million commitment to the front-line health workers in Wuhan, China where RB answered the urgent call for critical medical equipment. Recent acquisition Mead Johnson Nutrition provided expectant new mothers with access to urgent maternal child care also.
US brand Lysol supported the Centre for Disease Control Foundation in the States with $2 million for various initiatives while continuing their support for hygiene education in schools.
Napisan donation of €250,000 cash and product to a hospital and care centre in Milan, Italy.
The Dettol India campaign with TikTok reached 20 billion views in one week getting important behaviour change messages to young people on the necessity of hand washing. The record-breaking campaign is being rolled out across global markets.
Coronavirus and the Humber:
Jumia and RB have entered into a partnership to help consumers in eight countries across Africa access a steady supply of hygiene products such as Harpic, JIK and Dettol soap bars, disinfectants, and liquid hand wash. Jumia will not take commission and will reinvest the initial commission into discounts on the consumer price and RB is financing free shipping nationwide on all listed products.
As reported, it has also partnered with the Economist Intelligence Unit, along with other public health experts, to create the myth-busting website in the fight against what the World Health Organisation has coined as the ‘Infodemic’ - or the spread of misinformation.
is a platform for education which has reached millions of consumers with credible scientific information.
Mr Narasimhan added that RB is “continuing to examine other initiatives to support through our brands because we believe we can use our voice as a force for good.”