Unilever Nigeria Marks World Water Day

Page Image Gaining a new perspective on sustainable water management Image Caption Body Copy ​Unilever Nigeria marked the 2014 World Water Day with special commemorative events that held concurrently across the company’s two sites. These events presented an opportunity for employees to gain new perspectives into sustainable water management solutions and the role they can play to conserve this all-important resource. The event also provided a platform to update employees on the water management milestones the company has attained in the last three years. Between 2010 and 2013, Unilever Nigeria reduced the volume of water it uses in its manufacturing process by 31%. This result is largely due to interventions like: the installation of water metres, weekly tracking of consumption, water campaigns, weekly leak audits, installation of a more efficient cooling tower in the soaps factory among others. In his remarks at the event, Unilever Nigeria’s Managing Director Yaw Nsarkoh, noted that many communities around the world still do not have access to clean drinking water. “Today, we live in a world where clean drinking water is still beyond the reach of many families. While some families wash their cars with very clean water every day, others can hardly find clean, wholesome water to drink. “We should therefore play a part in ensuring that more families have access to clean drinking water. Unilever’s Pureit is a unique product that can help provide clean drinking water in communities that do not have access to clean and safe water; we should therefore play a part in ensuring that more Nigerians use Pureit to purify their drinking water.” Also speaking at the event Unilever Foundation Global Ambassador, Osita Abana, made a case for an increased focus on water management in Africa and around the world. He noted that Africa should embrace sustainable water management solutions especially in light of the continent’s growing population and expanding industrialization. He also highlighted some indirect consequences of water scarcity. “Over 66 million Nigerians do not have access to save drinking water, this reality has had a ripple effect on health and sanitation; livelihood of women - who cannot take up paid employment because they spend many hours fetching water - and children who lose thousands of school hours every day due to water-related diseases,” he said. He added that for Africa and the world to achieve water security , governments, business and citizens should get involved in the movement for sustainable water management and take small every day actions that add up to a big difference.