One of the world’s first hygiene soaps created by William Hesketh Lever in 1894, Lifebuoy has a rich history.

Known as the Royal Disinfectant Soap during the Victorian era, it has seen through different life-threatening diseases such as typhoid, smallpox, cholera, and diphtheria. Despite its effectiveness in protecting people against contracting deadly illnesses, Lever made it affordable for everyone.

 Lifebuoy also played an important role during world wars. During World War I, those who weren’t at the forefront of the battle were encouraged to distribute the red soap among the soldiers to help them ward off diseases and stay healthy. And when World War II broke out, Lifebuoy sent vans equipped with hot showers, towels, and soap to some of the most affected areas in Britain to help locals who no longer have access to sanitary facilities.

And when hand washing was proven to be effective in fighting diseases, Lifebuoy started their ‘Clean Hands’ project promoting proper hand hygiene in 1930. The brand was also one of the driving forces behind the first-ever Global Handwashing Day which was held in more than 70 countries in 2008.

Today, as we face a pandemic, this century-old soap by Unilever continues its mission of bringing better health and hygiene worldwide. Heeding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) advice to treat hand hygiene as the first line of defense against the spread of germs, the company decided to repurpose its manufacturing lines to produce Lifebuoy Sanitizers.

As part of its “Malasakit for All” program, Unilever is donating one million Lifebuoy hygiene products to help Filipinos stay safe and clean. 

The production of Lifebuoy sanitizers and hygiene soaps is just one of the many activities that Unilever has launched to protect the lives and livelihood of their partners, employees, and communities amid the coronavirus. They also pledged P1 billion to support vulnerable communities and help small businesses recover. 

“It is our hope that through this cash flow relief, business partners that rely primarily on Unilever are able to sustain their operations and the livelihood of their people. Business continuity with our customers and suppliers is a very important consideration for us,” said Benjie Yap, Chairman and CEO of Unilever Philippines.

Unilever also coordinated with local government units, public and private hospitals, and various foundations and non-government organizations to donate P100-M worth of hygiene and food packs and PPEs. 

For their employees, aside from enabling them to work from home and implementing safety measures for its site and field-based personnel, they also guaranteed 100% pay and incentives for those who were unable to work due to quarantine constraints.

“As a company built on Malasakit, Unilever remains committed to care for our employees, our partners, and our communities. We have a responsibility to help and we are ready to share our capabilities and resources to address this crisis,” said Yap. 

From a product that was created to reduce disease fatalities during the Victorian era, to keeping soldiers hygienic during world wars, and now promoting proper hand hygiene education and making their products accessible to everyone, it’s no wonder why Lifebuoy’s legacy lives on even after more than 120 years. It’s a purpose-driven business dedicated to providing livelihood while keeping everyone safe. – Rappler.com