Water, sanitation, and hygiene known as WASH, cover the essential services that ensure access to clean water, decent sanitation, and hygienic behaviors. These are vital for preventing disease, promoting health, and supporting human well being. WASH infrastructure includes water sources, sewage systems, handwashing stations, and hygiene education.
Why WASH Matters to Business and Sustainability
Have you thought about how your company affects access to clean water and toilets worldwide? Millions still lack safe water and proper sanitation, leading to illness, lost productivity, and death. Businesses have a big role and responsibility in changing that by strengthening their ESG efforts.
Here is why WASH is a game changer.
Why Invest in WASH?
Water scarcity and poor sanitation are not just health issues; they hit economies hard. WHO and UNICEF estimate that inadequate WASH costs billions annually in healthcare, lost work, and missed school, especially in developing areas.
For your business, hidden costs include:
- Absenteeism and lower productivity from sickness
- Supply chain disruptions due to water issues
- Reputational and regulatory risks from neglecting social responsibility
By integrating WASH into your CSR and ESG strategies, you build resilience, strengthen community ties, and keep your operations running smoothly.
3 Ways Businesses Support SDG 6
1. Fund and Partner in Community Projects
Support water supply systems, sanitation facilities, and hygiene education in local areas. These efforts reduce waterborne diseases, improve health, build trust and loyalty with communities, and use NGO and government partnerships to grow impact.
Many firms fund rural water and toilet projects and run handwashing campaigns to reduce infections.
2. Promote Water Saving and Hygiene at Work
Educate employees about saving water and practicing good hygiene. Simple actions include workshops on water conservation, clean accessible sanitation facilities, and rewards for ideas that reduce water use.
Engaged staff often become community leaders for change.
3. Invest in Water Tech
Adopt affordable solutions like water-efficient toilets, low-cost purifiers, and mobile hygiene education. Scaling these in resource-limited areas helps improve WASH fast.
Protect Water and Sanitation at Work
Sustainable companies prioritize water management by reusing water and harvesting rain to cut dependence on fresh sources, upgrading sanitation to high standards, and treating wastewater properly to avoid pollution.
Setting high standards helps inspire your supply chain and industry peers.
Extending WASH Impact Across Supply Chains
Supply chain water and sanitation issues can affect quality and reputation. Ethical sourcing ensures regular audits and support to improve supplier WASH, financial or technical aid for infrastructure upgrades, and partnering with responsible suppliers committed to water stewardship.
This approach reduces risks and boosts local development.
Benefits You Can Expect
Investing in WASH pays off with a healthier, more productive workforce, stable supply chains, better brand reputation, and strong community support securing social license.
Measuring your impact strengthens the business case for ongoing efforts.
Take Action Today
Embed SDG 6 targets within your ESG plans, partner with government and NGOs, track and share progress openly, engage employees in water stewardship, and keep innovating with new water-efficient technology.
Final Word: WASH Is a Strategic Priority
Leading companies see WASH not simply as charity but as a strategic lever. Embedding WASH into daily operations and ESG strategies creates healthier communities, resilient supply chains, and sustainable growth. Make water and sanitation your business’s next big step.
