Concept Amenities, a leader in the supply of environmentally responsible guest bath amenities, has established an independent charity known as Soap Aid.
Launched at last week’s Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Hotel Industry Conference (ANZPHIC), Soap Aid is aimed at saving millions of lives worldwide.
Concept Amenities’ Chief Executive Officer Michael Matulick said Soap Aid will address one of the most critical needs facing our planet today – the lack of soap in third world countries – resulting in millions of unnecessary deaths, more often children.
“Across the globe, 2.6 billion impoverished people lack adequate sanitation,” he said. “It is estimated that 1.8 million children under the age of five die each year due to hygiene related illnesses such as acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease.
“However, by the simple act of hand-washing with a bar of soap we could potentially reduce the number of these cases by over 40 per cent.”
That, Matulick said, is where the hospitality industry can make a huge difference.
“Every day, thousands of hotels around the world discard millions of pieces of soap, which often ends up in already overflowing landfills,” he said.
“By collecting waste soap and reprocessing it, our industry can help make a significant contribution to two critical objectives – protecting the environment and potentially saving countless human lives.”
To ensure the success of its initiative, Matulick said Concept Amenities is currently in discussions with a number of charities and distribution companies to assist in soap collection from hotel properties and proper distribution, of the repurposed soap, to the areas of greatest need.
It is important to note, he said, that that unlike similar relief efforts, Concept Amenities “plans to breakdown the used soap remove impurities and recast the soap into perfect news bars that will bear the Soap Aid logo”.
In addition to rolling out the project in the company’s native Australia and gradually expanding to other global regions, Matulick said Concept Amenities is also striving to raise public awareness of sanitary conditions in impoverished nations and encouraging hospitality providers around the world to contribute to Soap Aid by recycling their guest amenities.
“Soap Aid is a unique opportunity for Concept Amenities to remain true to its core values of promoting eco-consciousness and improving the quality of life on our planet,” he said. “With the help of others in our industry, we can save millions of lives together.”
For more information on Soap Aid, visit www.soapaid.org