NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar — The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have committed $2 million to improve health conditions and provide clean drinking water to Myanmar. As the largest consumer goods company in the world, P&G recorded $83 billion in sales in 2012. It is one of the richest and most powerful multinational corporations on the planet, selling merchandise under more than 50 brand names.
Developed with the US Centers for Disease Control, P&G’s award-winning Purifier of Water packets efficiently turns dirty water into clean and drinkable water in 30 minutes. Each packet contains four grams of powder that can clean 10 liters of water of harmful microorganisms, viruses, pollutants and suspended matter. These easy-to-use packets have helped save an estimated “37,000 lives and prevented over 280 million days of diarrheal illnesses across 75 countries.”
More than one billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. To address this problem, P&G used its resources and innovation to create a highly effective product. Since 2004, P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program (CSDW) has provided seven billion liters of drinking water to people around the world.
In Myanmar’s natural disaster-prone areas and rural villages, these Purifier of Water packets can have a great impact. Safe and clean water reduces the spread of diseases and provides children with a greater opportunity to lead healthy lives.
P&G is an example of what a powerful multinational corporation can do to help development in poorer countries. Many multinational corporations are not only richer than most developing countries, but they are politically powerful as well. Their economic power correlates with their political influence in the international arena. However, multinational corporations need to be provided with incentives to promote development and reduce poverty in the world.
Multinational corporations have the power and resources to contribute aid to the world’s poor. Pressure from civil society and consumers, along with enhanced government regulations and international standards, are needed to make multinational corporations more accountable for their actions.
While multinational corporations have the ability to promote development and reduce poverty, many of them also exploit local labor and natural resources for their own profits. Competition creates an atmosphere where companies choose to pursue countries with low labor and environmental standards. This adversely affects the environment and also human rights with unfair wages and exploitative labor.
While multinational corporations can contribute to increasing inequality and environmental degradation, they also have the resources to make conditions better for millions of people around the world.
Sources: Marketwatch, Procter & Gamble
Photo: GKS Spread