Lead2030 Challenge for SDG 6 (powered by Reckitt)

Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene are basic human rights and essential for public health and economic prosperity. Yet, progress towards SDG 6 is off-track. 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and half of the world’s population face severe water scarcity for at least part of the year (1). Additionally, 3.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation while 419 million still practice open defecation. According to UNICEF, almost half of schools worldwide lack handwashing facilities with water and soap, affecting 802 million children (2). Such limitations lead to wider spread of serious diseases such as diarrhoea and pneumonia, the leading causes of death for young children under 5 around the world. Meeting SDG 6 targets by 2030 requires a 4x increase in pace of progress.

Reckitt has time and again reinstated its commitment towards SDG 6 by working tirelessly with local communities, social enterprises, government, NGOs and various charitable organizations around the world to improve access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. Through Reckitt’s partnership with Water.org, over 2.4 million people now have access to clean water or sanitation in their homes. In 2024, school programmes, like the Dettol Hygiene Quest have brought high-quality hygiene education to 24.5 million children in more than 15 countries, reducing water-borne diseases and absenteeism.

Reckitt believes social entrepreneurship has a powerful role to play in solving the world’s greatest challenges. With a portfolio of over 60 entrepreneurs, Reckitt acts as a catalyst working with expert partners like Yunus Social Business and Health Innovation Exchange to scale pioneering solutions and build sustainable business models.

Reckitt is proud to have supported the Lead2030 SDG6 challenge since 2019, working with 11 WASH entrepreneurs to date. We want to build on this success in 2025, by supporting innovations that create measurable impact by enabling access to clean water, sanitation or hygiene, and are particularly interested in innovations with a focus on children or women/girls.

The focus of this challenge is not limited to providing equitable access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene facilities but to also creating a sustainable ecosystem that ensures, year after year, continuous development and increasing awareness.

Whilst Reckitt are interested to receive applications that target at a wide range of areas within WASH, there is a particular interest in hearing about innovations that do either of the following:

• Make innovative use of digital technology and AI to reach more people and enable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene on a wide scale
• Promote good hand hygiene practices and reduce water-borne diseases
• Help us tackle WASH related challenges in our value chain supporting Reckitt's Water positive agenda e.g. water recycling and reuse at factories

Timeline 

• 17 April 2025: Applications open.
• 26 May 2025: Applications close.
• 28 May 2025: Shortlisted candidates confirmed and invited to submit Round 2 application.
• 6 June: Round 2 application deadline.
• 16 - 19 June: Finalist Interviews.
• 26 June: Challenge Winner confirmed.

What is One Young World?

One Young World was founded in 2009 by David Jones and Kate Robertson. We are a UK-based charity that gathers together the brightest young leaders from around the world, empowering them to make lasting connections to create positive change. 

We stage an annual Summit where the most valuable young talent from global and national companies, NGOs, universities and other forward-thinking organisations are joined by world leaders, acting as the One Young World Counsellors.

Delegates participate in four transformative days of speeches, panels, networking and workshops. All delegates have the opportunity to apply to give keynote speeches, sharing a platform with world leaders with the world’s media in attendance. As well as listening to keynote speakers, delegates have the opportunity to challenge world leaders, interact and be mentored by influencers. Delegates make lasting connections throughout the Summit, celebrating their participation at social events and the unforgettable Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

After each Summit, the delegates, who are then known as One Young World Ambassadors, work on their own initiatives or lend the power of the One Young World network to those initiatives already in existence. Of those in employment, many returns to their companies and set about creating change from within, energising their corporate environment.