Reckitt signs seven-way alliance to expand health and hygiene programmes across India

New Delhi: Reckitt is hoping many hands really do make light work. The consumer health and hygiene company has stitched together a seven-partner alliance to expand its public health, sanitation and education initiatives across India, with a target of directly reaching 100 million beneficiaries over the next three years.

The partnerships, formalised through Letters of Intent signed on Wednesday, are expected to increase the reach of Reckitt’s community programmes by 3.5 times compared with last year. The collaborations will run from 2026 to 2029 and bring together international organisations, educational institutions, nonprofits, media platforms and implementation partners to strengthen health, hygiene, adolescent wellbeing, climate resilience and sanitation efforts across the country.

The initiative will scale several of Reckitt’s flagship programmes, including Dettol Banega Swasth India, the Dettol School Hygiene Education Programme, Durex The Birds and Bees Talk (TBBT), Harpic World Toilet College and the Harpic Safe Sanitation Programme.

Reckitt said the new partnerships reflect a shift from traditional awareness campaigns towards community-led behavioural change, using technology, AI-powered learning tools, climate education and youth engagement to make health and hygiene education more accessible and relevant.

Reckitt, executive vice president, South Asia, Gaurav Jain said India’s scale and diversity require collaborations that can turn purpose into action at the grassroots. He said the company remains committed to ensuring no one is left behind while expanding access to hygiene education, adolescent wellbeing programmes and stronger sanitation systems.

“Our vision is an India where no child suffers from preventable diseases and every young person has the opportunity to lead a healthier life,” Jain said.

A significant focus of the programme will be on integrating environmental education with health awareness. Reckitt will work with UNEP India and Sesame Workshop India to develop early childhood learning tools, STEM-based climate resilience programmes and a three-tier plastic literacy curriculum. Together, the partners expect to reach more than 30 million children with climate and sustainability education.

UNEP India, deputy head, Divya Datt said protecting human health and protecting the environment go hand in hand. She added that the partnership combines UNEP’s expertise in environmental science with Reckitt’s extensive community network to encourage lasting behavioural change.

Digital learning will also play a central role. Jagran Pehel will introduce AI-enabled hygiene learning tools, gamified content and H-BaLA teaching methods to modernise hygiene education and reduce dependence on conventional classroom delivery across multiple states.

Meanwhile, ADRA India and the Amar Jyoti Foundation will expand Reckitt’s adolescent education programme, The Birds and Bees Talk. The partners aim to extend the curriculum to nearly 80 per cent of schools across Delhi, Odisha and six North Eastern states, taking advantage of evolving government policies around life skills education.

Beyond classrooms, Reckitt is looking to shape wider social conversations. MASH Project Foundation and Forbes India, part of Network18, will support campaigns such as The Parity Project and the Consent Culture Survey while producing editorial initiatives designed to amplify discussions around gender equity, consent and youth leadership. The company said these efforts will also help showcase Indian youth-led initiatives on international platforms, including Oxford and Davos.

The partnerships are aligned with national priorities such as Viksit Bharat 2047, the Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, the National Education Policy 2020 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Reckitt expects the collaborations to strengthen preventive healthcare awareness, improve sanitation outcomes and promote sustainable community development.

With the latest alliance, Reckitt is betting that collaboration, backed by technology and local partnerships, can turn health education from a campaign into a lasting community movement, while reinforcing its broader ambition of delivering better health into more hands across India.