Corporate Responsibility
Roche and the International Committee
of the Red Cross Clean Water Project
Overview
Roche has supported the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
since 2005, when we became a founding member of the ICRC Corporate
Support Group. Roche’s contribution is designated for Water and Habitat
Unit activities, which aim to ensure that people caught up in armed conflict
have access to clean water and proper sanitation. ICRC engineers and
technicians are involved in water, sanitation and construction work in 45
countries, helping up to 10 million people worldwide.
How does it work?
The ICRC Corporate Support Group is made
up of 11 Swiss companies, whose policies and
activities are compatible with the principles and
values of the ICRC. Each corporate partner has
pledged to forge a long-term, strategic partnership with the ICRC, with the aim of supporting
the organisation’s humanitarian activities.
Results
The work of the ICRC’s Water and Habitat
Unit, partially financed by Roche contributions
within the Corporate Support Group, ensures
that people affected by armed conflict have
access to clean water and proper sanitation,
and are able to live in a healthy environment.
Projects supported include:
Under the terms of the partnership, Roche provides significant support to the ICRC, including
cash donations and in-kind donations of goods
and expertise. The ICRC allocates the resources
it receives from Roche to humanitarian programmes in emergency situations or uses them
for rehabilitation purposes in the aftermath
of conflicts and major disasters. Additionally,
the ICRC may use Roche’s donations for
prevention efforts in areas where an emergency
appears likely to occur.
Pakistan: Over 70,000 people benefitted from
improved water supply and sanitation
The ICRC provided the water board of the
Muzaffarabad district with chemicals and storage
facilities to improve the population’s basic water
supply in the aftermath of the 2006 earthquake.
Water was also delivered to surrounding towns,
along with gravity-fed water schemes.
The ICRC is Roche’s primary global partner for
channelling resources to support humanitarian
efforts in relevant emergency situations.
Ethiopia: Over 98,000 people and 13,700
detainees benefited from improved water
supply and sanitation
The ICRC has constructed and repaired vital
water facilities, reservoirs, wells and latrines to
promote health and hygiene.
Key facts and figures
• Between 2006 and 2012, nearly
1 million people in seven countries
benefitted from ICRC Water and
Habitat Unit projects which were
co-financed by Roche’s cash
contributions
• Roche co-financed projects of the
ICRC include the supply and repair
of water points boreholes, wells,
hand-pumps, water yards, filters,
gravity-fed water schemes, pump
repair kits, latrines and bridges
• Roche’s support also includes
assisting ICRC pharmacists
with quality management of their
warehouses and distribution of
medicines
• Since 2005, Roche has also donated
over 15,000 courses of Tamiflu to the
ICRC and reserved a further 20,000 to be delivered upon request
• Roche has renewed its partnership
agreement with the ICRC until 2018
“The funds donated by Roche are a reiteration of the company’s
commitment to humanitarian value and a source of encouragement
for the ICRC. Know-how transfers can be as effective and
sustainable as financial contributions.”
Published by
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
Corporate Donations and
Philanthropy
4070 Basel, Switzerland
Ursula Eugster Verhoeff, Head Corporate Partnerships, ICRC
©2013
Following a cholera outbreak in early 2007,
sufferers were treated at an emergency centre
set up by the ICRC.
Liberia: Over 180,000 people benefited from
improved water supply and sanitation
In 2008, in Liberia, the ICRC repaired 14 bridges
and constructed 185 wells and 300 latrines in
homes and institutions. In addition, 197 pump
mechanics and 94 community water committees received training and repair kits.
Uganda: Over 110,000 people and 3,900 detainees benefited from improved water supply
and sanitation
In 2009, the ICRC repaired 53 boreholes and
provided 70 new water points to improve access
to water, as well as providing hygiene promotion
to the country. Healthcare and sanitation
facilities at prisons were also rehabilitated and
renovated through support from the ICRC.
Burundi: Over 240,000 people and 5,000 detainees benefited from improved water supply
and sanitation
In 2010, thanks to ICRC funded water
points, supplies and protected springs, rural
communities and prisons received improved
sanitation and access to safe water. Local
committees and water board personnel also
received training to secure the long-term
sustainability of their water facilities.
Eritrea: Over 19,000 people benefited from
supplies of clean water
In 2011, in regions bordering Ethiopia, villagers
with access to solar powered water systems continued to benefit from supplies of clean water
as a result of working with local authorities and
local ICRC staff to maintain and repair eight
systems and complete four.
Guinea: Over 246,000 people and 10,000
detainees benefited from improved water
supply and sanitation
In 2012, with ICRC training, guidance and
financial support around 46,000 villagers
improved their access to drinking water through
the construction of 20 water points and the
rehabilitation of a further 30. ICRC funding
also helped detainees to minimize their risk of
disease and improve their general well-being.
Exchange of Know-How
In addition to country based programme
support, ICRC has benefited from high level
quality management consultations with Roche,
whilst their pharmacists have also benefited
from Roche assistance in quality management
concerning warehousing and distribution of
medicines. In exchange, Roche executives have
also taken part in several workshops organised
by the ICRC, including in international humanitarian law.
All trademarks mentioned
enjoy legal protection
For further information
please visit:
www.roche.com/supporting_communities
www.react.roche.com/icrc-clean-waterproject.htm
www.icrc.org/eng/what-we-do/waterhabitat/overview-water-and-habitat.htm
www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/
feature/2013/03-21-water-urban.htm
www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/
feature/2013/06-05-water-habitat-rural.
htm
International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC)
The ICRC was founded in 1863 with the objective of ensuring protection and assistance for
victims of armed conflict around the world.
Partner organisation