RB, the global leader in consumer health and hygiene, has partnered with Lions Health and Save the Children to tackle the world’s largest environmental health risk[i] – air pollution – in an innovation challenge like no other.
Hosted at the globally renowned Lions Health, part of the International Festival of Creativity in Cannes, the RB & Lions Health Innovation Hack will bring together RB’s R&D and marketing teams with external, entrepreneurial minds from around the world, to pioneer blockbuster innovations that protect children from the devastating effects of air pollution exposure. Pollution is currently responsible for one in eight of total global deaths – killing 7 million people every year.1 This figure is likely to increase and the Innovation Hack aims to inspire sustainable solutions to this global health problem.
Sharon James, Senior Vice President R&D at RB comments, “At RB, we are inspired by a purpose to deliver innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes across the globe. We focus on consumer driven discoveries that can drive meaningful behavioural change and want to pioneer viable solutions to fight the effects of air pollution. The R&D-led Innovation Hack will see like-minded partners from both inside and outside of our business coming together to discover and create innovations that could potentially change the lives of future generations.”
United by a common purpose, technical and commercial representatives from RB, including medical and regulatory experts will be teamed with leading creative catalysts and innovators, as they compete to find a solution that could make a real difference. RB’s long standing charity partner, Save the Children will be on hand to share insight of global health issues. The competing ideas will be presented to a judging panel in a live, open outputs session. Following the Innovation Hack, RB will explore whether any of the shortlisted ideas could have the potential for development.
Tanya Steele, Interim Chief Executive of Save the Children, comments, “Our ground-breaking partnership with RB, which began in 2003, has already allowed us to reach over 1.6 million children. This innovative partnership between Save the Children and RB harnesses the research and expertise of RB with Save the Children’s on the ground experience to stop children dying of diarrhoea. It is pioneering how the private sector and NGOs can accelerate change for children.
The Innovation Hack represents another opportunity to make a real difference to millions more and we’re delighted to be involved in such an initiative. We applaud the ambition of this activity to find a breakthrough that will help protect children across the world from the effects of air pollution exposure and reduce the number of associated health conditions.”
Louise Benson, Festival Director at Lions Health comments, “We are delighted to be hosting the Innovation Hack in partnership with RB and Save the Children. The Lions Health festival celebrates life-changing creativity in the healthcare industry and we hope we can inspire some award-winning creations of the future.”
The RB & Lions Health Innovation Hack will take place in Cannes, France, from 18-19 June 2016. Competing teams will present their resulting product innovations during an outputs session, open to all Lions Health ticket holders, held at Palais II at 11.00 (local time) on Sunday 19 June. More information can be found athttp://www.canneslions.com/
