LifeStraw Awarded B Corporation Certification

BALTIMORE, April 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeStraw®, a global leader in innovative water filtration and purification solutions, today announced it had been awarded B Corp Certification, meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. In conjunction with this honor, LifeStraw released its 2020 Responsibility Report outlining its 2020 responsibility milestones for social and environmental impact and ambitious targets for 2021.

"LifeStraw has always been a brand founded on our commitment to people and planet and built on principles of public health and science," said Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw. "As we continue to grow the business, we made the decision to pursue B Corp certification for two important reasons; we believe external validation and certification is critical for true accountability and we know that as we grow we have a lot to learn from other business leaders that use business as a force for good.

This designation is especially meaningful after a challenging year in which we were called to respond to countless public health emergencies, disasters and social justice issues while navigating the COVID pandemic and its impact on team, our communities, and our industry. We are proud to have responded as a company that fights for good and is in business to drive more equitable access to safe water. We are excited to work with B Corp and their community of value driven companies to continue to push the industry forward."

As part of its announcement, LifeStraw released its full 2020 Responsibility Report, detailing its impact on both people and planet in 2020 including its achievement of climate neutrality and a milestone of reaching over four million kids with a year of safe water.  In 2020, LifeStraw's teams responded to more emergencies and natural disasters than ever in company history. LifeStraw and its many grassroots advocates and partners worked together amidst a global pandemic to provide  access to safe water for emergency and COVID relief in 18 countries for over 130,000 people.

The LifeStraw Responsibility Report is a detailed accounting of the brand's initiatives around the globe. It includes a transparent scorecard of how the company scored against its 2020 commitments and an ambitious set of targets for 2021.

The highlights for 2020 include:

• Give Back Program: 4,653,742 kids received a year with safe water since the beginning of the program driven by its retail sales where, for every product purchased, a child in need receives safe water for a year.
• Guinea Worm Eradication: 390,500 LifeStraw Guinea worm filters were donated to The Carter Center.  LifeStraw has partnered with The Carter Center in Guinea worm eradication for more than 25 years.
• Covid-19 and Emergency Relief: 136,100 people were provided with access to safe water in 18 countries.
• Speak Up-Speak Out: LifeStraw pledged to be an anti-racist company and is instituting processes to achieve that goal.
• Plastic Waste: 558 million plastic water bottles were offset by the purchase of a LifeStraw bottle and pitcher products.
• Water Conservation: 1.1 million liters of water were saved through recycling of test water at its lab in Vietnam.
• Carbon Neutral: LifeStraw became Climate Neutral Certified offsetting all of its greenhouse emissions.
• Recycling and Plastics: 1,232 kgs. of plastic were eliminated from packaging and 2,140 of old filters were upcycled in Kenya.

"I am proud of the change this team has driven," continued Hill. I am also proud of the resiliency of our communities and our teams' selfless effort to show up in incredibly tough conditions during the past year. We look forward to continuing to iterate, to pivot and to make progress. We recognize and are committed to the role we have to play in the changing world ahead."

For more information about LifeStraw visit lifestraw.com. 

About B Lab:
B Lab is a nonprofit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good. B Lab's initiatives include B Corp Certification, administration of the B Impact Management programs and software, and advocacy for governance structures like the benefit corporation. B Lab's vision is of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet. To date, there are over 3,000 Certified B Corps in 150 industries and 70 countries, and over 70,000 companies use the B Impact Assessment. Visit bcorporation.net for more information.

About LifeStraw 
LifeStraw is a public health company on a mission to make water safe to drink. The original LifeStraw filter, which converts microbiologically contaminated water into safe, potable water, was introduced in 2005.  LifeStraw's Guinea Worm filter has also become instrumental in the near-eradication of Guinea worm disease. Today, LifeStraw products are used in more than 64 countries by schools, clinics, outdoor enthusiasts, adventure travelers and households, and are regularly deployed to support communities impacted by emergencies or natural disasters requiring potable water. LifeStraw's innovative water filtration technology is rigorously tested by independent laboratories and leveraged across some of the harshest environments around the world. The company's suite of water filtration options is sold in retail stores in North America and Europe and online at www.lifestraw.com.

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SOURCE LifeStraw