LIXIL Surpasses 100 Million People Reached With SATO Sanitation Solutions

TOKYO, JAPAN — LIXIL Company (TSE: 5938) introduced it has achieved its aim of enhancing sanitation and hygiene entry for 103 million folks worldwide—the first goal underneath the World Sanitation and Hygiene pillar of its Influence Technique.

The milestone displays the distribution of greater than 10 million SATO rest room and hand hygiene merchandise throughout 59 nations and territories, reinforcing LIXIL’s dedication to increasing secure, inexpensive sanitation via market-based fashions.

World Sanitation Hole Stays Pressing

Regardless of progress, sanitation and hygiene entry stays one of many world’s most urgent infrastructure challenges.

An estimated 3.4 billion folks nonetheless lack safely managed sanitation. Roughly 354 million folks observe open defecation, and 1.7 billion lack primary hygiene companies at house. The well being penalties are extreme, with greater than 1,000 youngsters underneath age 5 dying every day from ailments linked to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Past public well being, insufficient sanitation methods drive financial losses totaling a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} yearly via diminished productiveness and elevated healthcare prices. Against this, every $1 invested in sanitation generates an estimated fivefold financial return.

SATO Social Enterprise Mannequin Scales Market-Primarily based Options

LIXIL’s progress is pushed by SATO, its social enterprise platform centered on delivering inexpensive sanitation and hygiene applied sciences to underserved communities.

SATO merchandise are predominantly deployed in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia. Along with family installations, the options lengthen into faculties, healthcare services and humanitarian settings, together with refugee camps.

By combining product innovation with localized distribution networks, SATO has helped stimulate sanitation markets in rising economies—supporting native entrepreneurs, masons, producers and retailers whereas increasing entry to important infrastructure.

“Reaching 103 million folks isn’t a end line, however highly effective proof that the personal sector performs a essential position in addressing an pressing world concern.” stated Kinya Seto, CEO of LIXIL. “Whereas LIXIL is famend for high-end improvements, we take equal satisfaction in our inexpensive SATO options. By establishing a social enterprise, we’re addressing the sanitation and hygiene challenges at scale, not solely enhancing well being, however empowering households with safety and peace of thoughts they need to construct their livelihoods and prosper.

“Our journey is certainly one of studying and partnership. We’re grateful to the households and companions who’ve welcomed our options into their houses and communities. Seeing first-hand how easy, secure bogs can restore dignity and enhance high quality of life deepens our dedication. Our position is to function a catalyst, supporting the resilience and potential of each group we attain.”

Partnership With UNICEF Strengthens Supply Mannequin

A cornerstone of the initiative is the “Make a Splash!” collaboration with UNICEF—the group’s first world shared-value partnership centered on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and its first such partnership with a Japanese firm.

The partnership integrates LIXIL’s product growth and provide chain experience with UNICEF’s sanitation programming and community-based conduct change initiatives. Collectively, the collaboration goals to determine resilient, self-sustaining sanitation ecosystems in each city and rural communities.

2030 Targets Sign Subsequent Part of Influence Technique

With the 103 million milestone achieved, LIXIL is making ready to advance its subsequent set of 2030 targets aligned with world common entry objectives.

“Reaching 100 million folks is a major milestone, representing the influence on people and communities, and it’s also an important transition level,“ stated Erin McCusker, Chief of SATO. “ The worldwide aim of common entry to secure sanitation and hygiene by 2030 calls for unprecedented acceleration. We see sanitation as a basis for the achievement of many different growth objectives. LIXIL’s upcoming 2030 targets will reinforce our dedication to ship private-sector innovation and market-driven fashions important to creating higher houses a actuality for everybody, all over the place.”

1:  Outcomes are preliminary and topic to minor change primarily based on companion reporting acquired in This fall of FYE2026 (March 31, 2026). To be taught extra concerning the outcomes, please go to www.lixil.com/en/impact/sanitation/sanitation_detail.html. 

2: The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000-2024

3: The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000-2024

4: The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000-2024