LIXIL Surpasses 100 Million People Reached With SATO Sanitation Solutions

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

The milestone displays the distribution of greater than 10 million SATO rest room and hand hygiene merchandise throughout 59 international locations and territories, reinforcing LIXIL’s dedication to increasing secure, reasonably priced sanitation by way of market-based fashions.

International 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 dwelling. The well being penalties are extreme, with greater than 1,000 youngsters underneath age 5 dying every day from illnesses linked to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene.

Past public well being, insufficient sanitation techniques drive financial losses totaling lots of of billions of {dollars} yearly by way of diminished productiveness and elevated healthcare prices. In contrast, 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 reasonably priced 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 prolong into faculties, healthcare amenities 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 will not be a end line, however highly effective proof that the non-public sector performs a vital position in addressing an pressing world difficulty.” mentioned Kinya Seto, CEO of LIXIL. “Whereas LIXIL is famend for high-end improvements, we take equal delight in our reasonably priced SATO options. By establishing a social enterprise, we’re addressing the sanitation and hygiene challenges at scale, not solely bettering well being, however empowering households with safety and peace of thoughts they should construct their livelihoods and prosper.

“Our journey is one in all 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 bathrooms 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 improvement 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 Affect Technique

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

“Reaching 100 million folks is a major milestone, representing the impression on people and communities, and it is usually an important transition level,“ mentioned 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 improvement targets. 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, in all places.”

1:  Outcomes are preliminary and topic to minor change based mostly on associate reporting obtained 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