This document summarizes Lifebuoy's sustainability plan implementation in India. It discusses Lifebuoy's origins in England in 1851, its entry into the Indian market where it faced competition, and the problems it faced with declining sales by 2000-2001. In 2013, the Global Brand VP was tasked with doubling sales in 5 years while implementing Unilever's Sustainability Living Program. Various rural outreach and education programs were launched, and the brand was repositioned to focus on disease protection. Three options were considered for implementation in India: the KKD outreach initiative, a partnership in Madhya Pradesh, and an urban schools liquids initiative. The KKD initiative reached 17 million people by 2012, while the urban

1. Lifebuoy:
Implementing The
Sustainability Plan
in India
Hassan Siddiqui - 23150
Hasnain Haider - 21372
Hamza Niazi – 17130

2. Lifebuoy’s
Origin: Born of
a Company with
a Conscience
• Born in England 1851 (William Lever)
• Britain’s urban environment was a breeding ground
for diseases
• Soap was luxury
• ‘Soap that saved lives’
• A year later, there were exporting to US and major
parts of the British empire.

3. 100 YEAR OLD: LIFEBUOY
ENTERS INDIA:
• Local competitor entered the market, and
the market share went from 15.4 to 12.1 in 3
years.
• Lifebuoy was labelled as Cheap Old-
fashioned
• Between 2000-01, sales value were declined
by 20%.
• The Rural rules

4. Problem Statement
• In 2013 the Global Brand VP for Lifebuoy, Samir Singh, was
given an ambitious goal to double the sales in the next five
years and meeting ambitious profit objectives while
simultaneously implementing the Unilever Sustainable Living
Program (USLP) across the globe.

5. RURAL OUTREACH THROUGH CHETNA:
• Launched program called SWASTHYA CHETNA, that translated
as Health Awakening.
• SC’s main objective was to grow sales through education and
their primary target was schoolchildren.
• This program covered almost 72 villages.

6. THE SECOND-HALF: NEW CHALLENGES
Serial Missteps Rejuvenating Lifebuoy
Liquid
An Emerging
Competitor

7. REDEFINING THE
STRATEGY:
COMMITTING TO
SUSTAINABILITY
• Polman announced an ambitious goal of doubling Unilever’s Sales
Volume.
• USLP was launched in 2010 to achieve the goal keeping in mind
environmental constraints
USLP HAD 3 GOALS
1. To have the environmental footprint of making its products
2. To source 100% of its agricultural raw materials sustainably
3. Help people improve their health and well being
When brand goals were considered it was found out that Unilever’s
operations accounted for only 6-7% of its environmental footprint

8. RESHAPING THE
ORGANIZATION:
NEW ROLES -
NEW PLAYERS
• With an aim to streamline its system, responsibility was assigned to 3
regional heads and three global category presidents
• Power balance shifted from country-based chairmen to global brand
leaders.
3 category divisions were further expanded to 4
1. Personal Care
2. Home Care
3. Food
4. Refreshments
Emphasis was placed on local consumer needs specially in Emerging markets
which accounted for half the company's turnover.

9. LIFEBUOY
REBOOTED:
NEW PLAYERS –
NEW PRIORITIES
Continuous reinvention, repositioning and relaunches
had damaged the brand.
• It was decided to return the brand to its roots –
Protection from diseases spread by germs.
• Marketing efforts focused on Hotspots (Seasons
where risk of infection was high)
• Advertising and Promotional activities were
customized to each country's hotspot events
New product innovations were introduced in the
market
1. Clinicare 10
2. Color changing handwash

10. IMPLEMENTATIO
N IN INDIA:
• First option: KKD(Khushiyun ki Doli)
outreach initiative
• Second option: Madhya Pradesh
Partnership
• Third option: Urban Schools Liquids
Initiative

11. THE RESULTS:
SINGH’S
BALACING ACT
KKD initiative outcomes:
• Lifebuoy’s excellent global performance had been
greatly helped by strong growth in India, its largest
market.
• Despite strong recovery in sales, handwashing
behavior-change programs in India had reached just
17 million people in 2012, taking its total to 47
million since 2010.

12. THE RESULTS: SINGH’S
BALACING ACT
Urban Schools Liquid Evaluation:
The Urban Schools Liquids program helped ULL to
connect with 25 cities with a population of 1 million
to 1.5 million.
The main idea was to change the behavior of
customers towards the product.