Reckitt Benckiser agrees new Save the Children support scheme

Reckitt Benckiser and Save the Children are launching a new scheme that aims to bring down the rate of under-fives dying as a result of diarrhoea.

An initial funding allocation of $35.5 million (22.68 million pounds) has been announced for the project, which aims to ensure this condition is no longer the second-leading cause of death from a preventable disease among children under five by 2020.

To achieve this goal, Reckitt Benckiser will support mass reach hand-hygiene campaigns and create safer home environments for babies and children, while launching new technology that can help increase the efficacy of family health kits, clean delivery newborn kits and water filtration systems.

Rakesh Kapoor, chief executive officer of Reckitt Benckiser, said: "Together, we want to help stop diarrhoea being one of the biggest causes of death in children and this is ambitious – but we believe that … this is achievable."

This comes after the firm published its latest sustainability report earlier this month, highlighting the progress it made towards achieving various environmental and corporate social responsibility goals during 2012.