Partnership & Protection
A standout partnership that emerged during the pandemic was Reckitt’s alliance with the quiet achiever – Meals on Wheels Australia. It was topical, beautifully executed and a perfect alignment of goals.
Meals on Wheels delivers more than 14.8 million meals to elderly Australians a year. The onset of COVID-19 created an even more testing time for an already vulnerable elderly population, and while the country went into lockdown, demand for the Meals on Wheels services increased.
Reckitt and Meals on Wheels were both aware of the immense challenges the pandemic posed to the elderly and wanted to focus efforts on protecting those at greater risk. With a shared common purpose to support the wellbeing and protection of vulnerable Australians, Reckitt provided crucial hygiene products to ensure that the Aussies who needed it most could have a hygienic home during the early months of the pandemic. This meant that over $1m worth of disinfectant products (Glen 20, Pine O Cleen and Dettol hand sanitiser) were delivered.
Reckitt additionally incorporated Meals on Wheels into its advertising spend in 2020 in a Television commercial[1] that highlighted the vital service Meals on Wheels provides, with a call to action for Australians to get behind the charity.
Jérôme Lemaire, General Manager at RB Hygiene ANZ, said: “In the current climate, hygiene has never been more important. We’re dedicated to supporting all Australians, though we are cognisant that our nation’s most vulnerable – the elderly – may be struggling to get their hands on our products, particularly those who are currently self-isolating with limited support systems in place. We want to do what we can to help them get through this.”
The partnership extended into 2021, through an alliance with Woolworths in May, where 50,000 Hygiene packs were provided to Meals on Wheels, triggered by consumer purchase.
As someone that cares for an extraordinary 91-year old, I know what a privilege it is, and how much we can learn from our elders, if we’re prepared to listen. However, many elderly Australians are not as fortunate as my father-in law, having limited support especially during the lockdowns. Meals on Wheels provides an important service – not just delivering nutritious meals but a warmth and friendship. It’s an extraordinary organisation and it’s fabulous that Reckitt’s can shine a light on such an important cause – I hope they continue to do so.
“Youth can walk faster, but the elder knows the road” – African proverb
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Hailey Cavill-Jaspers