RYE BROOK, NY, APRIL 23, 2020 -- Xylem Watermark, the corporate social responsibility program of global water technology company Xylem Inc. has announced it is partnering with Americares, a health-focused relief and development organization, to combat the spread of COVID-19. The new global partnership will deliver much-needed personal protective equipment, water and sanitation infrastructure repairs and WASH education to frontline healthcare facilities around the world. Xylem Watermark is providing new funding to Americares, the majority of which is dedicated to the Americares COVID-19 response efforts. As the health-focused organization’s first water technology partner, Xylem Watermark will support sustained programming for the next five years.
“Communities all over the world are coming together to defeat COVID-19. This new funding for Americares is one part of our investment in our people, our customers and their communities who are working together in this fight that unites us all,” said Joe Vesey, senior vice president of Xylem, and chair of Xylem Watermark.
“We are seeing heroic efforts from essential services workers, healthcare workers and the organizations that support them. The support Americares provides to frontline health care workers focuses on exactly what they need to combat COVID-19, and we want to do our part to help them fight the spread of the disease.”
With Xylem Watermark’s support, Americares will deliver 50,000 protective supplies -- such as masks, gloves, gowns and disinfectants to health care facilities in under-resourced communities in the U.S. and around the world, and train approximately 2,500 health workers. The trainings will focus on infection prevention and control, including water, sanitation and hygiene best practices to control the spread of COVID-19. Xylem employees will participate by volunteering remotely with the Americares emergency response team, developing a COVID-19 training module to help health workers halt the spread of the disease and prevent future outbreaks.
“Good hygiene practices, including proper handwashing, are some of our best defenses against COVID-19,” said Americares Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julie Varughese. “With support from Xylem we can improve hygiene practices now to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help prevent future outbreaks.”
Longer term, Americares and Xylem will partner on water and sanitation infrastructure improvements at select health facilities hard hit by the pandemic to respond to long-term water and sanitation issues and build resilience against future outbreaks.
Xylem Watermark’s support for Americares COVID-19 response is part of a broader, long-term commitment that aims to improve the health of low-income families around the world through improved education and infrastructure. Over the next five years, Xylem water and sanitation experts will work closely with the Americares technical experts to incorporate water and sanitation education and infrastructure improvements into disaster response activities and ongoing health programs. Xylem’s five-year partnership funding will also contribute to achieving the Company’s 2025 sustainability goals, including disaster-response commitments.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
