Finish, the world’s no. 1 recommended dishwasher detergent, will be donating R2.5 million between 2020 and 2021 to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to support water conservation efforts in South Africa.

The main objective is to help protect South Africa’s key water source areas so that every person living in South Africa, in the future, can access safe, clean water. Water source areas are important because 10% of these areas provide 50% of our surface water. This also supports 50% of our population, 64% of our economy and 70% of our irrigated agriculture. 

This will be done through the environmental preservation of specific water catchment areas and economic support for the communities living in them.

The partnership with WWF is an extension of Finish’s purpose, which is to help drive humanity to save water, with the global aim to save 568 billion litres of water annually. Finish does that through two strategies:

• Through advocating for dishwasher use, which saves an average of 57 liters per wash in comparison to handwashing, and
• Through offering a superior cleaning experience with its Finish tablets which don’t require consumers to pre-rinse their dishes and can save an average of 36 liters per wash. 

Committing to aid WWF’s water conservation efforts extends that meaningful difference beyond the dishwasher into other pertinent areas of water conservation.

Speaking on the partnership, Yawer Rasool, Marketing Director at Reckitt, Hygiene Africa, said “We are pleased to be joining forces for the second year running with WWF. Advocating and driving people to save water is at the heart of who we are as Finish. South Africa is a water scarce country, ranked the 39th driest country in the world, and this conservation work adds to the necessary efforts that guard our fragile water supply. We are supporting the core activities that protect the ecosystems of our water catchment areas in South Africa. Very important in this partnership is also the targeted economic upliftment of the communities in these areas to ensure that people are empowered and motivated to continue in the role of custodians of our water systems.”

The partnership started in 2020, where Finish donated R1 million to the same Strategic Water Source Areas Programmes and this year, the commitment has increased to R1.5 million. The work restores and maintains these areas to enable them to continue playing their part in receiving, storing and disbursing water to the rest of the country. Some activities this partnership facilitates include:

• Clearing water-intensive invasive species overwhelming water catchment areas
• Protecting natural springs that are the sole water source for communities in rural areas, giving them improved access to portable water
• Building governance and improving long-term water yield of the water source areas
• Creating jobs and economic opportunities for local livelihoods through landscape management interventions 

WWF believes that partnerships and collaborations play a key role in efforts to influence the course of conservation. Speaking on water conservation in South Africa, Samir Randera-Rees, Programme Manager: Water Source Areas at WWF South Africa said, “We want to make sure that water is looked after in important water source areas, that is, the 10% of the land area in SA that provides 50% of our water. This partnership with Finish allows us to give these areas the priority under law and we are rejuvenating their natural environments, at the same time creating opportunities for people that live in them to benefit and live as responsible water stewards.”

Finish has designed a special bundle called the Finish Water Saving Pack, consisting of Finish Powerball tablets and Finish Rinse Aid. For every pack sold, R25 is being donated towards the WWF. The Finish Water Saving Pack is available at all leading supermarkets countrywide.