HSBC

WaterAid/Nyani Quarmyne/Panos

HSBC's eight-year $150 million partnership brings WaterAid's expertise together with WWF and Earthwatch to tackle the global water challenge.

Our partnership

The HSBC Water Programme was launched in 2012 as a collaborative partnership between WaterAid, WWF and Earthwatch. Originally a $100 million commitment, the programme's success in tackling water provision, protection, education and scientific research, led to its renewal in 2017. 

Now an eight-year $150 million programme, the impact of its work has been far-reaching: the HSBC Water Programme has provided 1.65 million people with clean water and decent toilets, in six focus countries – Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Ghana and Nigeria. 

The partnership has evolved, and its structure, closely aligned with Sustainable Development Goal Six, will work in the following areas:

  • Targeting whole districts – both rural and urban areas, including schools, households and health centres.
  • Working with those that are hardest to reach – including women and girls, people with disabilities, and vulnerable communities, like those at risk from natural disasters and the effects of climate change.
  • Strengthening the water, sanitation and hygiene sector – and its governance by helping governments to plan, deliver and maintain services.
  • Supporting communities – to understand their rights, hold governments to account and play their part in paying for and maintaining services.
  • Tackling critical challenges to water security and water quality – including the proper management and treatment of waste water and faecal sludge.
  • Improving hygiene practices at scale – in communities, schools, hospitals and health centres.
  • Providing evidence for advocacy – to influence state and national-level water, sanitation and hygiene legislation and policies. 

Aftershock: HSBC supported documentary

On 25 April 2015, Nepal experienced the country’s worst earthquake in 80 years.

As aftershocks continued to rock the country, thousands of people had to come to terms with the loss of family members and friends, as well as the destruction of their homes and essential infrastructure – including taps and toilets.

The HSBC Water Programme funded our first-ever virtual reality documentary, in which we tell the story of just one of the communities affected: Kharelthok. 

What our partners say

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Water is vital to building healthy communities and developing local economies, yet it is also a huge and growing global challenge.
HSBC believes that business has a role to play in helping safeguard natural resources and improve livelihoods, both of which underpin economic growth.
Sue Alexander – Senior Manager, Environmental Programmes, HSBC

Visit The WaterHub website

The WaterHub is a website dedicated to the HSBC Water Programme, and is managed by EarthWatch.