New York/Nairobi October 31, 2014 - Social enterprise Sanergy has announced its plan to join the Business Call to Action (BCtA). Sanergy brings its expertise in providing affordable and sustainable solutions for tackling the sanitation issue in Africa. The company commits to significantly scale up its operations and establish a network of over 2,000 Fresh Life Operators to manage hygienic toilets that offer safe, affordable sanitation services to an estimated 300,000 people in Kenya's urban slums by 2020.

With an estimated 2.5 billion people lacking access to hygienic sanitation, there is a clear need for affordable and reliable waste management solutions. Poor sanitation is the second largest cause of disease in the world. It can lead to contaminated waterways and food supplies, as well as infections caused by direct contact with human waste. The problem is particularly acute in slums, where many of the world's poor people reside with limited access to clean water and latrines. To overcome this challenge, Sanergy is providing high-quality, low-cost toilet units and waste management services throughout urban slums.

The company has created innovative 'Fresh Life' portable toilets that are franchised and run as locally managed small businesses. In informal settlements, Sanergy manages a network of Fresh Life Operators local residents who purchase and operate the hygienic sanitation facilities. The operators become franchise partners and receive training, access to financing, ongoing operational and marketing support, and a daily waste collection service. The model adapts to local demand and not only ensures that toilets are kept clean, but that the waste is collected and converted to renewable energy and organic byproducts for future use.

Sanergy has raised the bar in adapting innovative solutions for basic hygiene issues, and is committed to minimizing the cycle of poor health and limited sanitation options especially for those living at the base of the pyramid. We are pleased to welcome them to the Business Call to Action, stated Sahba Sobhani, Acting Programme Manager for the Business Call to Action.

We are committed to expanding our operations throughout Kenya, which will go a long way towards better health outcomes for families in the community and improved day-to-day conditions that lead to healthy and more resilient communities, said David Auerbach, Co-Founder, Sanergy.

By targeting local residents and creating a sustainable distribution network, Sanergy aims to provide the much-needed link to creating healthier sanitation solutions.

For More Information:

BCtA: Karen.Newman, karen.newman@undp.org +1 212 906 5194

Sanergy: Edith Karimi, karimi@saner.gy +254 720 739 775

The Business Call to Action (BCtA) is a global corporate leadership platform, with over 100 member companies that are incorporating inclusive business approaches in their operations to help advance the MDGs. As innovators in this space, BCtA member companies are advancing the inclusive business agenda by creating novel business models, sharing lessons learned, and forging partnerships to improve scale and increase development impact.

The initiative is the result of a partnership between the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), UK Department for International Development (DFID), US Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Global Compact to meet the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Companies report on progress toward commitments on an annual basis. Follow on Twitter: @bctainitiative

Sanergy is an award-winning social venture that builds healthy, prosperous communities by making hygienic sanitation accessible and affordable in Africa's urban informal settlements for everyone, forever. Follow on Twitter: @saner.gy