Work by P&G along with the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products (AISE) and other manufacturers has long helped to ensure the ingredients in washing powders and liquids only have a minimal impact on the environment.
In addition, P&G's consumer campaigns have begun to have a real impact on water consumption. In Spain, for example, P&G helped consumers save around five million litres of water a year through a campaign called 'Every Drop Counts' www.cadagotacuenta.com (Spanish language).
The campaign followed research which was carried out with the Whirlpool corporation showing that around 85 per cent of consumers should be able to cut down their total number of laundry washes by adding a couple of extra items to each wash.
Every Drop Counts was launched with a special web site and celebrity endorsement from one of the country's leading housekeeping tips experts, Ana Torán.
It was featured on 15 TV programmes and a similar number of radio shows, as well as being mentioned in 29 press articles and 16 web sites, helping raise a massive amount of awareness of the need to save water and offering consumers simple washing tips such as adding two extra items to the average wash.
A total of 55,000 consumers registered to take part in the campaign, with the first 40,000 triggering a €1 P&G donation to an environmental group. The money was used by the environmental organization to help with other water-related initiatives.
Although Every Drop Counts was primarily aimed at getting people to save water in their laundry, an accompanying booklet provided tips on water conservation in other areas of the home. Water saving tap devices were also distributed.
The campaign gained credibility by not being linked to product purchases - in fact, fewer washes would inevitably mean a drop in detergent sales. Its success spawned the creation of a similar campaign in Portugal, which like Spain is prone to water shortages.