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ROSWELL, Ga., Dec. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corp. will donate $50,000 in support of a UNICEF clean water, sanitation and hygiene project in response to consumer votes received during the recent Global Handwashing Day Challenge.

UNICEF will use the grant from Kimberly-Clark to support the installation of deep-well water pumps for communities in need. Proper hygiene behaviors are essential to combating water-borne diseases, but good hygiene is impossible without clean water. Deep-well water pumps help provide clean and safe water for community residents to drink, wash and bathe.

More than 51 percent of consumers who participated in The Global Handwashing Day Challenge last month voted to support the UNICEF project providing deep-well water pumps. The 30-day challenge was sponsored by The Healthy Workplace Project and supported by Kleenex brand with the goal of raising awareness for critical hygiene-related health challenges in rural or impoverished communities worldwide.

"Good health begins with clean water," said Joel Schellhammer, go-to-market leader for health and wellness at Kimberly-Clark Professional, based in Roswell, Ga. "We understand the importance of bringing clean, safe water to families in need around the world and informing them about hygiene practices that lead to healthier lives. It's a privilege to support UNICEF in this mission."

"A staggering 780 million people around the world lack access to safe drinking water," said Deanna Helmig, vice president of Corporate Partnerships at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "We are grateful to Kimberly-Clark for its support of UNICEF's clean water initiatives that are critical in keeping children healthy and preventing the spread of water-borne illnesses."

As symptoms spread for this year's cold and flu season, Kimberly-Clark Professional reminds people to adopt the Hygienify! wash, wipe, sanitize protocol. Research has shown that the HYGIENIFY! protocol can reduce the probability of workplace infection from common colds and influenza by approximately 80 percent.

The Healthy Workplace Project is a Kimberly-Clark Professional global initiative that uses an innovative approach to hand and surface hygiene to help workers understand and help reduce the spread of cold and flu germs throughout their offices. It aims to put a dent in the 560 million expected cases of the common cold this year and reduce the absenteeism and productivity losses from colds, the flu and other illnesses. It does so by providing a comprehensive range of educational materials and innovative solutions to maintain hand and surface cleanliness. The Kleenex brand family of products includes facial tissue — to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and then throw away — and hand towels, since drying hands with paper towels can remove up to 77 percent of bacteria from a person's hands. 

Global Handwashing Day, like The Healthy Workplace Project, motivates people to make a difference. While The Healthy Workplace Project focuses on office workers, Global Handwashing Day is aimed at children around the world and increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent disease.

A Multifaceted Approach to Germ Fighting
Through programs such as The Healthy Workplace Project, The Healthy Schools Project, LiveWell and others, Kimberly-Clark Professional offers a unique approach to hand and surface hygiene that helps people understand how germs are transmitted to help stop their spread. The programs provide educational materials in conjunction with hand and surface hygiene products, arming people with the tools and knowledge necessary to break the chain of germ transmission in offices, schools, manufacturing facilities, hotels, stadiums and other locations. By reinforcing the importance of the Hygienify! protocol of "wash, wipe, sanitize," people can help reduce the spread of cold, flu and other germs. For more information, visit The Cold and Flu HQ at www.kcprofessional.com/ColdandFluHQ.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces, helping to make them healthier, safer and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's four business sectors. To see how we are helping people the world over work better, please visit www.kcprofessional.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, HUGGIES, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the Company's 141-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation