In this episode of the Sex, Soap and Alcohol podcast, host Professor Myriam Sidibé reflects on the inception and global impact of Global Handwashing Day, a movement that began over 15 years ago at Unilever with a simple bar of soap. The podcast features Marianne Yarrow, a PR expert who helped launch the campaign, and Janet Mbugua, one of the first ambassadors. They discuss the challenges and successes of creating a global awareness day, the importance of advocacy, and how to sustain such movements. The conversation covers their personal experiences, the branding versus authenticity debate, and tips on creating and maintaining meaningful advocacy campaigns.

00:00 The Birth of Global Handwashing Day
00:52 Reflecting on the Journey: From PhD to Global Movement
01:39 Early Challenges and Breakthroughs
03:25 Building a Coalition: The Role of Brands and Partnerships
07:20 The First Global Handwashing Day: A Milestone Achievement
11:56 Embedding the Campaign into Culture and Business Strategy
13:47 Comparing Global Handwashing Day to Other International Days
17:14 Personal Reflections: Becoming an Ambassador
23:48 Maintaining Authenticity in Advocacy
25:47 The Impact of COVID-19 on Handwashing Awareness
26:40 Secrets to Sustaining Advocacy and Creating Movements
36:29 Golden Rules for Creating Effective Advocacy Days

Professor Myriam Sidibé, Founder of Brands and a Mission, sits down with Pascal Baltussen, Chief of Impact & Operations at Tony’s Chocolonely, to explore how a small act of journalism evolved into a global movement aiming to make all chocolate 100% exploitation-free.

They discuss Tony’s origin story, the five sourcing principles that guide their ethical practices, and their commitment to ensuring a sustainable and fair supply chain.

Highlighting the importance of coalition-building and impact-driven business models, Pascal shares insights on balancing commercial success with social responsibility.

This episode emphasizes actionable steps for achieving systemic change and justice in the cocoa industry.

Welcome to Sex, Soap & Alcohol, a podcast that dares you to unleash your inner Chief Mission Officer. Hosted by Prof. Myriam Sidibé, public health scholar, TED speaker, and founder of Brands on a Mission, this show explores how business can be a force for dignity, equity, and real impact.

In this teaser, we invite you to see how bold business models, courageous partnerships, and strategic innovation can transform trillion dollar industries from menstrual health to toxic masculinity into engines of lasting change. From boardrooms to barbershops, the stories you will hear prove that profit and purpose are not opposites they are multipliers.

This is a call to philanthropists, funders, social innovators, and every business owner to step into your power, act boldly, and join our mission to impact #TheNextBillion. Unleash your inner Chief Mission Officer and help create systems that deliver dignity and impact at scale.

Real stories. Real systems. Real change.