Aiming to save lives by promoting hygiene, “Soap for Hope” was officially launched in 2013. The project has recovered over 750 tonnes of soap generated by nearly 250 hotels, produced 6.2 million reconstituted soap bars and benefited over 400,000 people in 22 countries.
Since being introduced in Vietnam in August 2015, the project has distributed thousands of soap bars to poor children and communities in many disadvantaged areas including the northern mountainous provinces of Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Quang Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City.

The idea for Soap for Hope came to Stefan Phang, Director for Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility of Sealed Air Corporation, when he was looking at the amount of waste that a five-star hotel generates.

“A typical 400-room hotel generates 3.5 tonnes of solid soap waste per annum," says Phang who has worked with many hotels in the world. “Thus I thought of a way to convert these waste soaps into new soap bars, which are then given for free to entire communities that need them and in the process helping a few vulnerable people to make a small, sustainable living.”

Soap for Hope has received much support from global and established chains such as the AccorHotels Group and Shangri-La Group.

In Vietnam, the project has been jointly conducted by Sealed Air, the Centre for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP), major hotel chains like the Hilton Group, Silk Path Group, AccorHotels, IHG and volunteer groups throughout the country like Green 4 Life or the Wheel.