Communication & Convening

RGHI Is committed to bringing hygiene to the attention of the public and policymakers for the benefit of all.

Putting hygiene on the agenda

Through its work RGHI will bring hygiene, and its benefits, to the attention of the public and policy makers in order to drive a coordinated approach.

Through the development of editorial opinion pieces and social media activity, combined with the development of robust and quantifiable hygiene evidence, RGHI will be best placed to present policymakers with rationale for change.

Advocacy

The field of hygiene has long been neglected in public discourse, only resurfacing meaningfully in the face of the current global crisis. RGHI works to raise the profile of hygiene behaviours beyond COVID.

To do this it collaborates with other expert organisations to advocate and advise on hygiene issues through papers, articles, presentations and submissions to health policy committees where hygiene initiatives will provide better health outcomes.

RGHI works with and funds policy and think tank organisations which share a common goal.

In order to move towards a consensus and begin to create a common language shared by all hygiene stakeholders RGHI is organising the inaugural Global Hygiene Summit in Singapore.

The Summit will take place in Autumn 2022 in partnership with Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the World Bank.

The Global Hygiene Summit 2022 will create a forum for multi-level and multi-disciplinary discussions around hygiene science, behaviour, economics, and real-world experiences which can shape policy and drive better public health outcomes globally. The Summit aims to become the global meeting place for the diverse audiences involved in the science, implementation and policy of hygiene.

Non Academic Publishing

In support of its mission, RGHI is committed to elevating the field of hygiene in the public conscience by publishing informed, well-researched non-academic influence and opinion pieces.

Two recent examples of this are:

1. Funding of a major 80-page report into Hygiene “A life-course approach to hygiene: understanding burden and behavioural changes”.

RGHI commissioned the Economist Economic Intelligence Unit to produce a report on hygiene in consultation with international experts.

2. Partnering with the International Organisation Reform for Resilience

RGHI provided a 3000-word submission on hygiene as a foundation of biosecurity as part of Reform for Resilience’s Interim report, due out on Monday 7th June 2021, on resilience for submission to the G7 meeting being held in the UK. RGHI will be providing funding and input to this commission as a partner.

Policy Change

“The touchstone for behavioural change must be solid, robust, and well-founded scientific evidence.

We cannot expect consumers to adopt practices or for governments to change or develop relevant policies if there is no solid and reliable evidence to support those actions.”