• Origin

    It Began with a Vision – And a Coalition

    In 2013, pioneers from across sectors came together to solve one of India’s most pressing challenges – sustainable sanitation.

    The concept of the India Sanitation Coalition was initiated around the end of 2013 by a group of individuals from various organizations engaged in the sanitation sector.

  • Coalition Mandate at Founding

    A United Front for a Cleaner, Healthier India

    Enabling ecosystems, connecting changemakers, and shaping policies to align with Swachh Bharat’s mission.

    Vision

    To enable and to support an ecosystem for sustainable sanitation.

    Mission

    To be an aggregator of knowledge and networks with nationwide outreach, focusing on models for achieving sustainable sanitation in alignment with the Swachh Bharat Mission and its goal.

    Purpose

    To bring organizations and individuals together to find sustainable solutions for sanitation through a platform for corporates, civil society groups, government, financial institutions, media/donors/ bilaterals/ multilaterals ,experts.

  • 2015 The Founding Year

    From Idea to Action

    The India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) was launched in June 2015 at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The launch brought together a diverse group of organizations and industry experts committed to advancing sanitation solutions.

  • 2015 Leaders Applaud ISC Launch

  • I am happy to note India Sanitation Coalition is going to be launched on 25th June, 2015. I trust the Coalition will be a useful partner in realizing the Mission's objective and supplementing government's initiatives. Mrs. Naina Lal Kidwai being at the helm of affairs as the Chair of the Coalition, I am confident of its positive contribution towards securing a Clean India. My best compliments go to her and her team.

    Shri. M Venkaiah Naidu
    Former Minister of Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Parliamentary Affairs
    “The formation of this Coalition is a true reflection of the need to think big and smart about the issue of Sanitation. We must consider how we can leverage technology and social media to change behaviours and habits while encouraging every citizen to take ownership of this issue. The change that this Coalition seeks is possible and I believe that with partnerships and planning, we can see the emergence of a truly Swachh Bharat”.

    Mr. Anand Mahindra
    Chairman, Mahindra Group
    We would like to see this Coalition work towards universal coverage of sanitation and sanitation linked services across urban and rural India, through effective and practical execution of the 2019 Swachh Bharat Mission goals. This Coalition is needed at a time when resource-rich organizations and individuals partnering the Government, can collectively impact the sanitation footprint in this country. I look forward to seeing this Coalition move in a focused direction, to improve the quality of life and health of our people.

    Ms. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
    Executive Chairperson, Biocon Ltd.
  • “Improved sanitation across the country is a vision that every citizen, individual or group, needs to contribute to. TCS too has pledged its commitment as a small step towards a cleaner nation. India Sanitation Coalition is a dynamic platform to bring together several groups and individuals for a collective movement around the issue of sanitation. Such collective endeavors will bring in the necessary momentum to address this huge challenge.”

    Mr. N Chandrasekaran
    Chairman, Tata Sons
    "For there to be long-term sustainable change, we need to move away from our traditional ideas of how sanitation can be fixed. We need innovation. The India Sanitation Coalition offers this freshness of giving one voice to the many organizations that are all working to bring new idea and cohesiveness to the sanitation situation in India.”

    Mr. Ratan N Tata
    Former Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons
    “The formation of the India Sanitation Coalition is indeed a forward step. While decent sanitation is among the most basic ask of mankind, we as a country have a very long way to go. The Council, I believe, will serve as a critical forum where in a collaborative way, aligning with the Swachh Bharat mission; we can endeavour to lift tens of thousands of our people from their sub- human existence”.

    Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla
    Chairman, Aditya Birla Group
  • “We're not looking for quick fixes, but we must operate with vision. The Coalition is built on this foundation, that together we can achieve what seems daunting. With an enduring value system, and a collaboration of strong voices and operators, the Coalition represents a new way of thinking, a new way of moving India forward.”

    Mr. N R Narayan Murthy
    Chairman Emeritus, Infosys
    The India Sanitation Coalition is an important initiative to help the government achieve its ambitious goal of safe sanitation for everyone in the next five years. It's exciting to see this diverse group of stakeholders working together on such an important challenge and it will be fascinating to watch this market develop in the next decade."

    Mr Bill Gates
    Chair, Gates Foundation
    "I am delighted to learn that the captains of India's Industry under the aegis of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry have come forward to launch the India Sanitation Coalition for giving thrust to achieving goals of Swachh Bharat by October 2, 2019.
    The formation of this Coalition is a testimony of collective resolve of the Nation to clean India through leveraging the available technologies, changing behaviours and outlook at individual and societal level and community ownership of the issue.

    Shri. Birendra Singh
    Former Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water & Sanitation

  • 2016 Corporate & Knowledge Platforms

    Corporates Join the Clean India Movement

    Opening new doors for private sector leadership in sanitation.

    ISC Corporate Roundtable: Exploring Opportunities for the Corporate Sector

    It witnessed the first ever Framework of Engagement with PSUs and Corporates

  • 2016 INSIGHTS – A Forum for WASH Wisdom

    Bringing together voices, solutions, and best practices

    Insights: A WASH Dialogue & Partnership Forum : A co-designed knowledge series launched the first dialogue with the theme Sanitation Promotion and Behavioural Science

  • 2017 Honouring Excellence – ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards

    Celebrating game-changers across the sanitation value chain

    Awards launched with aim to recognise excellence of multiple stakeholders across the whole value chain of sustainable sanitation, in terms of Build-Use-Maintain-Treat (BUMT).

  • 2017 Documenting the Best in WASH

    ISC launches the first edition of its annual “Business of Change” series, spotlighting top sanitation practices from across India.

    The series is a resource for policymakers and professionals to learn and replicate success. It features real-world innovations in technology, implementation and behaviour change drawn from governments, start-ups, NGOs and businesses tackling sanitation challenges.

  • 2017 National Honour for ISC’s Contribution to SBM

    On the third anniversary celebration of the Swachh Bharat Mission, at the Vigyan Bhawan The India Sanitation Coalition ( ISC ) Team receiving the top award in the Corporate category for its contribution towards the Swachh Bharat Mission by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

  • 2018 Uniting stakeholders on a shared platform

    Swachh Bharat has captured people's imagination and people are happy to contribute to its success", Shri Hardip Singh Puri, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs India at the 2nd edition of ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards and India Sanitation Conclave 2018.
    Swachh Bharat means cleaning everything. So that it changes our entire inner psyche as well. When we talk about cleanliness then it transcends into so many other things. Suresh Prabhu Minister of Conmerce & Industry addressing the audience at India Sanitation Conclave 2018

  • 2018 A unique Platform for Multiple Stakeholders

    MAHARASHTRA WASH PLATFORM

    A joint initiative by the India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) and Samhita Social Ventures, the platform was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Government of Maharashtra. CEPT University lends knowledge support to the initiative.
    The platform supported companies with comprehensive services that enable them to make better decisions in WASH boosting pillars and implement solutions in critical areas like behaviour change communication and faecal sludge management.
    Key Pillars
  • Build compendium forum of high impact, effective and sustainable WASH projects
  • Leverage private sector resources and build partnerships between key stakeholders
  • Provide end-to-end support
  • Help scale innovation across the sanitation value chain
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  • 2019 Evolving Identity

    A Fresh Look for a Growing Mission

    A new logo, a sharper voice, and a stronger digital presence

    Growing with Digital Age In 2019, we refreshed our logo to align with our evolving identity and growing digital presence. The new design brings clarity, relevance, and a modern visual language that strengthens our communication and stakeholder engagement.

  • 2020 Pandemic Response & Innovation

    Share the Toilet, Not the Disease

    Campaigning for safe hygiene during COVID-19

    Amidst the Lockdown and Unlock phases in the country, it was crucial to ensure self-care in order to protect our loved ones.
    At ISC, we aimed to highlight the importance of contributions at both individual and community levels in building a strong shield against the virus.
    As part of this effort, ISC launched an exceptional campaign titled 'Share The Toilet, Not The Disease.

  • 2020 Virtual Dialogues, Real Solutions

    Financing and policy conversations to sustain ODF gains

    India Sanitation Coalition organized a Virtual Round Table on 'WASH Financing as Aligned to ODF Sustainability' in partnership with Sa-Dhan, UNICEF India, and Water.org. ISC in one of the organization who started the dialogues in WASH Financing

  • 2020 Getting India Back to Work

    First Virtual Awards & Conclave:

    The 4th Edition of the ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards and India Sanitation Conclave was held virtually due to COVID-19, with the theme 'Getting India Back to Work.’
    The event aimed to promote a progressive approach to national development by facilitating insightful conversations around the pandemic and the way forward for the country in maintaining sanitation and hygiene.

  • 2021 Championing Women Changemakers

    Celebrating Women Leaders in Sanitation

    Recognising grassroots change leaders and entrepreneurs

    ISC introduced a new award category in 2021- Women Changemakers in Sanitation Through this category, women and girls were celebrated as change leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs for their tremendous efforts in the WASH space.

    Sussree Seetal Bastia - First Woman Changemaker in Sanitation Awardee

    Prioritizing the hygiene and sanitation issues of marginalised groups would be a tough task for anyone in Odisha, but not for Sussree Seetal Bastia, who played a consequential role in the onboarding process of transgender SHGs for the O&M of SeTPs.

  • 2021 Sanitation, Gender & Livelihoods

    Addressing the triple nexus of health, equity, and economic opportunity

    A Whitepaper on the Interlinkages between SDG 6 and SDG 5 - Women’s Livelihoods in the Post-COVID Sanitation Economy: Opportunities and Setbacks

    This insightful whitepaper explored the interconnections between gender equality and access to sanitation, focusing on the role of women in both rural and urban Indian contexts. It highlighted women's valuable contributions to economic activity within their communities, while examining how the post-COVID sanitation economy has shaped their livelihoods—bringing both new opportunities and ongoing challenges.

  • 2022 Lighting the Way, Inspiring Innovation

    From model ODF Plus villages guiding the nation to groundbreaking hand hygiene solutions, 2022 was a year of inspiration, collaboration, and action for a cleaner India

    Lighthouse Initiative – to inspire GPs to achieve ODF Plus
    The Lighthouse Initiative (LHI), launched under the broader framework of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), aspires to establish model gram panchayats and villages that set new benchmarks in sustainable sanitation and waste management.
    In its first phase, India Sanitation Coalition (ISC)-FICCI, in collaboration with a dynamic coalition of corporate partners, successfully implemented this ambitious project across 75 Gram Panchayats in 15 states, demonstrating scalable and impactful sanitation solutions. These 75 Gram Panchayats were strategically chosen to align with the commemoration of 75 years of India’s independence, symbolizing a commitment to nation-building through improved sanitation and hygiene.

  • 2022 Championing the Essentials: Handwashing for Health

    From model ODF Plus villages guiding the nation to groundbreaking hand hygiene solutions, 2022 was a year of inspiration, collaboration, and action for a cleaner India

    Hand Hygiene Hackathon
  • India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) organised a national hand hygiene hackathon in collaboration with UNICEF India. The objective was to identify and promote product innovations and business solutions for Hand Hygiene Washing Stations.
  • The project helped in promoting handwashing behaviour among 40 corporates and 5000+ of their staff members.
  • 5 innovative handwashing stations were brought to life from concept to prototype stage and were piloted in 10 different geographies of the country.

  • 2022 Fostering Innovation in WASH

    Rashid Kidwai Innovation in Sanitation Award

    The Rashid Kidwai innovation in sanitation award (RAKIS) conceived by India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) at FICCI along with its partners, Digital Impact Square (DISQ) and Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT BOMBAY propose to address some of the challenges in the sanitation space by creating an exclusive platform for private sector sponsors to dialogue with and support entrepreneurs wanting to innovate in this sector and ensuring over the coming years that there is a steady pipeline of different innovations - technology or process driven - being commercialised, and made sustainable and accessible to all levels of the society, both in urban and rural areas.

  • 2023 Zero Landfill, Maximum Impact

    Maharashtra’s five-year plan for sustainable solid waste management

    Solid Waste Management Maharashtra
    The India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) at FICCI has launched the Solid waste management Project in Maharashtra, an ambitious initiative spanning the next five years. The project aims to provide sustainable and inclusive waste management solutions with a specific focus on plastic waste and achieving zero landfill. Given the growing climate crisis, this initiative addresses the solid waste management challenges in Maharashtra's urban areas, particularly in cities with populations exceeding one million. It strives to create a replicable model for other states and cities across India, promoting effective plastic waste management and improving the livelihoods of informal waste workers.

  • 2023 Together for Extreme Climate Action

    Climate Resilient Coastal Cities Project

    The Climate Resilient Coastal Cities was conceived by India Sanitation Coalition (ISC), supported by HSBC India, as a response to the increasing natural disasters in the western coastal region and its implications on Water and Sanitation, Health (WASH). A partnership then formed between HSBC India and the India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) at FICCI understand the gravity of the situation via a research and a pilot by implementing expert agencies like IIT Bombay and CDD India. The partners investigated and explored energy efficient, replicable solutions to combat the multifaceted impacts on WASH infrastructure and its implications of life in coastal cities across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Gujarat. This is the first of its kind partnership where a financial institution, a technical expert non-profit, an academic institution and policy advocacy alliance group has come together to deal with a crisis this scale.

  • 2024 A Milestone in Rural Sanitation

    Lighthouse Initiative Phase 2

    Scaling success with new corporate partners

    ISC, in collaboration with DDWS, Ministry of Jal Shakti and Corporate partners, celebrated the journey of Light House Initiative Phase 1 through unveiling of the LHI Phase 1 report by Ms. Vini Mahajan, Secretary, DDWS, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Gracing the occasion were Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, Chair, ISC, Shri Jitendra Srivastava, Joint Secretary and Mission Director (SBM-G), DDWS, Ms. Swapna Devi Reddy, Dy Secretary, DDWS, Ms. Natasha Patel, CEO, ISC, Dr. Sanjeev Shekhar Jha, Director, ISC, State Mission Directors and Corporate partners.
    The occasion also marked the announcement of Phase 2 of the initiative with a much broader scope and with the joining of new corporates. appreciates the government and corporate partners for making LHI a success and looks forward to their support for LHI 2.

  • 2024 SWACH Accelerator

    Fueling startups to solve sanitation challenges with speed and scale

    The SWACH accelerator was conceived by the India Sanitation Coalition at FICCI along with its partners Innovation Mission Punjab and IIT Ropar. It proposes to establish a dedicated platform where private sector sponsors can engage and provide support to entrepreneurs / startups / businesses seeking to drive innovation within this sector. It seeks to ensure a consistent flow of diverse innovations, including technology and process-driven solutions, accessible to stakeholders across society. Entrepreneurs supporting the Swachh Bharat Mission will be encouraged to provide innovative solutions addressing challenges around Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) including solid and liquid waste management, water supply & conservation, and hygiene.