TED Business What sex, soap and alcohol taught me about making an impact | Myriam Sidibe
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Nov 24, 2025 Myriam Sidibe, a public health expert and founder of Brands on a Mission, shares insights from her work on large-scale hygiene campaigns. She challenges businesses to shift from superficial philanthropy to sustainable social impact, using Lifebuoy's hygiene program as a model. Myriam discusses an innovative campaign by Carling Black Label tackling toxic masculinity and highlights the AI voice project 'Fatima' to amplify girls' voices. She emphasizes that lasting change comes from commitment and strategic alignment in business.
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Fix Business Models To Achieve Impact
- Real social impact requires fixing business models, not just philanthropy or optics.
- Aligning long-term corporate strategy with societal needs creates durable value for both business and society.
How Lifebuoy Turned Soap Into Saved Lives
- Myriam joined Unilever after learning handwashing could save over one million lives and found soap alone didn't change behavior.
- By committing long-term, centering impact, and collaborating widely, Lifebuoy changed one billion people's behavior and became a $1B brand.
Commit, Center Impact, Collaborate
- Commit for the long haul because behavior change takes time, trust, and trial.
- Put impact at the core and embrace radical collaborations across sectors to scale change.