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Ricardo Leon works from Miami but has global responsibilities for Clorox
Fighting H1N1 can mean fighting governments, too
Clorox, which has been making bleach for a century, is interested in helping fight the H1N1 virus, sometimes called swine flu, but sometimes finds itself fighting foreign governments.
That was one of the points made by Ricardo Leon, the Miami-based director of Global Health and Wellness for the Oakland-based conglomerate, speaking at WorldCity’s Government Affairs Connections gathering last week.
Leon, one of seven employees in the Miami office but one of 3,500 when you include those in Latin America and the Caribbean who report to the Miami office, was the featured presenter at the every-other-month gathering, which is sponsored by the international law firm Fowler Rodriguez Valdes Fauli and by Chevron, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Clorox produces the liquid bleach in most countries of Latin America.
“If I want to work with the government of Peru, it is very easy,” he said. “I talk to the Ministry of Health about how the government and our company can work together. It doesn’t matter if we are an American company, a European company or a Peruvian company.
If we want to do something in Argentina, he says, “the first reaction is that ‘The health of the people is our hands. We do not need multinational companies.’ “
Another hurdle? In Argentina, it is illegal for the company to list the germs its product kills, Leon said, including the H1N1 germ.
Venezuela? Clorox keeps its head down and tries to avoid drawing attention to itself, for fear the government of President Hugo Chavez would take over its manufacturing operations there, as has occurred with other multinationals. “It will become of national interest,” he said.
Leon, who is sufficiently well versed in communicable disease that he knows the velocity and “coverage” of a sneeze and how long particulates can remain airborne, also finds it difficult to maneuver in Asian or other countries that are less than democratic.
“They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t want to address the problem.”
One of the best, perhaps better than the continental United States, in handling the pandemic that is H1N1 has been Puerto Rico, he said. There, he worked closely with the Red Cross, in training and other areas.
“We are in the middle of a pandemic,” Leon said. “H1N1 is a new kind of germ.
“We have been very lucky. It has not been as aggressive as SARS or bird flu. Even though it kills people, it did not kill as many as others.
“In terms of H1N1, (the current flu season) was a practice. The next time might be worse,” he said.
“H1N1 is back. In Miami, it is very active in private schools.”
And it’s not just H1N1; it is also malaria, tuberculosis and dengue as well. Someone with H1N1 can make themselves more susceptible to those if struck down by H1N1.
Leon, who describes his position with the company as one that extends beyond government affairs to include public relations and communications, says he also must challenge not only governments but people to do more to slow the spread of dangerous germs, a strategy that includes using Clorox.
“We believe doctors are the solution,” he said. “That’s why we relax. In the 1940s, before penicillen, bleach was the main disinfectant. Then we started to behave differently. I strongly recommend you go home and start taking care of your hygiene.”
From washing your hands a dozen times daily to paying great attention to your kitchen — home to more disease than work, school or any other part of the home, including the bathroom — Leon speaks like the evangelist he is for cleanliness. In fact, when he returns from one of his frequent trips to Malaysia, Peru, or elsewhere, “my children say ‘Dr. Disinfectant is back.’ “
“In a society, we have a role to play,” he said. “This is my call to you. What’s going on at home? What’s going on at work?”
For South Florida’s multinational community, jets can sometimes seem like a second home. Those jets can often be a problem as well, he said, and he wipes down his seat and tray before each flight. “Airlines are still flying with old air conditioners without proper filters.”
Government Affairs Connections is one of six event series hosted by WorldCity. The others are HR Connections, Marketing Connections, Global Connections, Trade Connections and the CEO Club.
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