Tork promotes actions for inclusive hygiene in public restrooms

Tork, a recognized Essity brand and a global leader in the field of professional hygiene, has announced its strong commitment to advocate for the inclusion of hygiene in public restrooms. The main objective of this initiative is to ensure that everyone can maintain proper hygiene in these environments, which are so important for public health.

To raise awareness of this issue, the brand has highlighted real-life stories of Americans who face obstacles to hand washing in public restrooms, highlighting how this situation negatively impacts their hygiene and well-being.

According to new research, it has been revealed that nearly 1 in 3 Americans face barriers to handwashing in public restrooms. Also, about 1 in 5 people experience difficulty using soap dispensers or hand towels due to injury, health problems, or as parents accompanied by children. In addition, loud noise is cited as a source of difficulty for about 1 in 7 people, while more than 1 in 3 Americans consider lack of cleanliness to be an obstacle to using public restrooms.

Tork has decided to share the real-life experiences of those facing these barriers through a campaign that includes the installation of paper towels with handwritten messages in select restrooms. These special towels will feature notes from people facing barriers related to age, neurodiversity, skin sensitivity and hygiene concerns. This action aims to educate business and industry leaders about the importance of improving handwashing accessibility in public and workplace settings.

Ron Clemmer, director of the Global Handwashing Partnership Secretariat, said, “Many people around the world experience barriers, discomfort or anxiety when trying to properly wash and dry their hands in a public restroom or in the workplace.” “We know that hand washing is critical to reducing the spread of disease and maintaining good hygiene, but it is not easily accessible to everyone. We applaud Tork for leading this important initiative and continuing to push for attention and improved handwashing accessibility in public restrooms and in the workplace. Through these efforts, they are paving the way to make it easier for everyone to be able to wash their hands properly in public and workplace settings.”

For her part, Amie Kromis, director of DEI for Essity North America, emphasized “Our ultimate ambition is to explore (and solve) ways in which the restroom experience could be improved for everyone. Not only is this important for an individual’s ability to use the restroom and wash their hands, but a negative restroom experience can also impact a company’s revenue.”

It is estimated that more than 60% of people have a negative opinion of businesses or locations with hard-to-use hand hygiene facilities, and approximately one-third of visitors to high-traffic locations avoid going to the restroom to limit the amount they eat and drink. These data highlight the importance of addressing barriers to handwashing in public places and workplaces.

Tork has announced its commitment to promoting restroom hygiene inclusion at the Reuters Responsible Business USA conference, where it joined leaders from around the world to explore ways to improve the environmental and social sustainability of business operations and solutions.