Tork Launches Coalition to Drive Inclusive Hygiene in Public Restrooms

Tork, an Essity brand, launched the Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene whose mission is to explore how hygiene in public restrooms, often the busiest space in a facility, can be improved for most users.

Through the coalition, Tork continues its journey to understand the barriers people face in public restrooms and how to drive inclusive hygiene so everyone can have comfortable access to public restrooms​.

The founding coalition members include:

• Dr. Steven Soifer, American Restroom Association co-founder and treasurer and adjunct professor at Adelphi University.
• Dan Rocker, licensed clinical social worker and president of the International Paruresis Association (IPA), an organization dedicated to raising awareness and providing support for individuals who experience social anxiety related to urination, commonly known as “shy bladder syndrome.”
• Lee Moreau, founder and director of Other Tomorrows, an experience design and strategy consultancy, and professor of Practice, Design at Northeastern University.

Together with Tork, the coalition will help raise awareness of the need to bring inclusive hygiene to public restrooms and develop resources that businesses and facilities can put into action in their restrooms. Tork has over 50 years of experience in the design and development of restroom products, recently receiving the world’s first Design for All certification for its dispenser development process.

“The Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene is the beginning of a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing what is a pervasive public health risk impacting millions,” said Amy Bellcourt, Essity, vice president of communication. “Research shows that 44% of people feel anxious about using public restrooms when leaving their homes, and often plan their days, travel, and lives around ensuring they have access to proper hygiene in public restrooms. This limits their experiences and can result in them not returning to a restaurant or avoiding purchasing food and drinks at an event due to fear of not finding a restroom that meets their needs.”

Tork recently surveyed more than 6,000 individuals in five countries and found that 44% of all respondents plan their travel routes to ensure they have access to public restrooms; 38% avoid eating or drinking while they are away from home to limit their use of public restrooms; 26% avoid a social event because of concerns around access to public restrooms; and one in six people have left a job because of a poor restroom. This data sheds light on the scale of the issue and its impact on businesses, their visitors, customers, and employees.

“This isn’t just about convenience; it’s a challenge affecting our society, businesses and the economy,” Bellcourt continued. “While the Americans with Disabilities Act has been pivotal in addressing some of these issues, our research shows there’s still so much more to be done. That’s why Tork is bringing together an expert group of individuals to advance an issue that often gets overlooked because many feel uncomfortable talking about it.”

The Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene was born out of a Tork-led roundtable discussion that took place in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2024, where Tork—in partnership with the Global Handwashing Partnership—convened experts and leading voices representing public and private organizations to discuss the many barriers that impact how people experience public restrooms. The roundtable revealed how poor hygiene usability in public restrooms affects a surprising portion of the population and emphasized the need for greater awareness and education on the issue. To learn more about the key takeaways from the discussion, click here.

To learn more about Tork and its inclusive hygiene initiative, visit its website.