Advancing Sustainable Hygiene: How Smart Restroom Solutions Drive Business Value

This Solutions Spotlight article was contributed by Tork.

Sustainable hygiene as a business imperative

Sustainability is now central to how organizations are perceived and chosen by customers, employees, and investors. Recent research shows 84% of people say poor environmental practices will alienate them from a brand, and 62% actively seek sustainable products.* For businesses, prioritizing sustainability is both a responsibility and a strategic opportunity to build reputation and loyalty.

Restrooms: A high-impact opportunity

While sustainability can seem complex, focusing on high-impact spaces like restrooms offers a practical starting point. Tork, an Essity brand and global leader in professional hygiene, has introduced the Focus4 Sustainability platform in North America to help businesses achieve measurable environmental progress through accessible sustainability information, practical tools, and training so they can make informed choices that benefit both the environment and operations.

User expectations reinforce the importance of this approach. In a 2024 Tork survey, 67% of respondents said they want public restroom managers to be more mindful of sustainability, and 65% said a company’s environmental reputation influences employment decisions.*

A lifecycle approach to restroom sustainability

The Focus4 Sustainability platform organizes efforts around four key areas:

• Materials and packaging: Products are designed to minimize waste, with options featuring recycled content and certifications such as FSC® and EU Ecolabel.
• Use and waste: Innovative dispensing systems, like Tork PeakServe, deliver one-at-a-time towels, reducing both consumption and landfill waste. Switching to PeakServe can reduce paper waste by up to 29%.
• Carbon: Compressed products save transport space, leading to lower carbon emissions, with select dispensers certified as carbon neutral.
• Hygiene for all: High-capacity dispensers improve staff efficiency and ensure hygiene standards while supporting accessibility for all users.

Transparent, comparable data and third-party certifications help facility managers easily understand the environmental impact of their hygiene choices and communicate progress to stakeholders.

Driving business value through sustainable hygiene

The link between sustainability and business performance is clear. By integrating sustainable hygiene practices, organizations can strengthen brand reputation, attract and retain employees, reduce operational costs, and meet rising regulatory and stakeholder expectations.

As part of Essity – recognized by Corporate Knights as one of the world’s most sustainable companies* – Tork demonstrates how holistic, lifecycle-based approach to sustainable hygiene can help organizations achieve both environmental and business goals.

In a world where stakeholders demand meaningful sustainability action, restrooms offer businesses a tangible, high-impact opportunity to make progress in delivering measurable environmental benefits that demonstrate leadership.

To learn more about the Focus4 Sustainability platform and explore tools for creating a more sustainable facility, visit the Tork sustainability hub.

Sources:

Tork Eco Office survey US 2023.

Data from the 2024 Tork Insight Survey of 6,000 individuals 18–65+ and 900 respondents representing businesses in the United States, Mexico, UK, Germany and France.

Corporate Knights Global 100 most sustainable companies 2024 and Europe 50, 2025.