Dreamers. Doers. Status quo busters. Be the change-rs. Nothing’s impossible-rs.
A spirit of innovation has defined us since 1873. From our roots as a bathtub manufacturer, the creativity and entrepreneurial energy of our associates has built us into one of America’s oldest and largest privately held companies.
We are proud to once again be recognized as one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators 2023, as a finalist in the Sustained Excellence category. Fueled by the passion of 40,000 associates worldwide, we are committed to providing the support, resources, and inspiration to drive meaningful change in our workplaces, communities, and world. We believe in challenging our own conventions, stretching our imaginations, and striving to be better tomorrow than we were today.
Most important, we celebrate our bold innovators—the creators, influencers, and visionaries behind every Kohler product, brand, and experience all around the world.
Since 2011, Kohler’s Innovation for Good program has brought together associates from around the world. We take a lookat our success stories, hear from associates competing for the I-Prize, and imagine a future in which innovating solutions with a social purpose is part of every Kohler associate’s workday.
Driven by a passion for innovative sustainability, KOHLER WasteLAB® takes landfill-bound materials left over from the manufacturing process and converts them into functional products of style and beauty.
Kohler is committed to transparency, engagement, and consistent communication of our Believing in Better® initiatives, and we will continue to build on our alignment with established ESG standards. Our report was prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards.
The ingenuity and enthusiasm of Kohler Sustainability Champion Joe Austreng kick-started our Hospitality & Real Estate group’s commitment to reducing food waste across our restaurants, banquet halls, and production kitchens. Since 2018, the team has used a Grind2Energy food digester to convert more than 200 tons of food waste into renewable energy and compost, as they work toward their ultimate goal of sending zero food waste to the landfill.
The Kohler Power team took home the Business Intelligence Group’s 2021 Sustainability Product of the Year Award for the KD Series™ generator. The industrial-grade, diesel-powered generator provides backup power for large hyperscale and regional global data centers. It also provides a key advantage over traditional systems: the KD Series exhaust aftertreatment technology eliminates the need for diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts, resulting only in the harmless exhaust byproducts of nitrogen and steam, and delivering best-in-class emissions technology.
Talented culinary experts like Nicolas Blouin are the passion, charm, and inspiration behind Kohler Hospitality dining. As a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Pastry Chef, Nicolas brings his international experience and bold creativity to the delectable dessert offerings across Destination Kohler.
This year, The Beacon, our in-house creative talent behind the Kohler Co. brands, earned 10 Telly Awards, which honor excellence in video content across all screens. A highlight was their “Find Your Just Right” commercial, a delightful spin on the modern-day Goldilocks, which is clever, quirky and visually stunning all at once.
Kohler industrial designer Hiro Chung and his team set out to innovate the commercial handwashing space, combining the feeling of nature with ultimate functionality. Their innovative Waterfoil™ sink creates the sensation of dipping your hands into a river, while combining the ease and sanitation of a fully integrated faucet, soap dispenser, and dryer.
Perry Erickson represents ingenuity, perseverance, and courage to take bold chances. The recipient of our most recent Walter J. Kohler Patent Award, the senior staff engineer is named on 34 U.S. patents and has been a key contributor to many of our iconic and award-winning faucet lines. “Don’t be afraid to try the off-the-wall ideas. Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t be afraid of sharing your ideas with others.”
Kathryn Clouse rallied associates across Kohler Co. for an inclusive, female-centric design challenge.
Industry-recognized sustainability leader Ashley Fahey is changing the way we make and design products.
Wisconsin Women in Manufacturing Hall of Famer Peggy Gulick shares what it’s really like to work in manufacturing—and it may not be what you think.
When Kohler Co. partnered with The Milwaukee Bucks Foundation and Jrue and Lauren Holiday to upgrade the bathrooms at three Milwaukee-area domestic violence shelters, Ben Shoup was just the person for the job. The Senior Project Engineer stepped in with passion, resourcefulness, and careful planning to lead the renovation work that will positively impact families in crisis.
Pallavi Shrivastava is a testament to the power of perseverance. After starting in a technical role, she pursued her dream of becoming a mechanical engineer, paving the way for more women in India to explore education and careers in engineering and manufacturing. Today she is a mechanical engineer at Kohler, where she leads a Kohler Engines assembly team and inspires bold innovation and inclusion.
Our BLK Catalyst business resource group is on a mission to increase employment opportunities and create gracious experiences for Black associates across all levels of Kohler. With chapters across our U.S. locations, they are leading compelling equity, education, and inclusion initiatives in our workplaces and communities. From Juneteenth celebrations and panel discussions to community outreach and professional development, they are inspiring powerful action toward positive change.
Trudie Wang is on a mission to change the world. When she’s not using her doctorate work and boots-on-the-ground experience in renewable and distributed energy sources to minimize Kohler’s carbon footprint, the VP of Innovation at Heila Technologies is lending her expertise to developing novel and sustainable packaging solutions inspired by nature as part of the I-Prize. Outside the office, she uses a lead-by-example approach to her minimalist and sustainable lifestyle. Up next? Exploring another bold idea to create an education and resource exchange platform for disenfranchised women in developing countries to become leaders in addressing climate justice and social equity issues globally.
Gaurav Verma is an innovator at heart and in action, developing cutting-edge water technologies, hydrotherapy, and smart home products. As the newest member of our Innovation for Good engineering team, he uses his passion and ingenuity to help solve some of the most pressing issues facing the world around us. His latest endeavor? Leading the incubation of a gesture-controlled kitchen faucet concept that won I-Prize funding.
Kohler rallies Manchester United fans to support its United for Safe Water campaign.
Kohler engineer James Bourne took the I-Prize for designing a new handwashing solution for the developing world.
Panoramic lake views. Stunning architecture. Handcrafted details. The Straits Chapel is a sight to behold. Learn how interior designer Niti Bhatt and architect Michael Olson brought the unique venue to life.
Our water technology engineers, including Mike Radloff, set out to offer a basic sanitation option to areas that need it most. The KOHLER® pour-flush toilet is an affordable seated toilet and safe alternative to disease-spreading open defecation.
"Our people are at the heart of what we do and the reason why our continued efforts are so effective. As we look ahead, it is our people, our innovation, and our community that inspire us to keep working toward a better future for all people and the planet."
"We believe that when our associates are empowered to find purpose in their work—whether that is through in-house sustainability efforts, community engagement, or developing new products for underserved individuals—they truly improve the world."
Drive change. Make waves. Fail big. Achieve even bigger. Make your work matter.