Advancing Sustainable Impact at Scale

  • Share:

We are proud innovators at Kohler, and over our 150 years, we have long practiced innovation not only to power markets, but also in the service of sustainable social good. Today, we all know that what’s been done in the past, isn’t nearly enough. The climate crisis is racing forward while social and economic disparities are ever widening.

That’s why as part of World Water Week 2023, along with introducing a suite of WaSH products, we will be exploring the shift from human centered design to life-centered design. This design approach includes not only user inputs and impact, but also those of the larger ecosystems of planet. As we evolve to meet new and ongoing global challenges, collaboration with strategic partners remains essential to implementing and scaling sustainable WaSH solutions.

Markets and Life-Centered Design: How to Innovate for Good

A discussion on how we can shift from human-centered design to life-centered design: powering markets for profit, people, and the planet.

How to Operationalize the Water Energy-Nexus

A session exploring opportunities to promote and accelerate reductions in hot water consumption, and why this is key to achieve net zero targets.

Innovation for Good Products

KOHLER Unify™

A solution blending solar and generator power to support displaced populations around the world.

KOHLER Rinse™

A seated sanitation solution offering comfort and dignity to affected people around the world.

KOHLER Loope™

A waterless sanitation solution that integrates with container-based sanitation waste collection models.

KOHLER Cleanse™

Putting health and hygiene into the hands of those around the world who lack access to handwashing facilities.

Let’s Do Good Together

Curious to learn more about our Innovation for Good program and products? Together we can increase our impact.

Our Progress Toward Better: Kohler's 2022 Believing in Better® Report

In our journey to better, we use Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria as a framework to transparently report against our goals and progress while ensuring the actions we take are embedded in our business strategy and operations.

Impactful Initiatives

Kohler seeks to make a positive impact through programs that are driven by clean water and sanitation.

Innovation for Good®

Kohler harnesses the expertise of its global associates to generate solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges through Innovation for Good. This initiative develops products and solutions for pressing global social and environmental issues, plus works with partners to test and implement innovations at-scale. Photo courtesy of Water Mission.

Safe Water for All

Kohler’s Safe Water for All initiative enables solutions around water, sanitation, and hygiene access through four pillars: water stewardship, innovative products, water impact projects, and advocacy and fundraising. Kohler’s work with partners elevates each pillar to deliver solutions directly to communities. Photo courtesy of Water Mission

Key Partnerships

Developing key, strategic partnerships is essential in creating impact at scale for communities across the globe.

Water Mission

Water Mission is a nonprofit engineering organization that builds safe water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions in developing countries and disaster areas. Kohler partners with Water Mission on innovative community solutions and disaster response efforts with potential to impact thousands of lives annually.

Sanergy

Sanergy is a Nairobi-based organization focused on sustainable solutions for nonsewered sanitation. In partnership with Sanergy, Kohler’s Innovation for Good® team is developing a container-based sanitation option for people living without access to safe sanitation systems.

DigDeep

Kohler and DigDeep are partnering to address access to clean water and sanitation with the Water Is Life microgrant program, which invites anyone living on the Navajo Nation to submit innovative ideas and business plans for universal access to clean water and sanitation through community-based service models or new technologies.

Global Water Center

The Global Water Center is the platform that’s convening safe water organizations everywhere to foster collaboration, create consensus, and share resources to equip everyone in their efforts to end the global water crisis once and for all. Kohler supports the Global Water Center in calling for action to address the water challenges faced around the world and bringing awareness and education on the topic.

50L Home Coalition

Kohler is a founding member of 50L Home Coalition and works with the coalition to create innovative solutions to help make 50 liters of daily water use per person an irresistible aspiration for all.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense®

Kohler partners with the EPA on its KOHLER® WaterSense-labeled products, which have saved 437 billion gallons of water, 9.26 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions, and $7 billion in consumer energy and water costs since the partnership began in 2007.

Solving the global water challenge requires impactful innovations and increased collaboration across the entire ecosystem of partners. Consideration for water usage can’t be an afterthought in the planning process, but should be integrated as we approach the design, especially considering the broad spectrum of needs across global communities. — Ratish Namboothiry — Director, Innovation for Good and Sustainability

Want To Change Your Outlook?

Meet DattaMaya on her journey for safe water.

Water and Climate: An Urgent Need to Change Behavior

Why we must act now to drive innovation and action around water challenges.

Prioritizing Innovation For a Better Planet.

Our associates apply their unique expertise to solutions that help restore our earth.

Innovative solution to address global sanitation gaps.

Partnering with Sanergy, a Nairobi-based organization focused on sustainable solutions for nonsewered sanitation, Kohler is developing a container-based sanitation (CBS) option for people living without access to safe sanitation systems.

Insights from World Water Week 2022

Learn more about Kohler’s time at World Water Week with three key takeaways.

Make an Impact.

Support Safe Water for All efforts around the world by making a donation to one of our partners.