KOHLER Co. Sharing Sustainability Stories through the Believing in Better™ Platform

Environmental sustainability takes many forms at Kohler Co. – from designing more water-efficient plumbing products to restoring iconic buildings, and from polypropylene resin engine covers made from recycled carpet to associates completing hundreds of projects in-house to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. Sustainability is a journey that many of Kohler’s 30,000 global associates have embraced, and they are taking action to positively affect the world around them. As an appropriate next evolution, Kohler has created a story-sharing platform to highlight the successes around sustainability achieved by its associates, channel partners and consumers. Their stories are now being told on a new blog called Believing In Better™.

"Believing In Better is grounded in the humility and authenticity that each of us can be better, and that we must continuously improve every day. If we do that, then we believe the things we do – big or small – will help make this world a better place," said Rob Zimmerman, senior channel manager-sustainability at Kohler. "As we continue down our sustainability journey, we have much to learn, but also much to share. That’s why we created this interactive platform."

In delivering content and inviting others to join the conversation through the Believing In Better blog, www.believe.kohler.com, Kohler is focusing its story-sharing around four pillars, including the company heritage, process efficiency, product innovation and associates’ actions. The company also encourages participation on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook @kohler via the hashtag #believinginbetter.

"Since launching our sustainability strategy, we’re getting better and making progress because of the efforts of Kohler associates who led or participated in footprint reduction projects at our facilities worldwide," said Zimmerman. "We are also ahead of our sales target for more environmentally favorable products."

In 2008, Kohler Co. formalized its three-plank sustainability strategy: (1) reducing its environmental footprint (greenhouse gas emissions and landfill disposal of solid waste) to Net Zero by 2035 with offsets, (2) developing more environmentally favorable products, and (3) driving awareness and education around sustainability and water/energy conservation.

• Collaborating with a national organization to plant 1 million trees in China to help support the country’s ecological system.

• Saving hundreds of Many Glacier Hotel’s (Montana) century-old cast iron fixtures headed for the scrap heap by reenameling them to look new and last another 100 years.

• Donating discontinued plumbing products to World Vision, a non-profit organization that distributes donated goods to under-resourced communities across the United States.

• Repurposing used water from its plant in Reynosa, Mexico, to irrigate a nearby soccer field which now hosts friendly neighborhood matches.

• Constructing new facilities in Zibo, China, and Kohler, Wisconsin, which have achieved LEED Gold accreditation from the United States Green Building Council.

• Achieving its sixth consecutive WaterSense award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, including the inaugural 2013 Sustained Excellence Award for Kohler’s ongoing commitment in product development and education/awareness in water efficiency.