An interview with Laura Kohler

Q. As a global manufacturer, what is Kohler’s strategy to reduce its environmental footprint?

Laura: From our founding, our purpose – our why – at Kohler has always been to leave the world a better place than we found it. Through innovation, bold design and superior engineering, coupled with the clear understanding of the responsibility we have as a global manufacturer to preserve resources and be responsive to societal shifts, we have been embracing operational changes, taken care of our associates, given back to our communities and protected our planetary resources for 150 years.

WasteLAB Vox sink

Q. Water is core to your manufacturing, and it flows through your products.  What is Kohler doing to address the water crisis?

Laura: Water is essential to what we do at Kohler and the experiences it brings to our customers. The water crisis affects at all communities, cities and countries – and I know Saudi Arabia knows this all too well. At Kohler, we believe we all have a shared responsibility to make sure that future generations have access to clean, safe water. That responsibility is core to who we are and why our water strategy is focused on reducing, restoring and reusing water across our operations and products – to try to play our part in helping to alleviate the daily challenges faced by people and communities in water stressed areas.

The KOHLER Loope container-based sanitation toilet is a waterless sanitation solution that integrates with container-based sanitation waste collection models.

I am extremely impressed with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Water Strategy, particularly how the country is so focused on safeguarding and optimising the use of water resources. We fully support this effort and can do our part by providing products that conserve and protect water, use our marketing power to unlock consumer adoption of more water-efficient products and help change behaviour with smart connected products from low-flush toilets to smart showers that keep track of water usage.

Q: What is the connection between art, design and sustainability for Kohler?

Laura: Kohler has always operated on the belief that artistry—provocative and meaningful—is as essential to our success as innovative design, sustainability and quality materials. We also believe that art is fundamental to making people’s lives better. By combining art, design and sustainability, we can continue to design interiors and spaces that address societal challenges such as growing populations and cities – all while protecting our planetary resources.’ is fundamental to making people’s lives better. From the beginning of Kohler, we have operated under the belief that artistry—provocative and meaningful—is as essential to our success as innovative design and quality materials. We believe that when you combine art and sustainability, it pushes our thinking and creativity. We can then use design to convey meaning, create connections, and evoke emotion. At this intersection, we can design sustainable communities, beautiful interiors and spaces that address societal challenges such as growing populations and cities – all while protecting our planetary resources.  Kohler WasteLAB is a notable example of this philosophy in action. We take landfill-bound materials left over from the manufacturing process and convert it into functional products of style and beauty.