Tork receives world’s first certification for meeting Design for All standard

Tork, an Essity brand and a global leader in professional hygiene, has announced that the Tork dispenser development process is the first in the world to be certified according to the Design for All standard (EN 17161)[1]. This approach aims to make hygiene in public spaces accessible for as many people as possible. It strengthens the Tork commitment to helping businesses provide inclusive hygiene solutions in washrooms and other public spaces.

Applying design for all principles to the Tork dispenser development process helps reduce barriers to hygiene for users with a range of conditions, capabilities, neuro-diversities, general hygiene concerns and in various stages of life. For example, the Tork PeakServe® range of hand towel dispensers was designed with low pull force, accommodating people with varying hand strength, such as children, and is certified as Easy to Use[2] by the Swedish Rheumatism Association.

“We are committed to making public hygiene accessible by working to eliminate visible and invisible barriers to hygiene. Designing better products for all users – including cleaning and maintenance staff – is a long-held philosophy that has always guided our way of working,” said Kristian Grennfelt, Global Brand Innovation Director, Professional Hygiene, Essity. “Design for all principles have been central to our approach for decades and we are proud to have received the first certification according to the official Design for All standard. Tork has the scale, reach, expertise and responsibility to advocate for this with other influencers.

“Washrooms are one of the busiest rooms in a building, and when businesses provide washrooms designed to meet the needs of many, it not only improves their reputation but also improves their overall business. In fact, nearly 90% of people say it’s important for them to have easy access to hygiene in public, particularly in the washroom[3]. It’s clear that providing inclusive hygiene in washrooms is good for people and for business.”

Essity began pursuing certification according to the Design for All standard in 2020, even though no organisations were accredited to certify it at the time. Essity’s commitment to obtaining Design for All certification resulted in RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, an independent state-owned research institute, becoming the first to be accredited and able to offer the certification. This is the latest step in the Tork brand’s journey to advance hygiene standards, building on earlier work including developing Tork Easy Handling® packaging solutions and securing Easy to Use certification for many dispensers.

 By convening industry leaders and driving proprietary research, the brand aims to spotlight, understand, and solve the barriers that people face in washrooms. Tork is looking closely at many elements – from hygiene concerns to an individual’s evolving capabilities – to inform the design process and modify existing solutions or create new solutions that are more inclusive for all.

The Tork dispenser design and development process will be audited annually by RISE according to the Design for All standard.

To learn more about the Tork brand’s commitment to delivering hygiene for all and how businesses can benefit from providing better hygiene solutions, please visit: tork.co.uk.

[1] Standard EN17161. The Design for All is a development process that considers diverse user needs to encourage and promote accessibility of products and services by as many people as possible.

[2] Tork has a range of dispensers that are certified “Easy to use” by the Swedish Rheumatism Association for people with limited hand functionality.

[3] Tork Insight Survey 2024, conducted in US, UK, Germany, France and Mexico among 6000 end-users and 900 businesses.

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