by Brianna Crandall — June 1, 2011—SCA Tissue North America, a global personal hygiene products company, recently released its second annual Tork Report: Healthy People, Healthy Planet—a comprehensive study conducted by Harris Interactive analyzing business and American adult perceptions on hygiene and sustainability.
“Customers look for restrooms that are clean and common areas free of clutter and grime-free desks and tabletops. Keeping focus on a hygienic environment tells the customer that a business is invested in their health and wellness,” said Don Lewis, president, SCA Tissue North America.
This year’s report chronicles new research on topics such as business cleanliness, hand hygiene, business sustainability programs and practices, and foodborne illness prevention, with accompanying expert commentary and counsel. It includes consumer buying habits, perceptions, trends and how all of this affects the bottom line.
Survey results reveal that 61 percent of American adults are more likely to patronize a company or business that follows green practices. Subsequently, only 30 percent of professionals indicated their business currently has a sustainability program in place. Twenty-five percent of American adults said they would either keep their displeasure to themselves or tell someone else about the unhygienic facility, a clear indication that customer disapproval is likely to spread via word of mouth, notes the report.
Other noteworthy figures in the Tork Report include:
- Fifty-six percent of American adults who use public restrooms keep their hands under the hot air dryer until they are completely dry, allowing the number of germs on their hands to grow;
- Thirty-six percent of American adults think that drying wet hands with a paper towel is the most hygienic method of hand drying;
- Seventy-eight percent of American adults are at least somewhat concerned about contracting or spreading foodborne illness; and
- Forty percent of American adults have noticed additional green efforts from local businesses around them.
- Thirty-six percent of American adults think that drying wet hands with a paper towel is the most hygienic method of hand drying;
The company noted various “green” policies and programs that businesses can institute that customers will notice, including benchmarking their energy and water use, setting public reduction targets, implementing green cleaning and healthy facilities programs, and organizing sustainability task forces among their staff.
To download the complete report and learn more about what it means for your business, visit the Tork Green Hygiene Council Web site.
