Changing the Conversation About Toilets: Why Loos Really Matter
“Changing the conversation about toilets is really about changing the way we value people.”
That was the final message on my presentation when I had the privilege of being invited to speak to the Abergavenny Ladies Business Association (ALBA), hosted by the lovely Penny Pressler at the Kings Arms Hotel in Abergavenny.
And, as I reflected on the talk afterwards, I realised that this one sentence probably sums up more of my journey, my businesses and my passion than almost anything else I could say.
From an overlooked subject to a real passion
For most people, toilets are something we simply take for granted.
We use them every day, often without giving them a second thought. We walk into a restaurant, hotel, workplace, attraction, shopping centre or event and expect the toilet facilities to be there, clean, safe and fit for purpose.
But what happens when they are not?
What happens when a toilet is dirty, poorly maintained, inaccessible or does not meet the needs of the person using it?
Suddenly, something that we normally do not think about becomes incredibly important.
That is why I have become so passionate about changing the conversation around toilets.
Through our businesses, A Plush Flush and the Loo of The Year Awards, Charles and I have spent many years working in an industry that is often overlooked, joked about or simply ignored. Yet the more I have learned, the more I have realised that toilets tell us something incredibly important about how organisations value the people who use their facilities.
A toilet is not simply a toilet.
It is about dignity, privacy, accessibility, hygiene, safety and inclusion.
Why Loos Matter
My presentation, Why Loos Matter: My Journey, My Businesses and Changing the Conversation Around Toilets, gave me the opportunity to share how I came into this unusual industry and why it has become such an important part of my life.
I talked about my journey into business, the creation of A Plush Flush and our work providing luxury mobile toilet facilities, before moving on to the Loo of The Year Awards.
When Charles and I purchased the Loo of The Year Awards in 2021, we knew we were taking on a company with a long history.
What perhaps we did not fully appreciate at the time was just how much potential there was to use the awards to encourage people to think differently about washrooms.
The Loo of The Year Awards is not simply about finding the prettiest toilet.
Our inspections look at a wide range of criteria, including cleanliness, maintenance, facilities, accessibility and the overall experience for the person using the washroom.
Because a toilet can look beautiful but still fail to meet someone's needs.
And that is where the conversation becomes much bigger.
A toilet can tell you a lot about an organisation
Think about the message a business sends when its customer toilets are clean, well maintained, welcoming and accessible.
It says:
“We thought about you.”
It says:
“We care about your experience.”
And, perhaps most importantly:
“You are welcome here.”
But the opposite can also be true.
A dirty toilet, broken facilities, poor accessibility or a lack of basic consideration can leave someone feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed or even excluded.
For some people, the consequences can be much more significant.
Someone with a disability may need specific accessible facilities.
A parent may need somewhere suitable to change a baby.
Someone living with a medical condition may need immediate access to a toilet.
Someone experiencing their period may need appropriate facilities and dignity.
An older person may need accessible, safe and easy-to-use facilities.
These are not luxuries.
They are basic human needs.
The importance of women supporting women
One of the things I particularly enjoyed about my visit to ALBA was the opportunity to meet so many inspiring women from different businesses and backgrounds.
There is something incredibly powerful about bringing women together to share experiences, ideas, challenges and encouragement.
I was also absolutely delighted to see the ever-wonderful Colita Dainton and Kim Beale from Herefordshire Means Business Ltd, who had come along to support me.
Having familiar faces in the room meant a great deal, and I am incredibly grateful for their support and for all the wonderful photographs they captured too!
A huge thank you to Penny for inviting me and for creating such a welcoming environment, and to everyone who attended for their enthusiasm, questions and encouragement.
It was wonderful to meet so many new faces and to have the opportunity to share something that I am genuinely passionate about.
And, of course, thank you to the team at the Kings Arms Hotel for their warm welcome, hospitality and delicious lunch.
Changing the conversation
Perhaps the biggest message I wanted everyone to take away from my presentation was that we need to stop seeing toilets as an afterthought.
We need to recognise them as an essential part of the customer, visitor, employee and human experience.
When we invest in better washrooms, we are not simply investing in tiles, toilets, taps and hand dryers.
We are investing in people.
We are saying that their comfort matters.
Their dignity matters.
Their accessibility matters.
Their health and wellbeing matters.
Their experience matters.
And that brings me back to the final slide of my presentation:
“Changing the conversation about toilets is really about changing the way we value people.”
That is why I will continue to talk about toilets.
I will continue to challenge the jokes, the embarrassment and the tendency to overlook them.
And I will continue to champion good washrooms, because sometimes the smallest room can tell us something very big about the people and organisations behind it.
So perhaps it is time we stopped asking, “Is it just a toilet?”
And started asking:
“What does this toilet say about how we value people?”
Because loos really do matter.
