Meet Mr Toilet who flushed bathroom taboos and made sanitation serious

In the world of social entrepreneurship, few names stand out quite like Jack Sim. Affectionately called ‘Mr Toilet’, Singapore entrepreneur Jack Sim transformed a once-taboo subject into a global movement and is happy dealing with a lot of sh*t.

Born into a Singapore slum, Sim loves to talk about toilets and is full of jokes. He uses humour as his weapon to fight against bathroom taboos.

Being the founder and head of the World Toilet Association, he urges governments to promote sanitation and public health policies. "If nobody speaks about a problem, it continues to remain like that and we have to talk about it openly. And sanitation and public toilet is one such problem which I speak openly about." At the beginning of the interview Sim says, "everybody thinks World Toilet Association is a joke, but it is a very serious issue."

From a school failure to a business mogul

Jack Sim’s early years in Singapore was not promising. Born into a poor family, he describes himself as a troublemaker in school. Teachers often punished him by making him stand outside the classroom, which led him to joke that he was an “OUTSTANDING” student. He was talkative and struggled academically and failed his O-level examinations, never making it to pre-university.

 

But what school didn’t teach him, life did. In order to prove himself, Sim ventured into sales and quickly rose to become the top salesperson in his company. Recognising his entrepreneurial talent, an investor backed him in launching a construction materials business, offering him a 20% stake.

To Sim, business proved far easier than academics—so much so that over the next 16 years, he built 16 profitable companies, mainly in the real estate and construction industries. By the age of 40, he owned 15 properties and was a rich man.

Losing millions

Just as he was riding high on success, the Asian financial crisis struck. Almost overnight, Sim saw his wealth crumble. He had mortaged half of his properties and found himself in deep financial trouble. This period of crisis made him ponder “Was money truly the measure of a meaningful life?”

As the markets recovered, Sim found himself financially stable once again, but the experience left him deeply disturbing. He no longer wanted to chase wealth -- he wanted to find joy and purpose. At 40, he realised that he had already lived half his life. The question then became “How should he spend the second half?”

Birth of World Toilet Organisation

It was then that Sim stumbled upon an issue that the world largely ignored -- sanitation. Nearly 40% of the global population lacked access to proper toilets. Recognising the fundamental role toilets play in public health, dignity, and economic productivity, he saw an opportunity to make a difference. Jack started the Restroom Association in Singapore in 1998 and went on to found World Toilet Organisation (WTO) in 2001.

The idea of launching a global movement around toilets was funny for many—but that was precisely Sim’s strategy. He believed that if people laughed, they were listening. His humour and boldness captured the media’s attention, and the WTO quickly gained traction.

That same year, he organised the first-ever World Toilet Summit in Singapore and declared November 19 as World Toilet Day, the first international day of celebration for toilet. What started as a grassroots initiative became a recognised United Nations observance in 2013, with 193 countries unanimously backing the resolution.

A Global sanitation champion

Through the WTO, Sim has worked with governments, NGOs, and corporations to tackle sanitation issues worldwide. He says that in India sometimes schoolgirls often drop out due to a lack of toilets. He has met Chandrababu Naidu and Venkaiah Naidu when Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over and says that Modi met him when he travelled to Singapore.

Sim with Narendra Modi | Special arrangement

Recognising that sanitation involves more than just infrastructure, Sim emphasises the "ABC" of toilets -- Architecture, Behaviour, and Cleaning. His campaigns have focused not just on building toilets but ensuring they are maintained, accessible, and socially accepted.

Sim says that countries which invest in sanitation and hygiene are very successful. Japan and Singapore invest a lot on sanitation and have the world's best public toilets for their citizens.

Mr Toilet and his books

Despite never excelling in school, Sim’s passion for learning never faded. At 52, he enrolled in a public policy program and graduated at 56. He later received two honorary doctorates. His book The Gumption of Mr Toilet is designed as a life survival kit, teaching children the courage to challenge norms and create change. He believes that in a world dominated by AI, human qualities like compassion, love, and curiosity will be more valuable than ever.

Jack Sim’s philosophy on life is unconventional. At the age of 68, he calculates that, given Singapore’s average life expectancy of 82, he has roughly 4,400 days left. Instead of dwelling on this finite number, he sees it as motivation to maximise his impact.

Today, World Toilet Day continues to be observed globally, sparking conversations and action around sanitation. Through humour, Jack Sim turned toilets into a tool for dignity, health, and economic progress.

He embraces the title of "Mr. Toilet" with pride -- because in the end, if people are laughing, they’re listening, and if they’re listening, they’re learning.