Mr. Jack Sim

Jack Sim is the founder of World Toilet Organization and the BoP HUB and a leading global advocate for sanitation. Formerly in the construction industry, he founded the World Toilet Organization in 2001, after attaining financial independence at age of 40, and deciding to devote the rest of his life to social work.

In 2001, World Toilet Organization (WTO) declared its founding day 19 November as World Toilet day. In 2013, 19 November was unanimously designated by 193 countries of the UN General Assembly as UN World Toilet Day – the day is now celebrated globally each year as a day to raise awareness of the need for action to end the sanitation crisis. For ‘creating good will and bringing the subject into the open’ and ‘mobilizing national support in providing on-the-ground expertise’ Jack Sim received the Schwab Foundation award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001. In 2007, Jack became one of the key members to convene the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance composed of key players for sanitation. He is an Ashoka Global Fellow, and was named one of the Heroes of the Environment for 2008 by Time Magazine.

Widely known as “Mr. Toilet”, Jack broke the global taboo around toilets and sanitation by bringing it to centre-stage with his unique mix of humour and serious facts.