Materiality analysis

Essity conducts a materiality analysis among its stakeholders every other year. The analysis provides insight into the subject areas they consider to be significant. These then form the basis of the company’s strategy. Interest in such topics as climate change, waste/circularity and plastics increased during the year, which is shown in the analysis. These topped the list, together with innovation and business ethics, which remain the topics that the stakeholders find to be most important.

This year’s web-based materiality analysis yielded approximately 900 responses from customers, consumers, suppliers, investors, analysts, media representatives, community representatives, decision-makers and employees. The respondents were able to select the ten topics they considered most important for Essity. The stakeholders’ prioritization of these topics were grouped together with responses from Essity’s senior management, whose priorities correspond to the company’s business strategy. The results are presented in the graph below. The X axis shows the responses from all stakeholders except Essity’s senior management, whose responses are shown on the Y axis. The responses from the stakeholder groups were weighted to provide an accurate view of the results. The topics are numbered according to how high they were ranked in the survey. There is also a reference to where you can find more information in this year’s Annual and Sustainability Report.

The selection of subject areas to be included in the materiality analysis was guided by employees from different parts of the company. This was done so that the selected areas would be relevant regardless of who responded to the survey. Various frameworks and policy documents such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the UN Global Compact and Essity’s Code of Conduct also formed the basis for the selected areas. The survey covered 21 topics, all of which are important to Essity. Most were kept unchanged from previous years so as to facilitate analysis and comparison over time. A number of the subjects were reformulated to cover a larger area. A few of them are new. A comprehensive account of all topics in the survey can be found at www.essity.com/sustainability.

Essity’s materiality analysis

Essity’s materiality analysis (graphic)
The stakeholders’ ranking of the subject areas

 

 

 

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Innovation

1

 

Innovate leading brands
Sustainability governance – Enable more people every day to enjoy a fuller life
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H3. Innovation

Climate change

2

 

CEO’s message
Risks and risk management
Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H9. Energy and emissions to air/Science-Based Targets

Business ethics

3

 

Risks and risk management
Regulatory frameworks and assurance
H2. Code of conduct and work with anti-corruption

Waste/circularity and plastics

4

 

Risks and risk management
Sustainability governance – Enable more people every day to enjoy a fuller life
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H6. Packaging
H11. Waste

Transparency

5

 

Statutory sustainability report
GRI index

Safe products

6

 

Sustainability governance – Enable more people every day to enjoy a fuller life
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society

Customer and consumer satisfaction

7

 

Focus on customers and consumers
H4. Customers and consumers

Water

8

 

Objectives, targets and outcomes – Enable more people every day to enjoy a fuller life
Risks and risk management
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H10. Water

Health, well-being and equality

9

 

Objectives, targets and outcomes – Enable our employees to realize their full potential, as part of one winning team
Sustainability governance – Enable more people every day to enjoy a fuller life
Sustainability governance – Enable our employees to realize their full potential, as part of one winning team
H13. Employees
H14. Health and safety

Human capital

10

 

Objectives, targets and outcomes – Enable our employees to realize their full potential, as part of one winning team
Sustainability governance – Enable our employees to realize their full potential, as part of one winning team
H13. Employees

Human rights

11

 

Risks and risk management
Regulatory frameworks and assurance
H2. Code of conduct and work with anti-corruption

Fiber sourcing

12

 

Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H8. Fiber sourcing

Brands

13

 

Innovate leading brands
Personal Care
Consumer Tissue
Professional Hygiene

Corporate governance

14

 

Corporate governance
Governance at Essity
Activities during the year
Remuneration
Internal control
Board of Directors and Auditors
Executive Management Team

Efficient supply chain

15

 

Drive efficiency
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H7. Supply chain management

Market positions

16

 

The hygiene and health market

Risk management

17

 

Risks and risk management

Digitalization

18

 

Our external environment and market
Strategic framework
Win in chosen geographies and categories

Distribution and accessibility

19

 

Win in chosen geographies and categories
Focus on customers and consumers
Sustainability governance – Contribute to a sustainable and circular society
H12. Transport

Tax

20

 

B5. Income Taxes

Cyber and information security

21

 

Risks and risk management