Sustainability governance

Sustainability has long been integrated into all of Essity’s functions and at all levels of operations. Essity’s sustainability governance model is the same as for the Group’s corporate governance. As a result, sustainability issues are discussed at all of the company’s Board meetings, among the Executive Management Team and in the various business units and global units.

The purpose of Essity’s sustainability governance is to ensure the Group’s commitments to its stakeholder groups, including customers, consumers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, creditors, decision-makers and representatives of the community. The company’s commitments are expressed in the strategic framework, in objectives and in strategies. To ensure that the company’s priorities and methods are relevant over time, Essity maintains an active and continuous dialogue with its stakeholders.

Essity’s objective is to generate maximum economic value and at the same time, live up to social and environmental expectations. Economic strength and stability is a prerequisite for social responsibility and environmental investments that generate long-term financial growth. Essity has established a number of policies and management systems to achieve and maintain the company’s economic value creation with respect to social and environmental value creation. To reach Essity’s value creation targets, the Executive Management Team has established a number of sustainability targets that are monitored and reported annually.

Essity’s overall management approach to social value creation is intended both to assess how the company impacts and interacts with people through its operations and to develop strategies for establishing positive relationships with relevant stakeholders.

Essity’s Code of Conduct is the main steering document concerning social responsibility. This defines areas where the company can successfully contribute to socially sustainable development in the Group’s operations, and for various stakeholders along the value chain. In the markets where Essity operates, social values are generated for individuals and society through the company’s products and services for hygiene and health. In addition, the company creates jobs and pays the right tax and fees in the countries where the company operates.

Essity’s overall environmental management approach is to enhance the operations’ positive contribution to the environment, while minimizing negative environmental impact. A number of committees and networks operate in the Group’s different business units to guarantee a consistent approach. Read more about this at www.essity.com/sustainability.