F4. Joint operations

AP Accounting principles

Joint operations are defined as companies in which Essity, together with other parties through an agreement, has shared control over operations. In joint operations, parties to the agreement have rights to the assets and obligations for the liabilities associated with the investment, meaning that the operator must account for its share of the assets, liabilities, revenues and costs according to the proportional method.

Measurement of acquired assets and liabilities according to the proportional method is carried out in the same way as for Group companies. Essity recognizes its proportional share of the company’s assets, liabilities, revenues and costs in its financial statements.

Uni-Charm Mölnlycke

Uni-Charm is classified as a joint operation since the parties to the agreement purchase all products produced by the company. The products are priced in a manner that allows the operations to receive full cost recovery for their production and financing costs. This means that the company in the joint operation is operated with near-zero profit and thus is not exposed to commercial risk. This joint operation has operations in Hoogezand in the Netherlands and Delaware in the USA.

ProNARO

A number of paper mills merged and formed the company ProNARO, whose main task is to negotiate prices, optimize inventory levels, improve timber quality and reduce lead times and costs when purchasing timber. Essity has previously recognized ProNARO as a joint operation according to the proportional method. ProNARO has expanded its operations and now also sells to external customers other than Essity and Sappi (the other owner). This change of focus means that the company is more independent and Essity has thus made the assessment that the company is to be recognized according to the equity method as of January 1, 2021. This change means that Essity’s participation in ProNARO’s assets and liabilities are deconsolidated in the accounts.

Nokianvirran Energia

Essity has entered into an agreement with two other stakeholders to form a joint so-called mankala company in the Finnish energy market, where the joint parties produce heat and steam from biofuel. Each party in the joint operation is obligated to bear a portion of the fixed costs in proportion to its holding in the company and to pay for the raw materials used in the production of heat and steam in proportion to its consumption. Accordingly, the company is not profit-driven since the parties themselves bear their respective costs. The company is expected to generate near-zero profit and thus is not exposed to any commercial risk.