Industry in focus

Implementing sustainability at Essity –

Irina Ivanova, Sustainability Lead for business excellence in Consumer Goods at Essity

Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company offering brands including TENA and Tork, JOBST, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. With around 46,000 employees, Essity is conducting sales in approximately 150 countries.

Sustainability has been a top priority for Essity in the past, but with inflation, energy and raw materials costs rising, the company obviously had to put its sustainability strategy to test, and employees were increasingly asking, whether sustainability would be deprioritized. The challenge for the company – as for many others: To stay relevant for its target audiences while its brands were being confronted with the cost-of-living crisis.

Though the percentage of eco-active households has declined this year, consumers still care about the environment and will buy sustainably in the future. Based on GfK’s and own market insights, Essity is addressing sustainability challenges from different angles:

Reach eco-actives with product innovation that is good for the planet and saves money - successful examples are TENA underwear for women and men that is washable und produces 50% less carbon footprint. In Sweden, Essity expanded its Libero brand introducing hybrid diapers with an outer reusable cover and a disposable insert inside, which has a 35% lower carbon footprint.

Educate eco-shoppers to keep them in categories they consider not sustainable – Essity conducted a communications campaign for household towels to help consumers change their behavior to less usage: “One sheet does plenty, one sheet for less waste”.

Introduce tools that help eco-actives to do more, and considerers to get started – in France, Lotus toilet paper was introduced without a toilet paper roll and by a two-phase communications campaign. Phase 1: Lotus – no tube, twice the amount of paper. Phase 2: Lotus – no tube, less waste.

Encourage shoppers that a joint effort can make a difference – as 50% of consumers feel that they cannot make a difference and currently better focus on their personal security, Essity started a cross-category campaign in the Nordics to convince them otherwise: “Our responsibility, your choice”.

Overcome barriers to act (more) sustainable – one in four shoppers has doubts about eco-product functionality. Essity introduced Zewa, its first product partly manufactured with wheat straw, and the promise that it was as soft as ever.

Support the willingness of eco-shoppers to pay more – eco-friendly packaging and natural ingredients are premium-worthy, and packaging is highly influential in shaping behaviors. By 2025, Essity strives for 100% recyclability and 85% of renewable or recycled material in all packaging.

Involve partners and consumers – the hybrid diaper, for example, was co-created with consumers. Essity also supports sustainability strategies and initiatives of retailers in different countries such as Carrefour’s Food Transition Pact, and also developed a paper pack for Système U.

The cost-of-living crisis obviously created uncertainty among our employees. We heard a lot of questions and comments as to whether sustainability would still be a priority for Essity and our products. Our three-day annual event for employees in June provided the clear answer to our internal audiences, that sustainability was still on. Numerous sessions, also together with partners such as Danone, Henkel, and Casino, provided many ideas and insights on how this this translates into strategy and action. It was extremely important for our people – and it was a big success.”