Essity joins United Nations Foundation expert group in tackling antimicrobial resistance

Hygiene and health company Essity expands its partnership with United Nations (UN) Foundation by joining a cross-industry group that brings together corporate experts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Essity is a global provider of hand hygiene and wound care solutions, essentials in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, one of the greatest global public health threats predicted to be responsible for 10 million annual deaths worldwide by 2050¹. Essity has been a partner to the United Nations Foundation since 2017.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms change in ways that make medication ineffective and infections persist in the body. The main causes of AMR are lack of clean water and sanitation, inadequate infection prevention/control and antibiotic misuse. The World Health Organizations (WHO)² outlines reduction of the incidence of infection through effective sanitation, hygiene, and infection prevention as one of the key measures in tackling AMR. Essity research³ shows that 73% of the general public agree that AMR is a threat to global health and 47% are worried or very worried about AMR.

“To preserve life-saving antibiotics for current and future generations, we need to take action on a global level. As a hygiene and health company with sales in 150 countries, Essity addresses issues where hygiene and health are part of the solution. Working together with the public sector and other companies makes it possible to accelerate change with higher impact in the fight against AMR,” says Magnus Groth, President and CEO of Essity.

When it comes to fighting AMR, Essity’s expertise is in improved hand hygiene solutions through its Tork^® brand and infection prevention and management. With the brands Cutimed^® Sorbact^® and Leukomed^® Essity provides wound care dressings, that use an innovative approach to reduce bioburden in wounds without using any chemically active agents, which may help reduce the excessive use of antibiotics. 

“Essity’s expertise and experience from driving antimicrobial stewardship will be a great asset to this group of companies that will contribute policy and practical input to the United Nations-led efforts to fight antimicrobial resistance” says Kate Dodson, Vice President, Global Health Strategy, UN Foundation, which hosts the cross-industry working group through its Business Council for the UN.

To learn more about how Essity fights AMR through infection prevention, please listen to the episode “Resisting the Resistance” from the podcast series “Essential Talks”. 

More information about the Business Council for the UN at the UN Foundation, and the Cross-Industry Expert Working Group on AMR, please contact Ilze Melngailis, Senior Director, BCUN imelngailis@unfoundation.org. The Cross-Industry Expert Working Group on antimicrobial resistance is a first of its kind gathering of leading corporations from human health, agriculture, animal husbandry, veterinary services, the financial sector and other industries driving anti-microbial stewardship and solutions in lockstep with UN-led global efforts.  

¹WHO (2019) New report calls for urgent action to avert antimicrobial resistance crisis
²WHO (2015) Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance, World Health Organization 
³Essity (2020) Essential Initiative Survey 2020-2021, a global study amongst general public in 15 countries around everyday hygiene and health behaviors, stigma’s and worries.