Ways of working

Poor hygiene and sanitation constitute a barrier for the health, livelihood, well-being, and development of millions of people. Essity’s vision is that we are dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions.

Public Affairs work on matters relating to improving health and medical care, e.g., incontinence care often linked to elderly care as well as wound care sometimes linked to certain chronic diseases. By complying with and contributing to the development of relevant regulations, Essity shares its experience garnered from existing systems to decision-makers in countries where new structures are being built or existing systems reformed. An example of this is the development of systems for subsidized prescription of incontinence aids in countries where such benefits were not offered in the past. Similarly, Essity monitors developments in regulations covering medical solutions.

A regulatory framework that contributes to sustainable innovations is key to our business, and environmental issues are high on our agenda. Hence, some key areas Public Affairs focus on are: Circular economy, Waste & Plastics, Climate & Energy, Fiber sourcing, Chemicals & Transparency, as well as shaping funding & care system for our Health and Medical Solutions business and strengthen the Hygiene in Health Care segment for Professional Hygiene. The Public Affairs work at Essity is partly carried out in cross functional networks. The networks are composed by representatives from different business unites to rely on the relevant expertise in the policy issue.

Essity believes that it is important to engage in constructive dialogue with external actors. In Essity's Code of Conduct it is stated that Essity is politically neutral and does not make payments or donations in any kind to political parties or candidates, or their institutions, agencies or representatives.

The EU institutions interact with a wide range of groups and organisations representing specific interests. The Transparency Register is designed to make EU decision-making more open. 

The Register exists to answer questions such as: what interests are being represented at EU level?; Who represents those interests, and on whose behalf?; and With what budgets?

Essity supports and subscribes to the EU-initiative for transparency in the democratic decision-making processes. We provide information openly about our fields of interest and the scope of our work through our entry in the joint Transparency Register of the European Parliament and the European Commission.