Our History and Transformation Story

From 1975 our hygiene and health business has continued to grow with acquisitions and joint ventures. Since 1975, our business has been consolidated and focused on wood fiber products, and we have led product development in all our product areas.

In 2017, SCA acquired BSN medical, a leading medical solutions company developing products within wound care, compression therapy and orthopedics. Together we became Essity. Since then, we have created additional value for millions of people around the world and made strong progress, for example:

• Expanded through several strategic acquisitions with focus to grow in high-yielding categories

• Committed to ambitious sustainability and climate targets and invested in alternative fiber

• Continued to transform our business to increase efficiency and digitalization

Essity’s innovations are based on deep customer and consumer insight, which help us to develop unique and successful solutions. For us, sustainability is a strategic priority for long-term profitable growth. Our initiatives contribute to a better environment while increasing the competitiveness of the company.

Our name Essity stems from the words “essentials” and “necessities”. Hygiene and health are the essence of well-being. As a leading global hygiene and health company, we offer products and services that are essentials and necessities in everyday life. That is why we are called Essity.

2017

• Acquisition of BSN medical, a leading medical solutions company

• Listing of Essity Aktiebolag (publ) on Nasdaq Stockholm

• UNF Partnership launched

• Global leader in initiatives for water and wood fiber-based materials by CDP 

• One of the world’s top 100 most sustainable companies by Corporate Knights

2018

• Inclusion in Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index and named industry leader in the Household Products sector

• Introduction of cost-savings program

• Restructuring measures in tissue production in Europe, North America and Latin America

2019

• Increase of online sales to approximately SEK 13bn, corresponding to about 10% of net sales

• Conclusion of cost-savings program, with savings amounted to slightly above SEK 900m on an annualized basis

• Exit of Baby Care in Turkey

• Investment in production of pulp based on wheat straw in Mannheim, Germany

• New packaging targets as part of Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s plastics initiative “New Plastic Economy” 

• UNICEF Partnership in Mexico launched

2020

• Acquisition of 75% of ABIGO Medical, a Swedish medical solutions company 

• Acquisition of Novioscan, developing smart ultrasound technology for monitoring the bladder

• Divestment of Sancella Tunisia

• Target for adjusted return on capital employed reached and raised to above 17% by 2025

• Acceleration of digitalization and investment in a new digital platform

• Launch of Manufacturing Roadmap program to further optimize and streamline Essity’s value chain

• Inclusion in Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index

• On the CDP ‘A List’ for actions to tackle deforestation and source more sustainable commodities

• One of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies by Corporate Knights

2021

• Six acquisitions including Asaleo Care, Familia, Hydrofera, AquaCast Liner, sports tape brands Coach, Elastikon, Zonas and remaining shares in ABIGO Medical

• New sales growth target of more than 5%, including both organic sales growth and acquisitions

• E-commerce sales amounted to 14% of 2021 net sales

• Increase of market shares for approximately 70% of branded sales in the retail trade

• Start of creation of a Consumer Tissue Private Label Europe division

• Launch of new and updated sustainability targets, including commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

• On the CDP’s A List for work to combat deforestation, and recognized for leadership in climate change

• Diversity Leader by Financial Times and ranked 25th out of 15,000 companies

2022

• New business areas; Health & Medical, Consumer Goods and Professional Hygiene

• Inclusion in the S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2022 and ranked as one of the 150 most sustainable companies

• Launch of journey to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

• Recognized by CDP for leadership in sustainability and awarded a place on CDP’s A list for work in combating deforestation

• Recognized as a Supplier Engagement Leader by CDP for successful work with suppliers in the fight against climate change

• Acquisition of Legacy Converting, a US professional wiping and cleaning company

• World-leader in leakproof apparel through acquisitions of the Australian company Modibodi and 80% of the Canadian company Knix

• Once again named Diversity Leader by the Financial Times

• E-commerce sales amounted to 15% of 2022 net sales

2023 and onwards

• Strategic Review of Ownership in the Asian hygiene Company Vinda International Holdings Ltd resulted in a pre-conditional public offer for 100% of the shares. Read more
  
• Divestment of Russian Operations
  
• Further Steps Toward Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050. Essity’s ambition aligns with science-based targets for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. For instance, Essity reduced its emissions in Scope 1 and 2 by 26 percent in 2023. Read more in Essity’s Annual Report 2023
  
• Included Again in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2023 and ranked as one of the world’s 100 most sustainable companies by Corporate Knights
  
• Recognized by the non-profit environmental organization CDP for leadership in sustainability and awarded a place on CDP’s 2022 Supplier Engagement Leaderboard for successfully working with suppliers on climate change
  
• Awarded once again with a Platinum medal by sustainability rating company EcoVadis, as well as a place on CDP’s ‘A List’ for leadership in corporate transparency and performance on forests by the global non-profit environmental organization CDP
  
• Recognized as a diversity leader by the Financial Times for the third consecutive year
  
• Launched innovations for increased well-being and reduced environmental impact. The goal is for at least 50 percent of Essity’s innovations to yield social and/or environmental improvements. The outcome was 85 percent in 2023

Follow us as we are continuing our transformation journey.