Essity

News (3)

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• Company life
• Meeting
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• Recruitment

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  Other

  “I feel more confident in my leadership today”

  One year ago, Katarina Mannerfelt participated in the internal WIT (Women in IT) program, something that has helped her develop as a leader and also made her interested in coaching. Katarina joined Essity in 2008 and is based in Gothenburg, Sweden. In her role, she explores innovative technologies for an optimal learning experience, works to improve the demand process for new tools and on digitalizing shopfloor colleagues. When Katarina joined the WIT program, she had just taken on a new position with a bigger team and more responsibility. “By listening to and being inspired by other leaders I feel more confident in my leadership. Also, by being coached and developing my skills I became interested in coaching. I now know that I don’t need to have all the answers. By coaching my team, we will together get to the best solution, and this has helped me relax. I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program, it has helped me a lot.”  In the WIT session “courageous conversations” the participants are trained to express their views openly. “My biggest take away from this session was the importance of having the courage to question the reality of others and looking at things from a different angle. It can really bring up a new solution as well as enriching the relationships with colleagues. I am proud of now being more comfortable having difficult conversations.” Katarina continues “Essity is a great place to work and offers many opportunities to get experience from different areas. I’m a living proof of that having worked in Marketing, then Business development, after that Indirect Procurement and now in IT.  But what I really like with Essity is that we truly live by our Believes and Behaviors and ‘Care’ is a strong one here.”

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  Company life

  I go to work every day and feel like I can make a difference

  Maria Estlander’s Essity journey started as early as 2004, with some stops along the way. After spending over a decade with a different employer, she chose to return to the global hygiene and health company. As Commercial Director for Finland and the Baltics, Maria Estlander runs a sales and marketing division at Essity – a global company driven by its core values.  Tell me about your journey at Essity! – I joined Essity in 2004, when it was still a part of SCA. I worked in the Personal Care division in Finland for 1,5 years before I was offered a role as Nordic Marketing Manager for the brand Johnson & Johnson in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 2008 I had a baby and went on maternity leave. After that, I wanted to be closer to home in Finland, and left the company in 2010. I spent 12 years at a different company before returning to Essity in august 2022 as Commercial Director for Finland and the Baltics. We are 45 employees in the Finland and Baltics sales and marketing division, working with customers and categories to reach our consumers.  What first drew you to Essity back in 2004, and why did you come back years later? – In 2004, it was primarily the role that interested me. It was a position that combined category responsibility with marketing responsibility in close collaboration with customers. But the more I got to know the company, the more I realized that my personal values align with those of Essity. That was also the main reason for me returning last year. Essity has four core beliefs and behaviors: care, courage, collaboration, and commitment. They guide us in our ways of working, decision making, expectations and approach to our business. What makes you enjoy working at Essity?  – I have a really great team. Essity is full of competent and skilled employees, and having those kinds of people around you is very motivating. Essity is also at the forefront of development, which is exciting as well as challenging. In Finland especially, we have a high market share, resulting in close relationships with our customers and an opportunity to really affect Finnish retail trade. Why do you think others should apply for work at Essity?    – Because it’s a highly value-based company, working here feels meaningful. I go to work every day and feel like I can make a difference and improve people’s everyday lives. Essity is also an employer who puts a lot of focus and effort into us as individuals. There are great opportunities for me and my colleagues to learn new things and advance in our careers. Name: Maria Estlander Titel: Commercial Director Finland and the Baltics   Education: Master of Science in Economics, Hanken in Helsinki, graduation 2000 Favorite Essity innovation: Washable Absorbent Underwear

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  Company life

  DEI is an important part of Essity’s sustainability agenda

  Pia Höök has been a researcher at Stockholm School of Economics, and worked with diversity and inclusion at two of Sweden’s biggest companies. Today, she holds the position of Essity’s first Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). How come you started to work at Essity?  – There were several reasons. After pursuing an academic career as a researcher within the field of gender and organization, and then having led the global inclusion and diversity work at Volvo Group and Skanska, I felt ready for a new challenge. As I did my due diligence on Essity I found that the company’s beliefs and behaviors resonated with me, and that DEI was at the core of several of Essity’s products and brands. It’s exciting to work for a company where DEI is equally important from a marketplace perspective, as it is from a workplace perspective. On top of that, I was intrigued by the focus on innovation and sustainability. To be able to work with a leading global hygiene- and health company that is actively working to break social taboos and stigmas relating to hygiene and well-being, felt like an offer I could not resist.  Can you describe your role?  – Again, Essity has already a good foundation in place when it comes to diversity and inclusion. But my task is to ensure we move from good to great in a systematic and globally aligned way. When I started at the company in 2021, we also presented three global DEI ambitions. The first one is to ensure an inclusive workplace, the second is to have gender-balanced leadership, and the third is to accelerate the transition to reflect underrepresented groups. My overall task is to support our business leaders and managers to make this happen and also to make sure that we address this in line with local expectations and needs.  Why would you say that DEI is important for a company like Essity?  – There are so many reasons, but I believe that it works to activate our purpose, beliefs & behaviors and strengthens the core of what we want to be. In addition, diverse and inclusive teams drive innovation and inclusive leaders positively impact engagement and performance. But DEI also makes us a more attractive employer since the talent of today wants to be in an inclusive and diverse environment. Last but not least, DEI is also an important part of our sustainability agenda. Why would you recommend someone to work for Essity?   – Personally, I find it very rewarding to work for a company that makes a difference. Our products and the brands really live up to our aim of breaking barriers to well-being. In other words, they make the lives better for people all around the world on a daily basis, and we also actively work with breaking taboos and stigma related to hygiene, health, and wellbeing. But apart from that it is also a very open and diverse workplace. It is a truly global company with employees of many educational backgrounds and experiences.  She adds:  – I think Essity is a company with unique development opportunities, and where you are constantly challenged to consider new perspectives.     Name: Pia Höök Titel: Vice President Diversity, Equity & Inclusion  Education: PhD in Business Administrations, Stockholm School of Economics