Essity strengthens commitment to gender equity by joining LEAD Network initiative

On January 29, 2025, Essity, Sweden’s leading global health and hygiene company, reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and inclusion by signing the LEAD Network’s “CEO Gender Equity Pledge”. The document was formalized by the company’s president and CEO, Magnus Groth, who announced his departure from Essity in 2025, together with the executive management team, at the company’s headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Essity’s goal is to guarantee a gender balance of between 40% and 60% at all management levels, as well as boosting the inclusion of under-represented groups. The initiative reinforces the company’s strategy to promote a more equitable and diverse corporate environment.

LEAD Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in the consumer goods and retail sector in Europe. The commitment signed provides for an increase in the organization’s gender diversity index from 37% in 2023 to 42% by 2027, with the aim of achieving parity within the next decade.

“At Essity, we know that an inclusive culture is key to deeper engagement and more insightful decision-making. By signing the CEO Gender Equity Pledge, we further emphasise our determination to ensure an inclusive work environment for all,” said Groth.

In addition to the CEO, the pledge was signed by Volker Zöller, President of Consumer Goods EMEA, Anna Sävinger Åslund, HR Director and Pablo Fuentes, President of Professional Hygiene.

Essity’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has also been recognized globally. For the fourth year running, the company was named a “Diversity Leader” by the Financial Times, reinforcing its position as a benchmark in initiatives aimed at gender equity and inclusion in the corporate environment.