The 2020's need to be a decade of action and progress if we want to tackle the world’s most critical issues of poverty, education, health, sanitation and hygiene, gender. Essity CEO Magnus Groth will in a fireside chat with Elisabeth Cousens, CEO and President of UN Foundations, address the implications and leadership learnings around COVID-19, and also look forward and discuss trends and opportunities for the decade ahead. 
 
Elisabeth Cousens says: "We are pleased to collaborate with purpose-driven companies like Essity, which has put the Sustainable Development Goals at the core of its mission to raise hygiene and health standards, particularly at this critical time". Indeed, Essity’s sustainable development approach is embedded into strategy and product innovation processes and contributes directly to progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 
 
Essity´s Health and Medical expert Prof. Dr. Karsten Hemmrich will be addressing antimicrobial resistance and deep dive into how knowledge, innovations and new ways of educating health care staff in hand hygiene are all part of combatting this potential next health threat. Experts from Accenture, Aviva Investors, Essity, Google, H&M, Microsoft, Tata and Walmart, as well as leaders from the UN including World Health Organization will all contribute in virtual discussions on this year’s theme: Bold Leadership for a Better Future. During the proceedings, we will discuss pressing global issues where businesses, governments and organizations can collaborate to have a meaningful impact and positive change. 
 
Sue Coates, executive director ad interim to the UN entity WSSCC says collaboration and partnership is crucial. "The SDGs are a call to action to stakeholders from all backgrounds: governments, UN, civil society, academia and private sector to work together to collectively implement solutions that benefit society and our planet." 
 
Today, Essity also releases the Hygiene and Health Report 2020-2021. It examines the ways that hygiene and health have become more important than ever as well as the role it plays in combating the issues surrounding COVID-19 and future challenges such as Antimicrobial resistance. The Essentials Initiative Survey indicates that 71% of people globally are concerned about the threat of antimicrobial resistance. Focus on this area has naturally declined this year due to the pandemic, but innovation work in infection prevention is crucial if we are going to be successful in preventing the 10 million prospective deaths from Antimicrobial Resistance by 2050. 
 
The report also examines the way forward in building more inclusive societies. Essity wants to break barriers to well-being in these areas to contribute to healthier, more equal societies. Another topic for today’s dialogue is ´Female Leadership for the Decade Ahead’. 
 
“This is an area I am passionate about particularly at Essity, where we have the power to have a meaningful impact on gender equality for future generations, I have seen the impact of what partnership between the private sector and NGOs can achieve. Our collaboration with UNICEF Mexico has educated thousands of children on menstruation and the importance of handwashing. I am proud to say that it will impact generations of children,” says Joséphine Edwall-Björklund, Senior Vice President Communications at Essity.
 
Judith Hernandez is one of our UNICEF Mexico ambassadors who took part in Essity’s leadership program, teaching girls leadership skills and breaking the stigma around menstruation.  Essity’s Global Communications Specialist, Sarah Jouanny is using her communication skills and experience with primary lymphedema to improve knowledge and care amongst patients and healthcare practitioners.