Building sourcing competence and awareness
Responsible sourcing requires both knowledge and continuous learning. At Essity, sustainability considerations are integrated into everyday procurement processes, helping our teams identify, assess, and manage environmental, social, ethical, and human rights risks throughout the supply chain.
Building Internal Competence
Our employees receive regular training on topics such as human rights, responsible sourcing, sustainability risk assessment, business ethics, and evolving legal requirements. A dedicated sustainable procurement team supports the organization by monitoring emerging risks, regulatory developments, and best practices, and by continuously improving common processes, tools, and training programs.
Understandin Supplier Risks
Essity combines information from multiple sources to assess supplier risks, including supplier visits, audits, questionnaires, sustainability platforms, and external risk-monitoring tools. Long-term supplier relationships and ongoing dialogue also deepen understanding of potential risks and improvement opportunities.
Supporting Supplier Development
Building supplier capability is an important part of Essity's responsible sourcing approach. Depending on the supplier and the identified risks, support may include:
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Training and awareness programs
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Industry and certification-based learning initiatives
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Audits and corrective action plans
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Sharing of best practices and continuous improvement activities
Essity also collaborates with external organizations, certification schemes, and industry initiatives to promote responsible business practices throughout the supply chain.
Driving Continuous Improvement
When audits or assessments identify gaps, Essity works with suppliers to develop corrective action plans and strengthen their capabilities. Our approach is based on collaboration and continuous improvement, helping suppliers meet our requirements while reducing sustainability risks across the value chain.