UNFPA and Essity collaborate to improve menstrual health in the workplace

UNITED NATIONS, New York - In a new partnership with UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, Swedish hygiene and health company Essity has become the first global partner to pilot and endorse sexual and reproductive health and rights metrics developed by the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business.

This partnership marks a significant step towards the global promotion of menstrual health metrics and gender equality across workplaces worldwide.

As a champion, Essity is committed to mainstreaming menstrual health metrics in the workplace, and advocating for gender equity in the private sector. Together with UNFPA, Essity will present initiatives related to the partnership at key global forums, including the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), to raise awareness and drive systemic change.

“Private sector workplace policies focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights can impact the lives of more than 190 million women,” said UNFPA Private Sector and Civil Society Branch Chief Mariarosa Cutillo. "Working closely with Essity, and by addressing the menstrual health gap, we can unlock opportunities for more than 40 per cent of the global workforce, ultimately enabling rights and choices for all.” 

Essity’s commitment to menstrual health aligns with its broader social sustainability goals, which focus on breaking barriers, increasing awareness and improving standards related to women's health. Through initiatives like Courageous Conversations, Essity fosters an inclusive workplace culture that recognizes the importance of menstrual health and support for employees who menstruate.

This partnership underscores the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to close the gap in menstrual health. By leveraging joint networks, UNFPA and Essity aim to amplify joint advocacy messages and engage new audiences, reinforcing the importance of menstrual health in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“An estimated 1.8 billion people menstruate every month. Yet millions of girls, women, transgender men and boys, and non-binary persons are unable to manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified, fierless and healthy way,” said Essity Chief Strategy Officer Sahil Tesfu. “At Essity, we see investing in menstrual health as integral to gender equality and human rights.”

Including reproductive health in ESG standards

In May 2024, UNFPA published a slate of new Environmental, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) metrics that organizations can use to score their efforts to safeguard and satisfy employees sexual and reproductive health and rights. 

These metrics, produced in collaboration with Accenture, measure organizations’ performance on a number of different sexual and reproductive issues, including the prevention of workplace sexual harassment and support for employees’ family planning goals