Essity is a global hygiene and health company behind some of the UK’s most recognisable brands, including TENA, Tork, Bodyform, Cushelle, and Plenty. Operating across consumer, professional, and healthcare sectors, Essity plays a pivotal role in supporting wellbeing through essential health and hygiene solutions.
In 2024, Essity appointed PR Agency One as the first retained agency to elevate its corporate/B2B reputation in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The goal was to establish the brand as a trusted, innovative, and sustainable partner across the value chain – reinforcing confidence among stakeholders, media, and industry leaders, while increasing visibility for its UK operations and ESG leadership.
Organisational objectives
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- Enhance brand recognition in UK & ROI as a global hygiene and health leader
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- Reinforce trust in Essity as a responsible and innovative business partner
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- Support reputation-building across healthcare, sustainability, and employee engagement
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- Promote commercial and regional success to key B2B audiences
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- Boost long-term confidence in the company’s consumer portfolio
Communications objectives
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- Drive consistent, high-quality media coverage in trade, business, and regional press
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- Position Essity as a thought leader on public health, gender equity, and sustainability
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- Highlight commercial success and operational excellence in the UK and ROI
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- Generate local visibility around mill operations, workplace culture, and community impact
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- Build search visibility and credibility through authoritative digital PR and backlinks
The campaign
PR activity kickstarted in August 2024, anchored around a proactive B2B press office that focused on corporate milestones, social impact, and operational excellence.
We secured a drumbeat of coverage that communicated real-world outcomes, from sustainable manufacturing to menstrual health programmes in schools. Every story was tied to the benefit for stakeholders and communities – showcasing Essity’s leadership not only in products, but in lived values.
From January 2025, the brief expanded to incorporate regional PR activity for four of Essity’s mills in the UK, enabling broader local storytelling and thought leadership opportunities. Whether announcing investment, celebrating safety records, or highlighting charitable giving, each activation reinforced Essity’s position as a modern, purpose-driven manufacturer.
Campaign Activity
PR activity kickstarted in August 2024, anchored around a proactive B2B press office that focused on corporate milestones, social impact, and operational excellence.
We secured a drumbeat of coverage that communicated real-world outcomes, from sustainable manufacturing to menstrual health programmes in schools. Every story was tied to the benefit for stakeholders and communities – showcasing Essity’s leadership not only in products, but in lived values.
From January 2025, the brief expanded to incorporate regional PR activity for four of Essity’s mills in the UK, enabling broader local storytelling and thought leadership opportunities. Whether announcing investment, celebrating safety records, or highlighting charitable giving, each activation reinforced Essity’s position as a modern, purpose-driven manufacturer.
What We Did
Key tactics included
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- Reactive and planned press releases focused around sustainability, gender equity, innovation, and workplace safety
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- Executive thought leadership around NHS procurement, social impact, and health equity
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- Local PR for mill sites across the UK, amplifying environmental milestones and employee stories
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- Features and commentary in top tier trade, regional, and national titles, including: The Grocer, Raconteur, Business Live, HR Magazine, Manchester Evening News, The Leader Wrexham, Lancashire Post, Deeside.com, The Manufacturer, Edie, Clinical Services Journal, PRWeek, Green Business Journal, and MSN
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- Award entries and interview briefs for senior stakeholders
Our Campaign
What we did
PR Agency One delivered a highly targeted B2B PR programme that blended corporate comms, regional storytelling, and sector-led media relations. We turned everyday milestones into meaningful stories that resonated with media, stakeholders, and employees alike.
Our efforts ensured that Essity was consistently present in the right conversations, from sustainability leadership to gender health equity, while also enhancing visibility at local level through mill-based news and initiatives.
Essity Loo Roll Essity hand out toilet roll to Nottingham University students as part of their recruitment drive. Essity, one of the UK’s leading hygiene and health employers, is launching its graduate recruitment drive by printing detailed job advertisements directly onto toilet paper. These loo rolls have been placed in high-traffic university cubicles at the University of Nottingham to engage prospective talent exactly where they’re likely to take notice. Essity’s goal is to bridge the gap between student career uncertainty and the company’s graduate employment opportunities in essential fields.
The results
Through consistent press office activity and smart narrative framing, Essity’s profile saw sustained growth.
Coverage was secured in regional, trade, and national outlets, spanning health, communications, manufacturing, sustainability, and business media. Campaign storytelling centred on themes of trust, community, innovation, and wellbeing – aligning with some of Essity’s core brand values.
A strong pipeline of stories, combined with improved media access and sharper messaging, ensured visibility at both corporate and grassroots levels – building a holistic reputation across B2B audiences and communities across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Campaign Results
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- 80+ pieces of media coverage from August 2024 – June 2025
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- Featured in the likes of The Grocer, The Manufacturer, PRWeek, Grocery Gazette, Business Live, and more
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- 31.2m+ total reach across national, regional, business, and trade titles
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- 19 pieces of online coverage with a strong average DA of 52 included backlinks, supporting SEO performance
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- Essity overtook a major competitor in branded search volume for the first time in the last period analysed (Q2 2025)
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- Strong and consistent share of branded search vs other competitors
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- Contributed to award-winning recognition of mill initiatives in workplace safety
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- Significant uplift in media presence across the North West and other key regions
Final thoughts
This campaign transformed Essity’s position in the UK into a respected B2B leader in health and hygiene – a corporate brand distinct from the individual consumer and professional hygiene brands it embraces.
By embedding purposeful storytelling into corporate and regional PR, we built media visibility, brand trust, and digital discoverability – all essential for long-term market confidence.
The strategy demonstrated how a focused B2B press office can amplify brand reputation, generate measurable impact, and position a business as an indispensable voice in its sector.
