Once again, International Paper and Always® celebrated International Women’s Day by teaming up to address period poverty – an issue facing more than 500 million women and girls globally.
Period poverty is the lack of access to adequate menstrual health management supplies and education. It’s an issue that leads to a number of problems like school truancy, reproductive issues, health risks and unnecessary shame.
In 2022, IP and Procter & Gamble’s Always® brand joined forces to expand awareness and impact by hosting 45 packing events and distributing 25,000 kits across U.S. and non-U.S. locations. This resulted in more than 600,000 units of product being made available to women and girls who need them most.
IP was honored with an inaugural award from The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for this intitiaive.
International Paper and Always will team up together again in 2023 and thanks again to a generous donation from Always, International Paper volunteers will hold more than 40 FemCare packing events at facilities across the company to provide feminine care products donated by Always . These kits will be distributed to schools and other organizations in packaging donated by International Paper to communities across the globe.
“At International Paper, we strongly believe in empowering girls and women,” says Clay Ellis, senior vice president, Global Cellulose Fibers. “I want to thank Always for their continued partnership and express my immense gratitude for our IP team members for being a force for good in our communities. When girls and women have access to the products and resources they need each month, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish.”
This collaboration between International Paper and Always aims to raise awareness and address the impacts of period poverty felt by girls and women around the world. It is essential to have an equal playing field and the time is now to #endperiodpoverty.
