SCA is committed to being a positive contributor to the communities in which the company does business.
SCA has a long tradition of community involvement. Historically, SCA has been involved in building entire infrastructure in certain areas, as well as businesses, housing and churches, as a means to attract labour. Today, this tradition of contributing positively to the community still permeates the global operations.
Some examples of areas in which SCA strives to be a good citizen and is assuming social responsibility are presented below. A large number of similar projects are undertaken worldwide.
Improving women's everyday life
During 2007, SCA supported the Dignity! Period. campaign launched by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA).
Millions of women and girls in impoverished or remote communities around the world cannot afford or have no access to basic sanitary protection. Many are forced to use newspapers or rags which leads to an increased risk of infection for which there is often little available medication.
During 2007, SCA supported the Dignity! Period. campaign launched by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA). SCA’s feminine hygiene care brand, Bodyform, involved consumers in the campaign which resulted in the donation of 250,000 packs of feminine care products and generated GBP 50,000 in donations. The ACTSA campaign aims to highlight the plight of women in Zimbabwe, where due to hyperinflation a pack of sanitary towels costs the equivalent of half a month’s salary. The campaign has raised awareness of the problems in Zimbabwe.
Support for cancer research
Each year several hundred thousand people around the world are diagnosed with cancer. SCA annually participates in a variety of activities and initiatives, in many countries, to raise awareness of and support research and education into various forms of cancer.
During 2007 SCA, through its tissue brand Sorbent, supported the Australian Daffodil Day, aimed at providing support to all those affected by the disease, with a donation of more than AUD 100,000.
In Central America SCA has partnered with an international pharmaceutical company to educate women about the risks of cervical cancer. This campaign targeted young women in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica. Regular screenings for cervical cancer are not common in all Central American countries.
Increased knowledge of incontinence
TENA is SCA’s brand for incontinence care products and SCA has been consistently working for many years to increase knowledge about incontinence and break through the social and psychological stigmas that still surround this condition.
The Observatorio Nacional de la Inconti-nencia (ONI) in Spain, the Fondazione Italiana Continenza in Italy and the Institut TENA in France are three multidisciplinary scientific organizations that SCA works with to break the taboo surrounding incontinence, raise standards of incontinence care, support incontinence research and improve training and information provided to healthcare professionals, opinionmakers and healthcare principals.
Other examples of community involvement:
- SCA and its employees in the US support the charity umbrella organization “United Way”, whose agencies provide essential services to people in need. Since SCA matches employee contributions dollar for dollar – USD 150,000 were contributed to United Way by SCA and its employees during 2007
- In 2007, Mexico suffered one of the worst natural disasters in the country’s history with severe flooding in the Tabasco region. This resulted in several SCA’s employees losing their homes and possessions. SCA sent medical personnel to the disaster area and donated personal care products, rubber boots, rainwear, torches, uniforms, insect repellent and medicines. SCA and its employees also collected USD 10,000 to employees affected by the floods.
- In August 2007, 29 employees from SCA Gennep, SCA Hoogezand and Interforest Terminal Rotterdam in the Netherlands participated in the “Ride for the Roses” and raised EUR 1,500 for KWF, the Dutch national fund against cancer.
- 105 SCA employees and their family members in Flagstaff and Belmont, Arizona, in the US, participated in the American Cancer Society annual Climb to Conquer Cancer in Flagstaff to raise money and awareness in the fight against cancer. More than USD 6,000 was raised.
- 36 employees at the Menasha paper mill in the US participated in the Sole Burner race to raise funds for cancer research. USD 1,300 was raised for the American Cancer Society
- SCA in Fiji has an ongoing programme of engaging with the community and providing assistance to charitable organizations. During 2007 organizations such as St Vincent De Paul, Fiji Cancer Society, Bainivalu Primary School, Homes of Hope, St Christopher, Red Cross and the Daughters of Charity were recipients of SCA’s efforts.
School children participated in the cleaning of the Kras National Park in Slovakia.- In the Slovakian village of Gemerskà Hôrka, SCA has been participating, in partnership with local authorities, in the UN’s Development Programme (UNDP) initiatives to develop the Domica region in a sustainable manner. During 2006, SCA participated in the clean up of the Slana River banks and during 2007 SCA employees were involved in a clean up in the Kras National Park. School children were invited to participate together with SCA as a means to help them develop a better understanding and appreciation of their natural heritage.