Essity has announced the appointment of Kate Prince as the new senior public affairs manager for the UK and Republic of Ireland. Prince, with her extensive background in PR, public affairs, and sustainability, is set to enhance Essity’s public policy initiatives and societal contributions.
Kate Prince brings a wealth of experience from her previous role at Kellogg’s. At Essity, she aims to fortify the company’s relationships with key decision-makers and opinion leaders, ensuring that Essity remains at the forefront of public policy debates.
Kate Prince Appointed as Public Affairs Manager
Essity has named Kate Prince as its new senior public affairs manager for the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI). She will lead the company’s public policy and societal interest strategies, aiming to enhance relationships with key decision-makers and opinion leaders. Prince’s extensive experience in PR, public affairs, and sustainability makes her a valuable asset to Essity.
Prior Experience at Kellogg’s
Prince brings with her over 25 years of experience in the industry. Notably, she spent 16 years at Kellogg’s, where she spearheaded social impact and sustainability programmes across the UK and Europe. Her work included collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and policymakers, playing a pivotal role in driving social and environmental initiatives.
Focus on Public Policy and Societal Impact
In her new role at Essity, Prince will be tasked with setting and advancing the company’s public affairs and societal impact agenda across both the UK and ROI. This includes managing Essity’s long-standing relationship with charity partner In Kind Direct, through which the company donates over 2.2 million essential hygiene and health products annually.
Stakeholder and Partnership Management
Prince will collaborate with various teams within Essity, encompassing consumer goods, health and medical, and professional hygiene business units. She will also work closely with Essity’s five UK manufacturing sites. Her goal is to ensure robust stakeholder and partnership management to anticipate and influence public policy effectively.
Comments from Essity’s Leadership
Lee Doherty, VP Consumer Goods UKI & MEA at Essity, highlighted the significance of Prince’s appointment. “Recent years have seen the healthcare policy and regulatory environments across the UK and ROI shift at scale and pace, impacting our industry from manufacturing operations to end consumers in turn,” he stated. He emphasised the need for industry insight to inform future decisions, particularly with the new government in place.
Prince’s Vision for the Future
Prince expressed her enthusiasm for her new role, noting the pressing environmental challenges and evolving healthcare landscape. She stated, “Essity has a real opportunity to enter and shape the conversation, making a tangible impact on some of the very real issues that our society faces today.” She looks forward to leveraging her expertise and contacts to ensure Essity’s influence in future industry developments.
Essity’s Role in Shaping Healthcare Policy
Essity has been active in shaping healthcare policy, particularly through its incontinence campaign, which advocated for value-based procurement. Research from Essity revealed that opting for the cheapest incontinence products costs the NHS an additional £520 million annually. This initiative led to a policy change in the House of Lords, set to provide new procurement guidance for NHS Trusts.
Essity’s North-West Operations
Prince will be based in Essity’s Consumer Goods office in Didsbury, Greater Manchester. The office’s location is strategic, being close to Essity’s Trafford Park paper mill. This mill produces kitchen rolls, toilet rolls, and own-brand labels for major UK retailers, playing a significant role in Essity’s operations.
The appointment of Kate Prince signifies Essity’s commitment to advancing its public affairs and societal impact strategies. With her extensive experience and expertise, Prince is poised to drive meaningful change and influence public policy for the betterment of society.
Essity looks forward to the innovative contributions Prince will bring to the table, further establishing the company as a credible and influential entity in public policy and societal matters.