SCA has the opportunity to meet social and environmental needs and improve the lives of millions of people. Through the innovation of products and business models, challenges can be transformed into business opportunities and form the basis for our future offerings.
SCA develops innovations for people and nature. These new solutions offer improvements for the user or for the environment. It may be a case of improved materials and more efficient processes or a smarter design and logistics. Innovations can also solve social needs in a new way and thus ultimately give us a competitive advantage.
Systematic creativity
SCA’s innovation process starts with insight about a need. By maintaining close proximity to our customers and consumers, understanding their needs and transforming this knowledge into products and solutions, SCA makes a difference in people’s everyday lives. By integrating environmental issues and social needs into the innovation process, we can monitor how we improve the sustainability profile of our innovations.
TARGET
We will deliver better, safe and environmentally sound solutions to our customers. We strive to continuously improve resource efficiency and environmental performance considering the whole life cycle for new innovations.
OUTCOME 2015
43% of SCA’s innovations improved in terms of social and/or environmental criteria.
Examples of SCA’s people and nature innovations include TENA Flex, TENA Pants, TENA Slip, TENA Comfort with ConfioAir, TENA Identifi, Tork EasyCube, Libero Touch and Arcwise.
Improved function and reduced climate impact
TENA has launched a number of innovations in recent years, such as the highly absorbent TENA Flex, the comfortable and thinner TENA Pants and TENA Slip, and TENA Comfort with ConfioAir. These innovations resulted in a reduced climate impact during the 2008–2015 period as follows: 13% for TENA Flex, 23% for TENA Pants, 15% for TENA Slip and 19% for TENA Comfort. Tena also pursued its TENA Solutions concept, whereby SCA helps nursing homes identify the best incontinence care solutions by offering procedures, analysis tools and training combined with innovative product solutions. A study of 181 nursing homes around the world that have implemented TENA Solutions showed clear improvements in 95% of the cases. The advantages include improved well-being for the residents, better work environment, less waste and lower overall costs. Read more in chapter Economic value creation – People and nature innovations.
Other products with a reduced climate impact:
reduction in climate impact 2008–2015
Tork paper towels
-11%
reduction in climate impact 2011–2014
Round corrugated board packaging offers exciting designs
Arcwise is a new technique that allows corrugated board packaging to be designed in round shapes. The technique unleashes a brand new world of innovative design possibilities, for example, the creation of shelf-ready packaging and displays in a way that was not possible before.
Research has shown that the shape of an object has a huge influence on how people react to it and round objects are preferred to sharp-edged objects. Another advantage of the round shape is that the package has improved strength compared with normal corrugated board packaging. Material consumption can thus be reduced by up to 30%.
The packaging can still be made in conventional machines and transported in flat sheets, providing efficient production and logistics. Visit www.arcwise.se for more information.
Smart solutions
Most would agree that fresh, clean toilets at work are important and Tork offers a broad range to solve hygiene needs. Softer design, better absorption, denser packaging and new technology are just some examples of innovation. The climate impact of Tork’s paper towels declined by 11% between 2011 and 2014. The design of the dispensers – allowing only one towel to be taken at a time – also reduces consumption, which is a prime example of how customer demand for better hygiene coincides with reduced environmental impact.
Tork EasyCube is an IT-based service for public locations, such as public restrooms, that provides real-time data on paper and soap consumption, giving an accurate overview of when and where toilets need to be cleaned and dispensers need to be refilled. See also the article in chapter Customer and consumer satisfaction.
TENA Identifi
A breakthrough innovation for continence care that was developed based on a distinct need of our customers in elderly care. The solution is based on a sensor product that registers how much urine is passed and when it reaches the pad. Three days of observations are used as the basis for a continence care plan, with individually adapted incontinence products and a toilet assistance schedule. The product offers several benefits – the well-being of the individual is improved and caregivers gain more time to do an even better job, often at a lower cost. See also the article in chapter Hygiene solutions.
Fits every baby’s bottom
Libero Touch is SCA’s biggest innovation in baby diapers in 20 years. The supersoft and comfortable diaper has been specially designed to be kind on the delicate skin of babies.
The softness of the diaper has been confirmed in both laboratory and consumer tests and the diapers are dermatologically tested. Libero Touch covers all assortments and, similar to other Libero diapers, the Touch range has been certified under the Nordic Ecolabel. The successful sales figures for the new diaper confirm that it was a long sought-after innovation.
In the 2008–2015 period, the climate impact in Europe declined 25% for open diapers and 15% for pant diapers.
