IP Empowers Women and Girls With 30,000 Period Product Kits in 2023
Jeanne Sanders and volunteers from International Paper’s Dothan Sheet Plant in Dothan, Alabama, packed 500 period care kits to go to two local Dothan non-profit organizations: House of Ruth provides safe shelter for women and their children escaping domestic violence; and, the Girls, Inc., works to inspire one girl at a time to be strong, smart and bold. Trina Sieker of our Grande Prairie Mill was also part of a kit packing team that donated 500 kits to two local schools in Canada’s Grande Prairie Public School Division: Hillside Community School and Crystal Park School.
With localized impacts from a global program, IP has made a significant difference in the fight to end Period Poverty.
Period Poverty is the lack of access to period products and education – it affects at least 500 million women and girls globally, even in the most economically developed countries. IP partnered with Proctor & Gamble’s Always® brand for the Fighting Period Poverty in Our Communities campaign to support local organizations where we live and work. In the U.S., 1 in 5 girls have missed school due to lack of access to period products – that is more than 3.5 million girls. It’s an issue that leads to problems like school truancy, reproductive issues, health risks and unnecessary shame.
This cause is a natural fit for IP. IP's fluff pulp goes into more than 100 billion feminine care products each year. In 2023, IP advanced its period poverty campaign by hosting 60 kit packing events across 9 countries providing 30,000 Period Care kits comprised of more than 720,000 units of product given to directly the women and girls who need them most.
At IP, we are incredibly proud to be a force for good in the communities where we live and work. Sanders and Sieker are just two of so many IP employees who have taken a step to fight to #EndPeriodPoverty.
About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a global producer of planet-friendly packaging, pulp and other fiber-based products, and one of North America's largest recyclers. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 39,000 colleagues globally who are committed to creating what's next. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2022 were $21.2 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com.
