Glatfelter Corporation, a leading global supplier of engineered materials, has partnered with Aakar Innovations (Aakar) from India, to increase access to period products for Indian women and girls while providing gainful employment to women in rural India through the conversion of Glatfelter’s repurposed airlaid materials. This initiative supplies period products to women who could not otherwise obtain these resources, promoting menstrual equity and advancing Glatfelter’s Core Values of Environmental and Social Responsibility.

Worldwide, 500 million women are estimated to be living in period poverty due to financial constraints or lack of access to adequate period products. In countries like India, many girls drop out of school once they reach puberty because they lack menstrual products. Additionally, approximately 70% of women and girls in India are unable to afford period products, which often leads to using harmful, unsafe alternatives.

“This project is Enhancing Everyday Life for women and girls by providing resources and means to access menstrual products to eliminate period poverty,” says Ramesh Shettigar, senior vice president, chief financial officer & treasurer of Glatfelter, who oversees the company’s ESG strategy. “Through the Make a Change initiative, we are a repurposing material away from landfills, reducing our environmental impact and demonstrating our commitment to social sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

As part of the company’s broader mission to advance sustainability efforts, Glatfelter has made several shipments of repurposed nonwoven material from its Gatineau, Canada, facility to Aakar, which will be converted into menstrual pads by village-level entrepreneur women in India. This material will create approximately 3 million pads, ensuring nearly 30,000 local girls and women are period secure for one year. This project will provide access to those who may not have period products and also invests in women by supplying access to capital, training, and resources to generate a viable income. The conversion of Glatfelter material will help sustain the employment of roughly 150 local women working in independent villages.

“The lack of access to period products for rural girls in India threatens the country’s educational progress. Through this ongoing project, we can maximize the access girls have to menstrual products, allowing them to receive the education that is important to their futures,” says Jaydeep Mandal, founder and managing director of Aakar.