Kimberly-Clark Corporationis deepening its commitment to advancing essential care for women and girls through four enhanced strategic, charitable partnerships. Through new programs with Baby2Baby, Plan International, Project HOPE and UNICEF, Kimberly-Clark aims to expand access to life-changing care in Brazil, Peru, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and the U.S. Taken together, these partnerships will work to improve the lives of an estimated 24 million women and girls over the next three years. 
 
This announcement is a direct result of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation‘s recent sharpening of its strategic focus: to advance essential care for women and girls on their journeys through puberty and motherhood. The foundation will fund this three-year, $28.7 million commitment, which focuses on menstrual care and maternal & infant care. 

Every seven seconds, a woman or infant dies during or shortly after childbirth, according to the World Health Organization. Furthermore, approximately 500 million women and girls lack access to resources to manage menstruation, as reported by the World Bank. Despite the difficult landscape, opportunities to uplift women and in turn—entire communities—abound: according to the World Economic Forum, “Investment in women’s [health] is unrivaled in its return on the investment for the health of all of society.”

“We envision a world where women and girls everywhere can receive equal access to the fundamental care they need to thrive,” says Mike Hsu, chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark and president of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation. “Kimberly-Clark invented the feminine care category in 1921, and we’ve remained committed to advancing care for women and girls ever since. From developing innovations that meet our consumers’ unmet needs to deploying strategic social impact programming, we take great pride in our responsibility to work to improve the lives of the communities we serve.  Now, we’re aiming to accelerate our impact because we know Better Can’t Wait.”

The programs funded will focus on supporting underserved communities. Key initiatives will include menstrual hygiene and stigma-breaking educational programs for adolescents; programs to expand access to safe sanitation solutions; comprehensive perinatal and newborn care services; maternal mental health supports; and programs aimed at strengthening health systems to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable.

Kimberly-Clark’s alliance with Baby2Baby to provide essential baby items for families living in poverty began in 2011 as the nonprofit organization’s first corporate partner. In 2024, the company’s Huggies brand deepened this commitment by supporting Baby2Baby’s initiative to address rising maternal mortality rates in the U.S., in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Through the distribution of Maternal Health & Newborn Supply Kits, the program addresses the critical intersection of diaper need, newborn health and maternal mental health.

“We are deeply thankful to our longtime partners at Kimberly-Clark and their Huggies brand for their unwavering support. Thanks to their extraordinary donation and three-year commitment, we will make a greater impact in the fight against maternal mortality,” say Baby2Baby co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof. “With their help, we are expanding our efforts to deliver supplies to new mothers across 15 states, ensuring they have the basic essentials they need for themselves and their babies, especially during the often overwhelming postpartum period.”

Since 2020, Plan International and Kimberly-Clark, alongside its Kotex brand, have reached an estimated 11 million people through programs that support girls’ menstrual health. This evolved partnership serving the U.S., Brazil, China and Peru will create period-friendly community and school environments by ensuring access to supplies, bathroom facilities, and education that empowers girls to manage their periods with confidence and dignity.

Kimberly-Clark’s partnership with Project HOPE will expand access to menstrual and maternal health for women and girls in China and Indonesia. The initiative focuses on menstrual hygiene education, respectful maternity care, and mental health support. Through a life-cycle approach, the program empowers individuals from adolescence through pregnancy and early motherhood with education, digital tools and compassionate care.

Over the course of an almost 25-year relationship, Kimberly-Clark and UNICEF have worked together to improve the health and well-being of babies, girls, and women in 26 countries. Now, that legacy continues through a new multi-region initiative focused on menstrual hygiene education and access for girls and maternal health for young mothers across Brazil, India, Indonesia, Peru and Vietnam. 

While some of these charitable partners are long-standing collaborators with Kimberly-Clark, this marks a new chapter in how these organizations work with the foundation. By aligning around two critical impact areas—menstrual care and maternal & infant care—as part of the foundation’s new strategic focus, these partnerships address interconnected challenges that are often treated in isolation.

This integrated approach reflects the full continuum of care, recognizing the deep links between menstrual health, maternal wellbeing and infant development. As a company whose brands already serve these populations with essential products like diapers and feminine hygiene solutions in each of these regions, Kimberly-Clark is strategically positioned to make a meaningful impact, at scale, through these partnerships.

“We seek to lead with care in everything we do,” says Russ Torres, president and chief operating officer of Kimberly-Clark. “‘We Care’ is, in fact, one of our three core values. Whether it’s caring for our people, our customers, our consumers, or the communities in which we live and operate, care is at the heart of Kimberly-Clark. These strategic partnerships enable us to extend this value even further as we work to ensure women and girls around the world receive the essential support they deserve.”