Sara Tucker Brings More Than What’s on the Paper to Kimberly-Clark

As DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) has come under fire recently, it helps to look at the life and career of Sara Tucker to understand why fostering an inclusive workplace where employees can be their authentic selves matters.

Tucker wrote about court rulings relative to LGBTQ+ rights as an undergraduate in the early 2000s while earning her undergraduate degree in public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology. That was a time that preceded, by a decade, the US Supreme Court decision granting same-sex marriage equality across the country. Also, most of the country then lacked employment, housing, and public accommodation protections for the LGBTQ+ community—particularly in the southern “bible belt” states. At best, a “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” policy meant many people knew a big part of themselves was not welcome in the workplace.

After graduating with honors, Tucker proceeded to attend law school at Georgia State University, where she won an award for her dedication to pro bono work and was an associate editor for the school’s law review.

Fast forward to today where she is assistant general counsel for Kimberly-Clark, the maker of personal care products for brands including Cottonelle, Depend, Huggies, Kleenex, and U by Kotex. She is able to lead on legal matters in this sprawling company by bringing her authentic self to work, which includes raising a family with her partner.

She reports her life has been largely untouched by discrimination. “I’ve had a good experience in Atlanta,” she says. “Atlanta is a major metropolitan area with a lot of diversity, cool thinkers—a place that fosters lots of good dialogue.” The same welcoming nature is strong at Kimberly-Clark, which she joined in 2022 after more than a decade of working as a law partner in private practice.

Keep in mind the very common consumer experience with Kimberly-Clark products: tissues, toilet paper, diapers, and feminine products. Not only do many people use these products daily, but that use is intimate, meaning consumer trust is paramount.

Tucker is tasked with the legal side of product quality, regulatory, and compliance issues that protect consumers and the company. “Consumers expect our brands to be safe,” she says. “This includes products for babies, around which there are a lot of laws.”

Compounding the task is how the company operates in more than 175 countries, as does Tucker. Regulations in other countries aren’t always in sync with the US Food and Drug Administration, the agency that oversees some categories of personal care products. “Globally, there is variability with the FDA,” she explains. “We work with our legal partners in other countries to address these issues.”

Ideally, her work involves proactive risk management, preventing problems before they happen. She works closely with colleagues in far-flung locations, and she places a premium on face-to-face interaction. “You basically want to be the trusted advisor,” Tucker says. “I find that when working with anyone the most important thing is for them to understand the ‘why’ of what we’re doing.”

She acknowledges that, despite the preventive measures, a big part of her day involves reactive matter management. “It depends on the issue, whether it’s an internal investigation or litigation, but the most effective tool in most situations is to get the right people in the room,” she says. Part of her own expertise, which she brought to Kimberly-Clark from prior employment, comes from work with pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Those products included a variety of drugs and biologics, pain medications, diagnostic devices, surgical implants, cannabis, silica, cosmetics, and dietary supplements.

Through all of this, she hasn’t abandoned her roots in matters of social justice. Outside of her work for Kimberly-Clark, Tucker has done pro bono work in support of immigrants seeking asylum in the US. “They can’t possibly navigate the system without legal help,” she emphasizes. Also, on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she worked on a case involving reproductive rights and legal abortion access.

Tucker also involves herself, informally but consistently, in DEI activities at Kimberly-Clark and outside the company. In 2023 she served as a panelist in a discussion on what successful DEI looks like in the post-pandemic environment. “I think it’s important to stand up and participate,” she says. “At Kimberly-Clark, my experiences have been very positive and very inclusive. It’s an example where large corporations can be far ahead of other employers.”

That was one of several reasons she was attracted to the company. As well as, simply put, what it does and makes. “This company advances better care for a better world,” she says. “And with an inclusive atmosphere, I can show up as my authentic self.”