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Sustainable value creation

Long-term value is created by developing sustainable companies. Therefore sustainability is an integrated part of Ratos’s business strategy. This applies to both Ratos’s parent company and the work carried out as an active owner. Ratos also makes a difference in that our principal owners are foundations that promote research and, with it, community development.

Foundations as principal owners

Two of Ratos’s largest owners, the Torsten Söderberg Foundation and the Ragnar Söderberg Foundation, are among Sweden’s biggest private providers of funding for scientific research and educational programs (mainly in economics, medicine and law). The foundations are financed to a great extent with dividends from Ratos.

Community Involvement

Our community involvement springs from our 150-year history where responsibility has always been a natural part of our operations. Ratos co-founded Stockholm School of Economics and are a so-called Capital Partner, donating funds to the Department of Financial Economics.

Since 2014 we have a partnership with Inkludera, a non-profit organisation that works to combat marginalisation in Sweden by scaling social entrepreneurs who have developed innovative solutions to social problems.

Image source: © Hagströmerbiblioteket

Our four focus areas

Ratos has four focus areas for its sustainability efforts; Transparency and Corporate Governance, Business Ethics and Anti-corruption, Environment and Climate Impact and Employees.

Transparency and Corporate Governance

Sustainability is an important part of Ratos’s corporate governance. We place requirements on active sustainability work and transparent sustainability reporting. It’s done with a board that sets high demands for every company within the group, ensuring the companies comply with applicable laws, guidelines and policies on sustainability. The operational responsibility for sustainability work rests with the company’s CEO and management.

17,8%

Over the last 5 years, 17,8% (460 MSEK) of Ratos’s dividend went to Torsten Söderberg Foundation and Ragnar Söderberg Foundation

Business Ethics and Anti-corruption

Ratos requires the implementation of sound business ethics and proactive anti-corruption initiatives in its companies. All companies are to implement a Code of Conduct that, at a minimum, corresponds to Ratos’s Code of Conduct, which stipulates that recognised international conventions, human rights and employee rights and conditions must be respected. Every employee has a responsibility to report an incident if they suspect that an action is in breach of the company’s Code of Conduct through externally managed whistleblowing systems. Ratos imposes requirements on the prevention of corruption. The companies must carry out risk analyses and implement measures in order to manage identified risks.

Case: Aibel

E-learning tools and initiatives

Aibel’s Code of Conduct is kept alive through e-learning tools, a whistleblowing system and its Compliance Champions initiative.

Just like other Ratos companies, Aibel has a Code of Conduct to ensure a high ethical standard. An annual certification is carried out using an e-learning tool where all employees confirm that they have read and will follow the code. Aibel also has a program in place in which certain business units are appointed as Compliance Champions. The Champions carry out local compliance campaigns and become a vital link between the central compliance function and the operations Another way to ensure compliance is the digital whistleblowing system that enables an anonymous dialogue from first dialogue through to investigation and conclusion.

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100%

100% of Ratos’s companies
have a Code of Conduct

100%

100% of Ratos’s companies
have an external whistleblowing system

100%

100% of Ratos's companies
have a sustainability report

Environment and Climate Impact

Contributing to a better environment and reducing climate impact is at the top of our agenda. We demand that our companies report CO2 emissions, at the moment nine out of twelve do. We measure and reduce our consumption of energy and consumables, optimize business travel and adapt requirements when making purchases of goods and services.

Case: Hl display

Sustainable Choice

A growing number of retail companies and brands are setting goals for reducing their use of plastic. HL is part of the solution.

It has become the first company in the world with a similarly sized range to launch an initiative for sustainable retail design using renewable or recycled materials: HL Sustainable Choice.

The concept and solution were the result of a collaboration with the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Its purpose is to identify recycled and bio-based materials that have the right characteristics in order to create a high-quality product.

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Employees

We place great importance on strategic talent development, equal opportunities and diversity. A sound occupational environment is crucial to attracting and keeping on the right people. That means promoting the health of our employees including a sound work-life balance.

Case: Bisnode

An opportunity for diversity

Bisnode sees diversity as crucial to achieving success and being competitive in today’s market. To assist in this, there is a Code of Conduct that describes the measures that the company has taken concerning diversity and equal opportunities.

The goal is that the share of women in senior positions will increase by 2% per year from the current level of 30%. Bisnode’s active work with equal opportunities is an example of how Ratos’s companies contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal number 5: Gender equality.

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gender equality decent work responsible consumption climate action peace

The UN sustainable
development goals

We support The UN Sustainability Goals and have identified the areas where we have greatest impact. Gender equality, sustainable growth, being responsible consumers and producers, lowering CO2 emissions and good corporate governance are all relevant for us to address. This goes both for the group and our individual companies.

Policies and reports

Code of Conduct

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Environmental policy

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GRI-index

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Policy for sustainability, CR and responsible investments

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The annual report includes the Sustainability report

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Company reports

Aibel

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airteam

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Bisnode

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Diab

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HENT

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HL Display

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Kvdbil

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LEDiL

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Oase Outdoors

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Plantasjen

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Speed Group

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TFS

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Whistleblowing

You have an important role in raising your concern if you suspect behavior that is not in line with our ethical guidelines. This gives us the possibility to prevent or correct any wrongdoing. If you feel you cannot be open with your information you can report anonymously using our whistleblowing service. It is managed by WhistleB.

“WhistleB provides a third-party whistleblowing service that ensures the whistleblower’s anonymity when communicating with the employer. The service is completely distinct from the employer’s IT systems and web services. WhistleB does not maintain IP addresses or other data that could trace a whistleblower.” Gunilla Hadders, Founder, WhistleB.

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