Investor AB sets long-term sustainability targets to further future-proof its operations and companies

0001-01-01 12:00

Investor has over several years developed a structured and business-driven approach to sustainability and is now taking the next step. As part of this ongoing work, the Investor Board of Directors has further decided on three focus areas and related targets based on Investor's impact both as a company and owner.

The three focus areas are:

  • Business Ethics & Governance
  • Climate & Resource Efficiency 
  • Diversity & Inclusion

“Today we announce our sustainability focus areas and targets to further futureproof Investor and our portfolio companies. This is a high priority at Investor and we will work through our board representatives with the ambition that our companies should remain or become best-in-class and outperform competition,”
says Johan Forssell, Investor’s President and CEO.

Johan Forssell continues:
Business ethics and governance is the foundation for our ownership model and we have zero tolerance for non-ethical business behavior. The corporate sector plays an important role in supporting the transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy and we have set ambitious targets for Investor and our portfolio. Diversity in mindsets and inclusion result in better decision-making – essential for building long-term successful companies.

Business Ethics & Governance
The Investor Sustainability Guidelines, which define the expectations applicable to Investor and all Investor’s portfolio companies to conduct their operations in a responsible and ethical manner, have been sharpened. They require, among other things, that Investor and its portfolio companies have adequate policies, processes and resources to manage and monitor business ethics, and that they have secure
whistleblowing systems in place.

Climate & Resource Efficiency
Climate change is accelerating faster than the efforts to address it. The business community has a key role in taking action and coming up with new innovative solutions to combat climate change and increase resource efficiency. Investor is committed to climate targets aligned with the Paris Agreement and has set targets to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The targets are:

  • To reduce Investor’s CO2e emissions by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 2016 (Investor’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions) 
  • To reduce CO2e emissions from the total portfolio by 50 percent by 2030 compared to 2016 (Investor’s Scope 3 emissions).
  • To ensure that all portfolio companies have relevant reduction targets related to their products, services and/or value chains (the portfolio companies’ Scope 3 emissions)

Diversity & Inclusion
Investor believes that building long-term successful companies requires people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Diverse teams characterized by inclusion stimulate innovation and drive better decision-making. Investor strives for diversity across all dimensions: nationality, age, gender,
education as well as differences in mindsets and experiences.

Investor's direction and targets towards 2030 are:

  • To actively promote diversity in all dimensions and encourage our companies to do so.
  • Investor and all portfolio companies measure the perceived level of inclusion among employees on a regular basis.
  • To reach a gender balance of 40/60 in the portfolio companies’ board of directors and executive management teams from an overall portfolio perspective and to maintain a gender balance of 40/60 in Investor’s group management.