4 Introduction
1
" A lot of exciting things are happening in the sustainability field right now , both within the New Wave Group and in the world at large . Changed customer behaviors , new materials , innovations , and stricter legal requirements are some examples . These changes will affect how we conduct our daily operations in the future .”
CEO statement
Research , debates , and analyses help us identify , assess , and understand the harmful effects that human behaviors and resource utilization entail . Clarifying the need for more sustainable development and understanding our impact is , of course , important , but I believe this is an insight that many already hold . The major challenge and difficulty lie in how we proceed to make a real difference .
As I see it , this requires both expertise in finding and implementing actions needed to achieve development and improvement in various priority areas , and an overarching competence in working improvement-oriented , solving problems , and developing processes towards higher value creation . It ' s about finding a good balance between sustainability expertise and the ability to drive improvement efforts to develop the business .
With a strong organization and consistently increased expertise in sustainability issues , combined with local presence in production countries where our impact is greatest , I am convinced that we are well equipped to continue operating in a profitable and more sustainable way . As I have previously emphasized , we have a great strength and advantage in our procurement strategy anddirect purchasing without agents and intermediaries , thus also creating conditions for good dialogue and real impact where it is needed the most .
During the year , we have continued to work on improving processes and implementing system support to meet increased demands for information and transparency . With adaptations to the EU ' s new law on sustainability reporting , CSRD ( Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ), we have also worked on developing policy documentation , mapping our emissions , and conducting double materiality analysis to assess the actual and potential impact of our operations on people and the environment . Overall , this lays the groundwork for further discussions on goal formulations and reduction plans . The broad strokes are based on research and expertise . However , we have work to do to formalize our work in a more detailed way , which will also increase awareness and competence in sustainability across the Group ' s companies .
I look forward very much to continued work and the opportunity to drive sustainability efforts that make a real difference . Thanks to all employees , the board , retailers , customers , and other stakeholders who support us on this journey .
Torsten Jansson CEO