Our Shared Ambitions

Our Shared Ambitions
Commitments and joint statements from the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future
We are ready to raise the bar
In 2023, we are ready to raise the bar. Our member companies have come further in their sustainability journeys since we were established in 2023. We are extending our scope to stay ahead of the curve and have agreed on more specific commitments for strategy and target-setting, reporting, and suppliers. Delivering on the new commitments will demand more from all our member companies and require substantial efforts from our CEOs. Through close collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and exchange of experience, we will keep driving the sustainability agenda and keep progressing towards our first set of commitments from July 2020. We are also in close dialogue with the Icelandic presidency in the Nordic Council for Ministers.
Our work so far
Over time, the Nordic CEOs have worked concretely and thoroughly, focusing on diversity, inclusion, and climate. In May 2021, we launched a guide for businesses on climate risk management (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, TCFD) with the support of Michael Bloomberg, Mark Carney and Mary Schapiro. The guide aims to inspire companies to commence their process of integrating the TCFD recommendations. In April 2022, we launched a Diversity & Inclusion Guide to help companies get started with diversity work.

We have also been engaging directly with Nordic governments, politicians, public leaders and other relevant stakeholders across the region to accelerate action and progress for sustainability. In August 2019, the Nordic Prime Ministers and the Nordic CEOs made a public statement about our shared vision and commitment to advance an economy where people and planet can thrive together, which included:
Pursuing climate diplomacy in international forums to deliver solutions with an impact on global emissions and to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement
Getting more done faster, considering the importance of making progress towards 2030
Being global leaders and advocates for climate action
Taking common steps to deliver towards gender equality
 
The larger European and international communities respect the voice of the Nordic private sector. We are in close dialogue with the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council in 2023 and the UN Global Compact to align and accelerate our efforts.
Vision of success for 2022 and beyond
Collaborating on climate change and diversity and inclusion
Joint commitment presented to Nordic Prime Ministers in August 2019
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are broadly accepted as the path to secure long-term human wellbeing, economic prosperity and a stable, resilient environment.
We, the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future, have joined forces to align our business models with the most important ethical, social and environmental issues of our time. We commit to implementing responsible business practices and integrating the SDGs into our companies’ strategies; a decision we consider to be a societal imperative as much as a commercial opportunity.

With 2030 fast approaching, we must do more to accelerate progress. Collaboration is pivotal to advancing inclusive growth and driving sustainability at the speed and scale needed. As a first step, we will strengthen our own respective efforts, deliver joint projects and promote greater public-private sector collaboration on two areas: climate action and diversity and inclusion.
1: Raise climate ambition across value chains
The SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement provide the direction of travel, and serve as a north star for business action. While Nordic countries are performing well in comparison with other OECD countries concerning SDG 13*: Climate Action, there remains substantial work yet to be done to achieve this goal, with significant opportunities related to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

We support these climate ambitions and are working to reduce the impact and direct emissions of our businesses. Moreover we will openly disclose how climate action aligns with our respective business strategies, investment decisions and operational activity.

Furthermore, we believe we can bring about even greater impact by playing an active role across our respective value chains**. We will work together to innovate and identify specific scalable solutions to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future coalition gives us the means to work on joint emission reduction projects and combine our diverse strengths for climate action. We also commit to strategic exchange of ideas and practices to help align our businesses efforts most effectively with the SDGs.

We will report openly on performance and progress on an annual basis.

* Bumps on the road to 2030
** Value chain refers to the full lifecycle of a product or process, including material sourcing, production, consumption and disposal/recycling processes.
2: Deliver on our ambition on diversity and inclusion
In the Nordic region, we have strong traditions of embracing a culture of diversity and inclusion. By building on our practices, we are certain we will drive greater progress towards all of the SDGs.

For us, gender equality is an important part of the broader themes of diversity and inclusion. While gender equality and women’s empowerment are represented specifically by SDG 5, it is integral to all 17 SDGs and achieving sustainable development. While the Nordic region has been at the forefront of closing the gender gap, there is still much more to do to achieve true gender equality.

We aspire for the Nordic region to continue to lead the way and set a replicable example for how to create diverse and inclusive workplaces where gender equality can be achieved. We aim to strengthen common reporting on diversity and inclusion. We will use the insights gained to share best practices across the region and join forces on actions to improve.
Joint action from Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future
and the Nordic Council of Ministers
The Nordic CEO for a Sustainable Future wish to foster a candid dialogue with the Nordic Prime Ministers around the challenges posed by our common commitments towards the Paris Climate Agreement and the SDGs.

Our deliberations must:
strengthen our respective concrete actions in the Nordics and beyond
assist in removing any policy obstacles
identify joint public-private projects.
We believe these initial topics of climate and diversity and inclusion will be the start of a longer-term collaborative approach that will drive positive change. We commit to periodic engagement and to communicate progress annually at milestone events, such as at the UN General Assembly.
Initial Commitment
The letter submitted to Nordic Prime Ministers in October 2018
Dear Nordic Prime Ministers,
We, Chief Executive Officers of leading Nordic enterprises and the GSMA, place societal value at the centre of how we run our businesses.

The adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Accord offer opportunities to embrace more sustainable and inclusive economic models. We also witness a changing tide amongst the mainstream investor community, supporting companies that demonstrate value to society beyond profits.
Recognising that change starts at the top, we, as business leaders:
Commit to responsible business practices and align our companies’ strategy to the SDGs, representing both a commercial opportunity and societal imperative. Our companies recognise the need to build sustainable, long-term and purpose-driven goals into their operating models.
Believe that the business community is well placed to be a key partner for sustainable development.
Will be ambassadors of change and believe that if enough leaders act collectively, we can inspire others to act. We know that to achieve the SDGs it is necessary to work across sectors to cross-fertilise ideas and experience. We will share learnings around measuring performance as well as impact.
Recognising that the support of all stakeholders is necessary and will be a catalyst for companies to achieve more, we call on:
CEOs and leaders of organisations, both public and private, to support efforts and join where appropriate calls and measures to achieve the SDGs as part of a modern economy
Governments to reward and support those companies who deliver on aligning their companies’ core strategy to the SDGs
Investors, who have publicly called for and supported companies to work towards being ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) leaders, to cooperate with business leaders in measuring impact
Signatories
The group represents companies across several industries and all Nordic countries.

Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future

Commitments and joint statements from the Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future

We are ready to raise the bar

Our work so far

Vision of success for 2022 and beyond

Collaborating on climate change and diversity and inclusion

Joint commitment presented to Nordic Prime Ministers in August 2019

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are broadly accepted as the path to secure long-term human wellbeing, economic prosperity and a stable, resilient environment.

1: Raise climate ambition across value chains

2: Deliver on our ambition on diversity and inclusion

Joint action from Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Futureand the Nordic Council of Ministers

Initial Commitment

The letter submitted to Nordic Prime Ministers in October 2018

Dear Nordic Prime Ministers,

Recognising that change starts at the top, we, as business leaders:

Recognising that the support of all stakeholders is necessary and will be a catalyst for companies to achieve more, we call on:

Signatories

The group represents companies across several industries and all Nordic countries.

Joint action from Nordic CEOs for a Sustainable Future
and the Nordic Council of Ministers