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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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