Holmen's continuous dialogue with its stakeholders raises the Group's awareness of what the stakeholders expect from it – and vice-versa. Holmen defines/identifies its stakeholders in terms of their role and relationship with the company, for example customer, partner, seller/supplier, financier/co-owner, employee, person living near a mill, consumer of Holmen's forests and energy assets, public authority, opinion leader or competitor.
The dialogue with stakeholders is a natural feature of day-to-day activity in the Group. It comprises everything from the management’s commitment on strategic issues to the mills’ contacts with authorities and the community. Dialogue can also be requested by external stakeholders.
International sustainable analysts continuously evaluate Holmen’s sustainability efforts with the aim of identifying companies that work well on sustainability issues. This in turn is an important basis on which to identify strengths and weaknesses and enhance sustainability efforts. Holmen regards open communication on sustainability efforts as a means of strengthening the Group’s brand. It also helps in generating greater value for Holmen and its stakeholders.
The most important groups of stakeholders and a selection of recurrent issues are described below.
Shareholders, investors and analysts
Holmen endeavours to convey a true picture of the Group from the point of view of sustainability. Shareholders, investors and analysts are informed about economic,
environmental and social issues in the Group through channels such as analyst meetings and the Holmen website. Shareholders have an opportunity to put questions to the Board and company management at the Group’s Annual General Meeting.
Holmen regards it as natural that it should be scrutinised in relation to economic and sustainability issues and it takes part in a large number of surveys and interviews every year. The Group finds this scrutiny valuable in identifying strengths and weaknesses. Most issues in recent years have concerned the Group’s policies and compliance with them, the Board’s work on sustainability issues, human rights and the company’s work on climate change.
Customers and business partners
Holmen attaches a great deal of importance to long-term relations with its business partners. Customers make demands of Holmen with regard to products and services, good business practice and the way in which the company deals with key sustainability issues. Holmen makes the same demands of its suppliers of input materials and services.
Holmen regularly monitors what customers think about the company. Where necessary, action plans are drawn up. In the past few years, many questions from customers have been concerned with climate change, forest certifcation and traceability of wood.
Society
Holmen’s forestry and industrial operations have an impact on the public and other interests in society. Holmen undertakes activities aimed at influencing politicians and authorities on environmental, transport and energy issues through the Swedish Forest Industries Federation.
Holmen maintains close and regular contact with authorities, other land users and the rest of the business community. Holmen endeavours to provide the public, the media and opinion formers with a true picture of the Group’s activities.
Permit appraisals of the Group’s operations are performed continuously. Where required, matters relating to soil pollution at discontinued industrial sites are also addressed. All investigations and actions are carried out in consultation with the environmental authorities. Local residents are consulted in cases where Holmen’s industrial sites are located close to communities.
Consultation with the reindeer herding community
Holmen's forest land in northern Sweden largely overlaps the reindeer winter grazing land of Sami communities. There are thus two users of the same land with different requirements and circumstances, which has led to a number of conflicts over the years. These primarily concern the lichen-dominated land that reindeer need when they are in the forests, but fertiliser application and lodgepole pine are other issues raised.
Consultation with the reindeer herding community is important if both businesses are to function side by side. By reconciling forestry plans and reindeer management plans it is possible to resolve many issues at the planning stage.
Present and future employees
Holmen has a clear aspiration to be an attractive and responsible employer by offering motivating and challenging work.
When changes or closures at industrial sites affect the size of the workforce, Holmen endeavours to take clear social responsibility in order to mitigate the problems faced by those affected.
Employee surveys are conducted every two years and provide a basis for improvements. Holmen’s aspiration is that its employees should feel a sense of participation in the business through personnel meetings, internal media and dialogue with employees and unions.
Holmen conducts a range of different activities for schools and universities. The company also co-operates on the projects of doctoral and licentiate students, welcomes students working on degree projects and offers a large number of summer jobs.
Whistleblowing
Employees and people who follow or do business with Holmen, such as customers, suppliers, financial analysts and others, can contact the management at Holmen using the e-mail address fairness@holmen.com. This channel can be used to provide important information about any deficiencies in Holmen’s financial reporting or to submit complaints or comments about possible areas for concern at the company.
Foundations associated with Holmen
The Kempe Foundations support research and education in the natural sciences in the counties of Västernorrland, Västerbotten and Norrbotten. In recent years the foundations have allocated around SEK 45–80 million per year. In 2011, SEK 46 million was allocated, most of it going to Umeå University, the Luleå University of Technology, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå, and to Mid Sweden University and related research in Örnsköldsvik.
mailto:www.kempe.com
Karl-Erik Önnesjö Foundation.
A professorship in paper electronics was instituted at Linköping University’s Norrköping Campus in 2005. The professorship will receive funding from the foundation of SEK 1 million per year for 15 years from 2007.
mailto:www.onnesjostiftelsen.se