In the autumn of 2024, Vilokan Group conducted a comprehensive stakeholder dialogue to better understand our stakeholders’ sustainability challenges, what is important to them, and what expectations they have of us. Below, you can read the full report.
Five key insights:
- Circular systems are no longer optional – they are necessary:
With water becoming an increasingly critical resource, the industry recognises an urgent need to purify and reuse water more efficiently. As one stakeholder put it: “Conserving water is as important as reducing carbon emissions.”
- Global crises are changing the playing field:
Events like the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change have changed the way companies plan and act. A global customer stated: “We need to make our production pandemic-proof and bring it home.” This reflects a broader trend in which companies are seeking local solutions to ensure continuity in their value chains.
- Economic sustainability is the key to success:
Despite technological advances, many companies feel that high initial investments are impeding transition. One participant summed it up clearly: “Many want to, but few can afford it.”
- The next generation wants action, not promises:
Students and young talents demand that companies take a clear stand on the climate. They are not persuaded by vague sustainability promises and seek employers who act concretely. A master’s student expressed it very eloquently: “My generation wants companies to take responsibility. Companies can be huge drivers of change.”
- Collaboration is the only way forward:
No one can advance the sustainable transition alone. A stakeholder from Volvo Construction Equipment stressed the importance of all actors taking responsibility: “How can we optimise our process to simplify things for the next actor in the chain?” Partnerships and new forms of collaboration will be crucial in the future.