Inwido – a company that practices what it preaches

Inwido AB develops, manufactures, and sells windows and doors, ranging from premium brands to low-cost online offerings. The company has been listed on the stock exchange since 2014 and has 32 subsidiaries in 11 countries in Europe. The customers of these companies range from private consumers to craftsmen, suppliers, and construction companies. Inwido is known for its sustainability work, and we have talked to Lena Wessner , EVP HR, Organization and Sustainability, and Jonna Opitz , EVP Communications & Premium, about their important commitment.?

Lena Wessner tells us that they have been working with ESG since 2017, something that is enormously important for the Group, and must be anchored throughout the organization.

"We have divided our sustainability work into a "sustainability compass" where the ambition is to give more than we take. We must be active in environmental issues, be a good workplace and be a responsible company. We invest heavily in our operations to reduce climate impact, safer workplaces, a better quality of life for our customers, and a return to our shareholders. Since 2019, we have halved our carbon dioxide emissions for scope 1 and 2, and our ambition is to be carbon neutral by 2050."

Unlike CSR, which is a voluntary commitment without guidelines for companies, ESG work must take the EU taxonomy into account, which defines what is considered to be environmentally sustainable economic activity and have clear KPI’s internally and publicly. A new legislation has also been added with more reporting points for listed companies' annual reports. In 2021, Inwido joined the Science Based Targets Initiative to help refine the business' long-term emission reductions to contribute to the 1.5-degree target and work actively to comply with the UN's global goals.

Inwido has sustainability meetings four times a year with different themes where they share their experiences and best practices.

"The management team may have a lot of opinions, but it's the businesses that actually does the work. It is important for us to work with social aspects. Our subsidiaries are often located in rural areas, as they are located where there is proximity to one of our main raw materials, wood. Because we are large local employers, we try to be active in those communities. Among other initiatives, our company Outline in Denmark has a collaboration with the municipality in Fars? to help people who have been long-term ill or unemployed to get work training with us, both in administration and manufacturing. It has been very successful and is now being tested in other companies. It is important that we set an example as a large employer and for us it is a win-win as we get new employees who gradually learn our business. The social aspects are something that we're going to focus more on.", says Lena.

One of Inwido's social engagements is to support Stiftelsen Henrik Superman (Henrik Superman Foundation). Jonna Opitz is board member of the foundation, an organization that supports children with childhood cancer by enabling something that the children wish for when the family does not have space either financially or mentally. Parents often have to reduce their working hours to take care of their child and the economy can become very strained. By financially fulfilling dreams, for example a trip or a playground in the garden, can mean a lot. The foundation also supports research in the field. The foundation was co-founded by Inwido's former CEO H?kan Jeppsson, whose close friend lost his son Henrik to childhood cancer. The doctors called Henrik Henke Superman as he was a real fighter and spread joy.

"It can be a pet providing comfort, fixing up the room, an iPad or a television to the room in the hospital. Since the children are often isolated in the hospital due to the risk of infection, a mobile phone can be very important to be able to keep in touch with friends. Even siblings of the sick child need attention as it is a very tough situation for them as well." Jonna explains.

The ambition to be the industry's best employer with the industry's best CEOs is a common thread that runs throughout the Group. It has provided competent and motivated employees and a great skills development. Good leadership is one of the foundations of a business's success, and it is important to Inwido that all employees develop.

"Inwido as a company is down to earth and care about people, how they thrive and are towards each other. All managers should be accessible and easy to get in touch with, be out in the organization and meet their employees who have tremendous pride in the local brands. It is important that our local CEOs feel that they control and run the companies while we at Inwido help them with certain tools and frameworks."

You can support Henrik Superman by, for example, becoming a monthly donor. Companies can make a donation for Christmas or arrange races or other events for the benefit of the foundation. Read more here: https://henriksuperman.se/