We empower people and ideas so that they can shape a better tomorrow

Article - Cebon 

There is a great demand for innovative battery products that make a more negligible impact on the environment, precisely what these two companies want to take advantage of in their work.

”In 2025, there will be 150 000 Internet of Things-devices connecting to the internet globally every minute. These devices need to be powered by something, in many cases with batteries. This will lead to an estimated 75 000 000 batteries powering IoT devices being dumped daily in that same year. The vision of our company is, therefore, to offer a better and more sustainable solution for the IoT market, where technology cooperates with nature”, says Peter Ringstad, CEO at Ligna Energy.

Ligna’s supercapacitor, made of bio-based materials, focuses on self-powering electronics and is highly suitable for the IoT market. A product, considering its size, offers excellent sustainability impact with low energy for a more extended amount of time.

**Greater awareness of sustainability**
To bring a change in society, the knowledge of existing solutions must be spoken about by a broader mass of people. New technologies and innovative solutions with sustainability as the leading star is something that both Cebon Group and Ligna Energy are familiar with:

”Cebon Group offers expertise and products within battery solutions and energy storage systems with a clear sustainability profile. Together with Ligna, we will combine our passion for finding new innovative ways to store energy without harming the environment”, says Jérome Noris, General Manager – GPBM Industry.

**15 million for the project**
The collaboration between Cebon Group and Ligna got a great start at the beginning of their dialogue. Both parties have noticed a significant curiosity for the product they are now offering from different suppliers on the European market. The first meeting has led to a shared vision and a clear picture of how the product will be introduced to the IoT industry.

Cebon Group, with a solid background and over 35 years of experience within the battery industry, will now support Ligna in exploring the market and finding the best applications for this unique and futuristic product.

”We appreciate Cebon Group for their product- and application knowledge related to decades of experience in electrical storage. And to kick off our collaboration, we are delighted to announce we’ve been approved for the Eurostars grant with a project scope of 15 MSEK. This grant will add valuable resources to bring our products to the market, says Peter Rangstad happily.

“Ligna’s innovative product and sustainable profile align perfectly with the vision of Sparq Technology, our start-up company within Cebon Group. Our new collaboration feels very valuable for both of us because we can now widen our product portfolio with a product that means a lot for the IoT industry!” Jérome Noris concludes

New collaboration between Cebon Group and Ligna Energy - for sustainability within IoT.

We ignite tomorrow, that’s the statement that will lead Cebon Group’s latest addition Sparq into the future. 

Eyes are set on a sustainable energy future – here and now

**We ignite tomorrow**, that’s the statement that will lead Cebon Group’s latest addition Sparq into the future. A future that currently points to a continued tense period concerning the energy situation. A sustainable future is something we collectively work towards, not least in this area – Sparq, with their expertise in sustainable energy storage systems and energy solutions, is perhaps the best of these two worlds?

A new company has set its roots in Gothenburg, Sweden, under the safe roof of Cebon group. The owner company was established in 1986 and has since accuired companies in the battery/energy storage, lighting and fire safety fields. Sparq is Cebon Group’s newest subsidiary – a startup with a collective knowledge bank from the past 35 years. Victor Olsson, Sales Team Leader på Sparq, says;

**“Cebon’s latest venture, Sparq, will focus on innovative and sustainable battery and energy storage systems with the goal of exploring new business areas for the group, and contribute to a better tomorrow.”**

Sparq has a clear sustainability profile in its corporate approach. Their focus is on the energy solutions of the future applied here and now, for a sustainable energy future in the long run from several aspects. Not least when it comes to sustainable long-term relationships with business partners and clients. The company targets OEM companies in the industry and offers customized solutions for the needs that arise;

**"Sparq wants to facilitate the process of finding the right energy solution and implementing it for product development companies, projectors, installers and other stakeholders by contributing deep knowledge and expertise in energy storage and battery systems”, Olsson continues.**

Sparq wants to ignite tomorrow by expanding the electrification of our society in the near term and boost the overall sustainability work in the industry in the long term. Quality, expertise, innovation, sustainability and compassion are the core values that will light the way there.

Sparq is a technical company with deep understanding of energy solutions, energy storage and HMI. We are experienced with projects of various sizes, from single cells to large container energy storage systems, and we also have the competence and experience to combine battery solutions – such as HMI, harness, chargers, BMS and more. We make accurate quality controls of our suppliers to make sure we always deliver high quality products, and we are proud to say that we can offer a European production of energy solutions.

Eyes are set on a sustainable energy future - here and now

From its beginning, Cebon Group has taken ideas and turned them around into realities. Since we are an entrepreneur driven company there are many ideas coming from the employees, and at the same time, proposals are coming from external partners. With our mission to empower people and ideas, we are now taking the next step with Cebon Group’s core business and establish Cebon Incubator. This is a company which will gather internal and external ideas about new businesses and business developments and convert them to plans. Thanks to our many years so of experience, a broad network has been established and knowledge has been developed, and all of this, together with capital is something that Cebon Incubator will contribute with.

As a part of establishing Cebon Incubator, a Head of Incubator has been recruited: Ulf Sandberg, a long time experienced Gothenburger, who has wide skills and experiences in business development, international relations, go to market strategies etc., always with a strong relational build-up tone.

Ulf Sandberg, Head of Incubator at Cebon Incubator is eager to get it going:

"For me it’s inspiring to dig into new ideas and technologies, to learn about innovative ways of approaching challenges. That is for me what Incubators are about. To listen, to learn, to support and to nourish, to try to understand how and what can be done. Will this brilliant idea fit into what we do today? Will we be able to turn this idea into a new commercial product, a new department or even a new entity, where people can make their dreams come true? For logical reasons not all ideas will fly. Some will potentially be stored in a drawer, at least for a while."

Words from Stefan Rundéus, CEO Cebon Group:

"This is a very important step for the Cebon Group and will further secure our relevance and attractivity in the surrounding market environment going forward, and enabling us to capture, explore and develop our independence and long-term abilities."

[Read more about the incubator here](/en/idea-incubator)

Cebon Group establishes Cebon Incubator

Cebon Group continues to invest in growing markets through its partnerhsip with Trine. Making sure that people all over the world  

Our latest investment is in a company which is a green logistics provider, focused on electric material handling services such as electric forklifts. The company is transforming the Nigerian logistics industry by moving material handling operations from diesel-powered to modern electric units. Subsequently, creating qualified and socially secured jobs with a focus on female employment. 

"By establishing a training academy in West Africa, with the objective of opening up the sector to female professionals, Bisedge directly is contributing to setting new standards of gender equality." – Trine  

"This is an initiative that we strongly support, and feel is aligned with what is happening with our business at the time, as we have moved our Nordic warehouse to a building that has higher environmental standards. Thus, we wanted to extend our social and environmental impact in the logistical area." - Stefan Rundéus, CEO, Cebon Group 

All contributions from the investors will generate a loan which is set to reduce 1800 tons of CO2. 

Cebon Group invests in green logistics provider through Trine 

The new Nordic warehouse is placed in a logistical growth area, close to the harbor and logistics infrastructure and surrounded by many different tech industries. The moving is an expansion and development of our business where we will have the double amount of space compared to today. There is an adaption towards a greener performance, and new processes, new ways of working, new systems and new organization set-up will come in place – all with a focus on specialization, digitalization and globalization, to meet our customers’ needs.

[Click here to watch the warehouse movie](https://youtu.be/eDgCxjcxWtI)

Cebon group moves its Nordic warehouse back to the roots

"As the first supplier, we offer a complete range of environmentally friendly fire extinguishers for all situations", says Martin Kintom, Product Manager for Fire Extinguishers at GPBM Nordic.

**PFAS is a synthetic chemical substance that is harmful to both nature and humans.** Yet the presence of PFAS is increasing, including in drinking water. Today, regulation is underway in the EU to severely restrict the use of PFAS on the market.

"We know that PFAS is a dangerous substance and will be banned in the long term, which is why we as a company have decided to remove it, we want to be at the forefront when it comes to protecting people and the environment", says Martin Kintom.

He says that today the company has developed a complete alternative with the market's widest range of environmentally friendly fire extinguishers. The premium product is X-Fog, a PFAS and surfactant-free fire extinguisher for A-rated fires, i.e., fires in organic materials such as wood, textiles, and paper.

"Today PFAS foam extinguishers are available in most public environments such as schools, hotels, and other businesses, but you don't need a B-rated extinguisher in all these situations, X-Fog is an adequate and environmentally friendly alternative in public environments."

At the same time, he says, you should of course use a B-rated extinguisher, when necessary, i.e. in environments where flammable liquid fires can occur.

"For these situations, we have developed a PFAS-free B-rated extinguisher, which is part of our green range."

We now offer a complete range of fire extinguishers, all of which are PFAS-free. These include pure water extinguishers, X-Fog, water with additive and a PFAS-free foam extinguisher. In addition, there is a range of fire extinguishers based on the extinguishing agent AVD, which is designed for fires in lithium-ion batteries. AVD is based on the mineral vermiculite and is completely environmentally friendly.

"AVD is the only product on the market that has a vertical adhesion, which means that it does not run off like water but creates a solid surface that encapsulates the fire core and extinguishes the fire."

The full new range is now on its way to the market and will be delivered gradually to dealers over the coming months. **At the same time, as of 1 September, all models containing PFAS have been discontinued in Sweden.**

The next step is to proceed with the phase-out in Norway, Denmark, and Finland.

“The industry now needs to rethink its choices if future generations are to have the opportunity to enjoy clean drinking water. The options are now available.”

[Check out CGS' website here](https://www.cgsfire.se/)

First supplier with new extinguisher assortment, completely free from PFAS

Sustainability report 2021 - Cebon 

[Download here](https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:8e7f0309-a3d2-3662-b872-4a84032cb673) 

**About this report**
Cebon Group AB (hereafter ‘Cebon’) is pleased to present its 2021 Sustainability Report. The reporting period corresponds to our financial year (1 January to 31 December) and the information in the report refers to this period unless otherwise stated. This is Cebons first Sustainability Report; we will hereby report on an annual basis from 2022. The aim of this Sustainability Report is to provide transparent information to the company’s stakeholders about the company policies and initiatives in the sustainability space. The information in this report has been obtained from internal monitoring systems at Cebon, sustainability work is supervised by the management team and the sustainability coordinator and is based on the company’s vision to support green initiatives and to ‘do more’.

**Our sustainability strategy**
First and foremost – we are focused on abiding with the production, supply, ethical and environment regulations where we are active in. Secondly – we aim to do more. Our products are constantly upgraded for better quality and functionality and design to make them durable and long lasting. Our focus has always been to help consumers and industry to find the right product, both from the functionality aspects as from the sustainability perspective. Thus, we intend to provide customers with the right knowledge so that they can choose the most sustainable options. For example, most of our marketing activities on the consumer side is focused on promoting rechargeable products, as these have a much lower carbon footprint than single use energy products. We also intend to invest in initiatives/startups/projects outside our organizations which provide sustainable solutions as product/service.

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**UN Sustainable Development Goals**
In 2015, the United Nations produced its Sustainable Development Goals with the aim of moving towards a sustainable world. 17 social, environmental, and economic goals were mapped out that interact and influence one another. The 17 goals are as follows:

**Our external green initiatives - 2021**

1. GPBM x Swan Mark

Swan Mark was established in 1989 by the Nordic Council of Ministers as a voluntary ecolabelling scheme for the Nordic countries. The scheme sets strict environmental and chemicals requirements in products. 

Key highlights:
- The SDGs this initiative fits into are:
![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/135343/696x184/745f918b00/global-goals-11-12-13-w-bg.png)

2. GPBM x Trine

Trine is a financial platform which invests into solar energy projects in growing markets, thereby earning profit while making social and environmental impact. Cebon have a strategic partnership with Trine since 2017.

Key highlights:
- Environmental impact of said investment: 5383 tonnes CO2 avoided
- Number of people provided with clean power: 13,738
- The SDGs this initiative fits into are:
![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/135343/696x184/b214044ae8/global-goals-3-7-11-13-w-bg.png)

3. Cebon x Bjurtech

Since 2020, Cebon has initiated investments in green startups who have great potential to create a more sustainable environment. In 2021 we selected Bjurtech – a Norwegian electric boat startup – for investment. The company has designed and prototyped a 100% solar powered boat – called `Freepower´- to combat global warming and fuel poverty in the fishing industry. Along with the investment, the batteries and solar panels for the prototype were sponsored and delivered by Cebon. In 2022, Bjurtech aims to make a ready for market product and to scale up their production.

Key highlights:
- The SDGs this initiative fits into are:
![Img](https://a.storyblok.com/f/135343/696x184/b214044ae8/global-goals-3-7-11-13-w-bg.png)

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**Policies and requirements**
The activities within our supply chain are governed by legislation and industry standards. In addition, we have policies that govern the decisions taken in all operations. All onboarding of new employees includes these policies, and the policies are part of our supplier agreements. Below you can see the highlights of both our internal and external policies.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT: Our internal Code of Conduct summarizes the common rules and values that everyone within Cebon must work to create trust and good relationships with colleagues, customers, business partners and the world around us. Cebon strives for the highest level of ethical conduct and these rules must be guiding in all situations that affect our work and our business. This includes a zero tolerance for any forms of corruption and corrupted practices such as accepting or offering bribes, gifts etc. We expect every employee, regardless of position, to behave and represent the company in the best possible way in terms of professionalism, business acumen, trust in the environment and follow the guidelines given in the document in their professional practice.

HUMAN RIGHTS: Cebon supports and respects the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and accepts our responsibility to uphold the rights of employees and society in our operations. We engage with our suppliers to ensure that human rights of everyone involved in the supply chain is respected. Cebon will not trade with any country, company or individual against which the UN or the European Union has issued sanctions. We will regularly monitor all published information from these sources to ensure that we act in accordance with them. Cebon does not accept any forms of child labor and supports the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (the Convention on the Rights of the Child). We will make sure that the products we sell do not come from companies that use child workers. Cebon also respects the employees' right to form and join the unions they want and to bargain collectively.

GENDER EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY: Cebon values diversity among its employees. We do not accept discrimination or harassment in any of our workplaces due to gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, or age. Nor do we accept that anyone be discriminated against or harassed based on their political opinion or social or ethnic origin. We also ensure that salaries and benefits reach at least the statutory levels and / or the minimum industry standard in the countries in which we operate. We also reward employees with individual salary development through performance without discrimination.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Cebon provides factual and open information about our environmental initiatives to employees and other stakeholders. Suppliers are expected to operate in line with our mission and initiatives. Suppliers must therefore know and comply with requirements in accordance with national legislation, regulations, and industry standards. This includes having knowledge of and control over its environmental impact, as well as continuously working on improving environmental measures in its operations. We strive to constantly use the most environmentally sound technology that makes financial sense with every investment.

SUPPLIER CODE OF CONDUCT: Our Code of Conduct for suppliers sets down our expectations and requirements from our suppliers for implementing and maintaining highest standards in their supply chain. These include adhering to local legal requirements, providing a safe and healthy working environment to employees, no child labor, fair wages and freedom of association to its employees. We expect our suppliers to use the natural environment carefully and diligently, with a focus on efficiency (resource reduction) and proper management of waste/pollution. The suppliers are expected to continuously monitor and apply correction measures in any activities which they find has veered out of our standards and expectations.

**Our company culture**
Our employees are our most valuable resource and is therefore critical for us to create workplaces where our employees can thrive, progress, and feel that their expertise makes a difference.

During the year, we have conducted periodical employee survey for all employees in all countries. The survey consisted of questions related to, among others, work environment, leadership, communication, workload and work-life balance.

From March 2022 onwards, employees in Sweden are covered by collective agreements between the Swedish Trade Federation and the various Swedish trade unions. These collective agreements regulate such matters as occupational pensions and various insurances.


Sustainability report 2021

As of June 2022, the technology group Infopro Digital Media, held its first award event to celebrate work within B2B marketing. Sandrine Isambard, Sales and Market Manager at GP Batteries France, was there to receive the Gold trophy in the category Social and ecological commitment. This is an award handed out to companies who are focusing on our environment in their communication, and CSR campaigns and environmental commitments in the media are rewarded. The jury’s motivation was that GP Batteries France has a clear communication about rechargeable and sustainable batteries and is actively working on changing the behavior of using batteries, from single use to rechargeable, and thus is well deserved of this award.

*Infopro Digital is a B2B group specializing in information and technology. Ranked 8th French technology group, the group is present in 18 countries and employs nearly 4,000 people. Its innovative solutions are aimed at professional communities in the 5 key sectors of the economy: construction and public sector, automotive, industry, insurance & finance, and distribution.*

[Read more about GP Batteries France here](https://www.gpbatteries.fr/)

GP Batteries France wins Gold Trophy for social and ecological commitment

Have a look at what is happening at Cebon Group!

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