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Sustainability report 2021
Cebon Group AB
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.
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
- 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:
- 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:
- 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:
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.