Power in Responsibility: Norex Reaches New Heights
“Responsible operations are a prerequisite for success. It’s everything,” says Tomas Lönnberg, CEO of Norex. “It’s the foundation of business.”
The idea of making a big leap in responsibility started with a suggestion raised by an employee last spring. The company listened and acted. The step was natural, as Norex’s values also require a focus on responsibility. Likewise, tightening legal requirements and a clear competitive advantage served as incentives. “We just had a feeling that now is the right time.”
From Words to Action
“We’ve just had the first workshop of the ESG assessment, where we familiarised ourselves with legislation, the current situation and, among other things, social responsibility—meaning all the impacts the company’s operations have on different groups of people and communities,” says HR specialist Tea Haaranen. “Next up is a workshop that will dive into environmental responsibility and emissions calculation, which we aim to automate into our systems and everyday operations. After that, we’ll be able to set more specific targets related to our carbon footprint and start the necessary actions to achieve them,” she adds. Additional resources have been arranged to manage the big picture. Norex is bringing on an intern whose task is to implement a system for monitoring emissions from procurement and operations.
“As an importer, we need to be a responsible partner on the procurement side, thinking about where we source products and bring them here from. Packaging materials are also a key factor: how can we make more responsible choices there. Together with our partners, we aim to find more responsible packaging formats and production methods that meet today’s requirements,” Lönnberg says.
All in all, Norex has so far identified four goals that it intends to start advancing. “We focus on the things that will have the greatest impact,” Haaranen explains. First up is a Code of Conduct, which includes the organisation’s own principles of good business practice and ethical ground rules.
Responsibility Starts at Our Own Office
Even though it’s time for an assessment now, a responsible approach has long been part of Norex’s value base and has also found its way into practice. “In the current state, responsibility is perhaps most visible in how we promote the wellbeing of our personnel. The better the balance between free time and working time, the better the vibe the team has. Then they also have better resources for doing their work. It’s that simple,” Lönnberg explains. “The basics need to be in order and occupational health care must be in good shape, but beyond that, social responsibility includes a lot more,” he adds. Norex has its own whistleblowing reporting channel in place, and the company has an early support model. “We also run an annual employee survey that assesses the level of wellbeing at work. Every year there’s something to improve, and we invest in it. Maybe that’s why our eNPS result is 68 and the response rate is always a full hundred,” the CEO says proudly. “We believe in meaning.
“Responsibility is also reflected in Norex’s wide range of organic products—more than 100,” Haaranen notes. “We also have just over 80 environmentally responsible packages,” she adds. Lönnberg highlights Norex’s own brand, the Katse wine range. “It’s that monkey wine that originally started from a fun idea. But with it came responsibility,” he says. “When we’ve taken photos of gorillas without asking and slapped them on the side of the packaging, we have an obligation to give back. Since the product launch, we’ve financially supported gorilla conservation through the Gorilla Fund—and we make sure the product family is sold in ecological packaging.”
At the beginning of 2024, the assessment currently underway will be completed and the next phase will begin: bringing metrics and data collection into the systems, and planning more specific targets and the actions needed to achieve them. Lönnberg invites everyone to follow Norex’s journey towards a more responsible tomorrow. “I have two children, and I want to do my part so that we don’t destroy this planet. Let’s leave this a better place for our children.”
