Leading the Way in Sustainable Business

By long-term ownership and everyday action, we turn responsibility into lasting progress.

 
 
At Axel Johnson International, sustainability is part of how we create long-term value. Grounded in our strategic framework, we focus on people, climate, and circularity, areas where our companies can make the greatest impact. Each company takes an active role in developing its business in a more sustainable direction, supported by shared tools, knowledge, and clear group-wide goals. In a decentralized group like ours, this collaboration ensures that progress happens locally, every day, and adds up to real change.

87 %

Supplier Code of Conduct

audits conducted at suppliers.

72 %

of purchased electricity comes

from renewable energy sources.

95 %

of the group’s climate impact

comes from the value chain.

Creating Impact

Our Strategic Sustainability Framework provides a clear direction for how we drive progress across the group. Being part of a large, value-driven organization enables each company to benefit from shared knowledge, tools, and collaboration, creating synergies that strengthen both local initiatives and group-wide impact. With strong local engagement supported by clear central governance, expertise, and guidance, we stay ahead of new regulations and expectations.

Renewal and Responsibility: 10/50/50

At Axel Johnson International, we are part of a long-standing entrepreneurial tradition that combines long-term business building with continuous renewal. Inspired by our owner Axel Johnson’s 10/50 vision, we have embraced renewal as a guiding principle for our own journey of growth and transformation.

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The idea is simple yet powerful: over the span of ten years, half of what we do should be new compared to today. This focus on constant renewal pushes us to innovate close to our core – by developing new products, entering new markets, building new customer offerings, and acquiring entrepreneurial companies that strengthen our group. In recent years, this mindset has fueled both organic and acquisition-driven growth, enabling us to expand into new geographies and industries while keeping our entrepreneurial spirit at the center.

The year 2024 marked the conclusion of the first 10/50 cycle. As a group, we are proud to have contributed to reaching this milestone: 50 percent of what we do today was not part of our business a decade ago. But 10/50 is not a one-time achievement. For us, it is an ongoing commitment to keep moving forward, again and again, shaping our business for the future.

In 2023, a new dimension was added to the renewal target: climate impact. The extended 10/50/50 ambition means that over the same ten-year horizon, Axel Johnson aims to halve the group’s total climate footprint. For Axel Johnson International, this translates into a responsibility to set ambitious targets and take actions across our 200+ companies and six business groups.

This is undeniably a bold target. Yet we see it as both necessary and logical. Renewal and sustainability must go hand in hand: the solutions we develop, the companies we acquire, and the ways we grow must all contribute to building a climate-resilient future. By aligning our drive for renewal with our climate agenda, we are not only preparing for tomorrow’s markets but also creating long-term value for society.

The 10/50/50 vision captures what we strive for at Axel Johnson International: impatient renewal combined with a long-term perspective, building stronger companies that benefit both business and society.

Our vision is to lead the transformation within our industry, ensuring that sustainable business is not a goal in itself, but the way we grow and create value.“

Malin Ripa
Chief Sustainability Officer

Acting with Trust and Integrity

Everything we do is guided by our values, being far-sighted, making things happen, and being good to work with. The way we operate is built on trust, with our employees, customers, suppliers, and partners. Through our Code of Ethics and Supplier Code of Conduct, we set clear expectations for ethical behavior, transparency, and respect throughout. Together, we ensure that the way we do business reflects our values and contributes to sustainable, long-term relationships. Everyone has an important role in living our values every day.

Supplier Code of Conduct

Our suppliers play a vital role in our success and share our responsibility to act with integrity. The Supplier Code of Conduct outlines the standards we expect in areas such as ethics, human rights, environment, and fair business practices, ensuring that every partnership reflects our values and supports sustainable development across the value chain.

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Code of Ethics

Our Code of Ethics defines how we lead, collaborate, and build trust, guiding each of us to make responsible, value-based decisions that strengthen our shared culture and long-term success.

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Download The Code of Ethics

 

Focus Areas

Driving Progress Across the Group

Sustainability, just us our other three strategic focus areas — digitalization, solutions, and people development help us to jointly utilize on the strength that comes from working together. We believe these areas are essential to the long-term growth and continued development of our companies.