Corporate social responsibility and sustainable business were recently made a strategic spearhead project at Vieser. Sustainability is nothing new for us – it has been a cornerstone of the company since its early days in 1973.
“Vieser was born in 1973 to solve a concrete problem in the built environment: cast iron floor drains were prone to rusting, and when they leaked, they caused water damage and shortened the life cycle of buildings. Vieser’s floor drains were the answer to that problem. They help prevent water damage and thus lengthen the life cycle of buildings,” says Vieser’s CEO Annika Jyllilä-Vertigans.
Management leads the way
The stance regarding how much the company focuses on sustainability and how much on profit comes from management. The scale is wide, and communicating the target level both internally and externally plays a key role. The stance and communication on it must be clear in order for it to spread to the company’s practical operations. For instance, when employees make material choices, they must know whether they can opt for a more sustainable option, even if it is slightly more expensive.
At Vieser, Esa Mouhu has been appointed Head of Sustainability, R&D and Quality. The company’s management is working closely together to take this project forward. Alongside Mouhu, Vieser’s Head of Portfolio and Strategic Sourcing Janina Ollberg and CEO Annika Jyllilä-Vertigans took part in the Strategic Sustainability for Business programme organised jointly by Aalto EE and UC Berkeley Executive Education in early September. The goal was to gain new perspectives for promoting Vieser’s sustainable business.
“We do have work ahead of us, of course, but we have a solid foundation on which to build. We are on the right path and well-positioned to move forward,” says Mouhu.
The era of sustainability is here
Jyllilä-Vertigans, Mouhu and Ollberg stress that no company can afford to ignore sustainability in their business.
“The climate crisis, biodiversity loss, human rights violations – these issues touch us all. Furthermore, sustainable business is also good business. Investors see a lack of sustainability as a financial risk, which has its cost,” says Jyllilä-Vertigans.
Read Vieser’s Sustainability statement here, and read more about the company’s strategy and targets on Aalto University’s website.