Samhällsbyggnadsbolaget i Norden AB (SBB) creates sustainable environments in which people want to live, work and spend time well into the future. Being the largest Nordic player in social infrastructure, SBB’s local efforts contribute to general societal development that is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable.
SBB continuously engages stakeholders and local communities in its operations. Stakeholder groups include: tenants, investors, employees, local communities, suppliers and financiers. SBB treats all stakeholder groups with respect and dignity. Dialogues are conducted through multiple forums, including open consultations in the detailed planning process, continuous contacts between customers and management, capital market days, employee interviews and questionnaires. In 2020, extensive efforts have been made to identify significant areas of sustainability for SBB’s stakeholders (materiality assessment). The results show that sustainable urban development, direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases, energy consumption in properties and using renewable sources of energy are particularly important issues on which to focus.
In addition to these focus areas, SBB promises to maintain the efforts already being conducted. SBB promises to always:
- Act ethically, openly and transparently
- To foster human rights
- To foster employees’ right to organize (ILO C87) and to bargain collectively (ILO C98)
- To respect and protect employee representatives (ILO C135) and to actively combat discrimination against employee representatives
- To guarantee trade unions’ right to conduct their work effectively at SBB’s workplaces
- Strive towards zero accidents and incidents on our sites and prevent sick leave, stress etc.
- Never to engage in any form of corruption, fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, extortion, bribery, embezzlement, or illegal financing of political organizations and to always actively oppose these
The Code of Conduct, Sustainability Policy, Anti-corruption Policy and Policy Against Tax Evasion are to guide responsible and ethical behaviour among employees. Among other sources, the Code of Conduct builds on the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, including human rights and anti-corruption. Guidelines are also included regarding gifts, entertainment, appropriate and inappropriate benefits, as well as examples of what are viewed as bribes and the penalties applied when these regulations are violated. All employees and suppliers are obliged to understand, sign and comply with these regulations. A briefing on these regulations is mandatory on commencement of all major projects. An external whistleblower service has been in place since 2017, through which deviations from these regulations can be reported. Our vulnerability regarding risks of deviations from these promises and policies are included in management’s risk management process led by our CEO.
A long and deeply rooted tradition of respect for agreements between the social partners, trade unions and employers’ organizations pervades SBB’s markets. SBB values this model and also safeguards respect for human rights, the freedom of association and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. SBB is also a member of the UN Global Compact.