The year of the ketchup effect

If’s sustainability work from 2022 is now published. How do you feel?

– I’m honestly overwhelmed by the competence and enthusiasm we have experienced at If. We have a growing number of employees throughout the company whose job description includes sustainability, and I believe this is the best way to integrate sustainability to its fullest.

What phase of its sustainability work is If currently in?

– I’ve really felt ‘the ketchup effect’ lately. You know the feeling, when you try to squeeze a ketchup bottle, but nothing comes out. Then all of a sudden there is a great burst of ketchup that spreads everywhere. This is how I feel about If’s sustainability work at the moment; a couple of years ago we made a lot of effort in trying to start up a number of things, and now we have shifted to a phase where many of these initiatives are ongoing – and we try to keep track of all the progress that is made within If.

With that said, there is no way we can ease off now – we still have much work ahead of us.

What would you like to highlight in the report?

– This year, we have been focusing on integrating sustainability into our organisation, and making it part of our day-to-day operations. Each business area has started to investigate how they can contribute and make an impact. But to highlight some of these actions, here are my top picks from this year:

Commitment to our customers

– I am very happy about the way we have implemented ESG in our underwriting. We have assessed a total of 677 corporate clients and had 19 referral cases, conducting thorough analyses of allegations and possible incidents. In two cases, we have also decided that the client will be declined insurance at the next renewal, unless their ESG rating has improved. 
Read more about the ESG assesment

Commitment to our employees

– One thousand leaders have enrolled in the If Leadership Compass Program this year – including me. We have now defined what is the If way to lead, and the programme consists of common sessions and private coaching. I believe this is an investment in all our employees’ everyday lives, and it also makes us a better workplace, where people flourish and feel cared for.
Read more´about Leadership Compass

Commitment to society

– I would like to draw attention to our joint effort for supporting Ukraine. In March, we set up a donation-matching programme, whereby If matches all the donations made by our employees. I chose to donate to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), but there were several different organisations one could choose to support. So far, we have donated SEK 4.1 million to different organisations operating in the Ukraine region. We will continue the programme in 2023.

What else can we expect in 2023?

– We are looking into some very interesting new services and product features, which I really think can support our customers’ sustainability journeys. We are also planning several nice sustainability events for our employees in all countries, which I hope will both engage and inspire.

We are also launching important initiatives on climate change adaptation, which is an area where we can contribute with our expertise in order to build a safer and more resilient society.

What do you do to become more sustainable in your private life?

In my private life, I keep on focusing on the small, but important, changes one can make in everyday life: minimising food waste, trying new vegetarian recipes, commuting by train, and continuing to take ‘123 showers’ – a must try!
Read more about our climate challenge