9 Swedish businesses in the UK giving back to local communities

18 March 2022

Swedish businesses have been present in the UK for centuries. As integral parts of the local communities in which they operate, Swedish businesses are committed to support communities across the UK. From training and education programmes for the young generation, to combatting mental health issues or building a sustainable future for homeless people – we present nine examples of how Swedish businesses are giving back to their local communities.

Vattenfall

• £2.5 million in annual investments into local communities hosting wind farm projects.
• More than 500 young people involved in skills development programmes in 2021.

SCC patron Vattenfall invests more than £2.5m annually into local communities hosting wind farm projects. In each case, the company works with the communities to develop the best possible approach to the local investment – to make sure that it delivers something that is aligned with community needs of the future. Communities are supported through for example benefit packages, and training and education programmes. In 2021, Vattenfall delivered 6 skills programmes involving more than 500 young people.

ABB

• ABB staff in the UK have raised over £800k for for the Macmillan Cancer Support.
• In 2019, ABB commited to invest £1m in Imperial College’s carbon capture pilot plant.

Swedish global technology company ABB supports communities in the UK in several ways. Since 1998, staff at ABB sites across the UK have raised over £800,000 for the Macmillan Cancer Support. The company also partners with Women’s Engineering Society to support the development of female engineers, and since 2012, ABB is partnering with Imperial College London. In 2019, the company committed to invest £1 million worth of equipment to the college’s carbon capture pilot plant.

Skanska

• ABB staff in the UK have raised over £800k for for the Macmillan Cancer Support.
• In 2019, ABB commited to invest £1m in Imperial College’s carbon capture pilot plant.

Swedish global technology company ABB supports communities in the UK in several ways. Since 1998, staff at ABB sites across the UK have raised over £800,000 for the Macmillan Cancer Support. The company also partners with Women’s Engineering Society to support the development of female engineers, and since 2012, ABB is partnering with Imperial College London. In 2019, the company committed to invest £1 million worth of equipment to the college’s carbon capture pilot plant.

Handelsbanken

• Thanks to donations from Handelsbanken in Shrewsbury, a local hotel owner could feed and house 30 homeless people during the pandemic.

With its decentralised business model, giving back to local communities is part of SCC patron Handelsbanken’s DNA. The bank contributes in many ways to the local communities it serves. Concrete examples of sustainability work are the branches’ involvement in various initiatives and activities carried out by local associations and charities. For example, a hotel owner in Shrewbury housed some 30 homeless people in his empty hotel during the pandemic. Thanks to donations from Handelsbanken’s Shrewsbury branch, the homeless people could be fed and housed without the hotel owner having to take a loan for the operations.

Essity

• Since 2002, Essity has donated over £2.3m worth of essential products in the UK.
• By 2023, the company will have donated 7 million period products to those in need.

SCC patron Essity has been supporting HRH Prince of Wales’ charity In Kind Direct in the UK since 2002. During that time, the company has donated more than £2.3m worth of essential products including toilet tissue, nappies, and period products. Since 2017, Essity’s Bodyform brand has donated 100,000 menstruation pads every month to help combat period poverty in the UK. By the end of 2023, Bodyform will have donated over 7 million period products to those most in need.

Kindred Group

• Tackling mens’ mental health issues through supporting football communities across the UK.
• Supporting the clubs Derby, Leeds, Preston, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Rangers, and respective communities.

Part of SCC member and gambling giant Kindred’s sustainability framework is to equip communities in which it operates with resources to build a better future. As part of this work, the company has launched a new model of football club sponsorship – one that means investing in the local community as well as the club. The model is being piloted in partnership with Derby County’s Community Trust, supporting men across Derby who are struggling with mental health problems through its new ‘Team Talk’ project.

H&M

• H&M Foundation supported 800 young homeless people in the UK to create a sustainable future for themselves.

Together with five charities, SCC patron H&M and its foundation provided homeless youth in the UK with support and training to transform their future. Accessing education, employment and training are essential steps towards an independent life for a homeless young person as it is a long-term solution to the issue of youth homelessness. Between 2016-2019, 800 young homeless people in the UK were supported to create a sustainable future for themselves. This was done by improving young people’s employability and work readiness through skills programmes and work experience, engaging, and supporting employers to enable them to offer opportunities and providing in-work support.

Electrolux

• Electrolux helped 20+ primary schools in London to teach healthy cooking.

The Electrolux Food Foundation is an independent, non-profit organisation founded and funded by SCC patron Electrolux. Through a number of programmes, the foundation encourages healthy and sustainable food choices among consumers and professionals. Recently, the Electrolux Food Foundation teamed up with non-profit organisation Cook School to launch a 10-week online cooking course for schools in London to implement as part of their lessons, designed to get children excited about food and learning to cook healthy recipies. 22 primary schools in the city signed up to the programme. Additionally, 11 primary schools in Clerkenwell used the course for after school clubs, following the programme over a series of weeks.

IKEA

• IKEA contributed with £1.3m to help those most impacted by the pandemic in the UK and Ireland.
• 67,500 people were supported through community efforts and partnerships.

During the pandemic, when the UK went in and out of lockdowns, SCC patron IKEA continued paying all of its co-workers full salary, even though stores were closed to customers for up to three months. Its Swedish food markets remained open to key workers and some of its car parks became drive-in testing centres for NHS staff. During this time, IKEA was able to contribute £1.3m to those most impacted by the pandemic in the UK and Ireland, with over 67,500 people supported through its community efforts and charity partnerships.