The Stockholm riots have come as a shock to many commentators. Riots, they say, happen in grossly unequal, racially divided cities like London or Los Angeles, not in the supposed social utopia of Stockholm. But tensions have been mounting in Sweden’s urban centres for years now. Anger on both sides sporadically spills over into violence, whether in the form of unrest in immigrant ghettos on the outskirts of Stockholm or as anti-immigrant murders in Malmo.

Riots and hate crimes show that Sweden is not as different to other countries as its international reputation suggests – or as many here would like to think. Such incidents are symptoms of a growing discord that is caused by conflicting socio-economic factors. Many immigrants are alienated socially, by being housed in communities on the fringes of society, or economically, by the fact that they are twice as likely to be unemployed than Swedish natives. Many Swedes, on the other hand, resent subsidising who they see as welfare-freeloaders, or come to feel like foreigners in their own communities.

These are problems that governments across Europe have faced for decades now. If left unchecked, such conditions form fertile ground for extremism.  A grave recent example is the killing of a soldier by a British Muslim extremist in London, which in turn incited revenge attacks by far-right groups on mosques around the country. Such reprisals only escalate hatred and entrench division.

So how should we Swedes deal with this? Multifaceted problems require multifaceted solutions. All levels of society – national government and business through to local government and civil society – must do more to facilitate integration of immigrants who come to settle in Sweden. Integration is the key to overcoming the pernicious “us vs. them” mentality.

The government must start investing closer to home.  While international development funding and national infrastructure projects are essential, so too is social investment at the local level. Housing policy must avoid clustering immigrants in ghettos, while better assistance and training should be provided to those seeking jobs, to free them from welfare dependency.

As for civil society, there are countless grassroots examples, not only in Sweden, that could serve as a model for integration initiatives. These include: The Flemish network – Netwerk Vlaanderen FairFin; The Big issue Foundation; the Kaospiloterna (Chaos Pilots) programme, which nurtures entrepreneurship to help disadvantaged young people succeed in business; Fryshuset in Stockholm City; and the community centres, Boo People’s House (in Nacka) and Söråkers People’s House (near Sundsvall), which have been commended by the Hard Rain/Whole Earth project.

Sweden is clearly not immune to the divisions that blight the West, as a Nordic country it is well placed to overcome them, both in terms of societal organisation and national values.

There are some in Sweden who are calling for restrictions on entry to refugees fleeing persecution or for restrictions on immigrant access to the welfare state. They would do well to remember the Norwegian Prime Minister’s words in the aftermath of the atrocities committed by Anders Breivik in 2011: “The Norwegian response to violence is more democracy, more openness and greater political participation.”

Following this admirable stance, I believe that the Swedish response to socio-economic alienation must not be further exclusion, but more integration. In this way we can start reclaiming our international reputation for fairness, prosperity and social justice.

Kaj Embren

We are now approaching the time for Sweden’s biggest political event – The Almedalen Political Week (June 30-July 7). An event on the island of Gotland in the Baltic sea which now brings together 20,000 participants from all Swedish political parties in the Swedish parliament, their stakeholders and foreign guests.

A strong contributing factor to the political discussion is the growing number of stakeholders in this political event. Almedalen as a venue is increasing year by year, something that became clear to me this week, after my interview with The Mayor of Gotland Region Åke Svensson and the project manager Karin Lindvall.

The discussion in the recent weeks about the Nordic welfare model in the international media will naturally characterize the political discussions in Almedalen. And it is not just about social unrest in the Swedish city suburbs but more about the political leadership in a variety of areas that relate to the Nordic welfare model. Discussions will have a stronger focus on global sustainable community development in relation to urban social problems and unemployment exclusion.

On 4^th of July, Respect Sustainable Business along with the Think Tank Global Challenge, Nordic Association, Kairos Future, WWF and the magazine Metro Insider will organise a whole day seminar focussing in the Nordic welfare model. The event will involve top players in politics, business, media organisations.

Knowing that the OECD estimates that our planet will have 3 billion more people in the middle class in the 20 coming years, this will increase the pressure on energy, energy efficiency, water, transport and transform relations between countries, rural and urban. A community characterised by a holistic and systems thinking, is required.

Questions that we will address are:

1. What are the implications of these developments for the political system? What demands does this place on today’s politicians?

2. What are the consequences for the economy and financial systems –that today are short term, while the problems to be tackled are long term?

3. How can municipalities, regions, businesses and organisations become engines for a society in balance between the economic, ecological and social values ​​on a local, national and international arena?

4. How can the media and professional opinion makers promote transparency and accountability critical scrutiny critical to any changing process in society?

Dialogue on Sustainable Community Development and the Nordic welfare model also took off internationally in my previous blog – “Towards a Lagom society”. It inspires clearly seeking answers of the future of the Nordic welfare model.

The process to create  political solutions must increasingly be characterised by the cooperation and the involvement of the new organisations that have emerged alongside the political parties. With business and the new stakeholder organisations having greater participation in the process to develop a sustainable social agenda, it creates a more interesting debate.  It is time to bring new people into old policies.

Kaj Embrén

We have a wonderful word in Swedish, ’lagom.’ Its meaning, like all wonderful foreign words, gets lost in translation, coming out as something like ’sufficient’ or ’adequate’ in English. But these synonyms fail to capture the contentment or perfect balance lagom entails.

I like to think of it in reference to the classic fairytale, ’Goldilocks and the three bears’, where a thieving little girl breaks and enters into the family home of three bears and proceeds to sample all their possessions. In the kitchen, for instance, she tastes three soups, one which is ’too hot’, the other ’too cold’, but the last is ‘just right’. That final soup is lagom!

This fine balance is summed up perfectly by that most Swedish of axioms, ’lagom är bäst’, or ’the right amount is the best.’ Astronomers talk of ’Goldilocks Planets’, which are those planets, like Earth, which are not ’too hot’, not ’too cold’, but ’just right’ for supporting life. My question then, is this: what makes a ’Goldilocks society?’

To answer this, it helps to remember that Lagom has social connotations too. According to a popular legend, the word’s etymological roots stretch back to the Vikings. Apparently, mead, their drink of choice was passed, ’laget om’, or ‘around the team,’ in a horn flask so that each got his fair share.

So as well as being the ‘just right’ balance of elements, the lagom society must also be equitable. To complete the analogy (and mix myths), imagine Goldilocks passing the soup around the bears.

In my view, the building of the welfare state in 1930s Sweden represents one attempt towards a lagom society. After a decade of crisis, business, unions and government worked together to negotiate a fair balance between differing outlooks and vested interests.

Guided by strong leadership, stakeholders forged a society characterised by:  equitable wage policy; investment in industry; and egalitarian education, housing and social systems.

Today, after a decade crisis, the 21^st Century is having its own 1930s moment.

Nations are divided and increasingly unequal. Our economic model is dependant on unsustainable, unfettered consumption and has proven itself to be extremely destructive. On top of that, we face global challenges that have never been more daunting (see: Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockströms book, Bankrupting Nature).

We are living beyond our means and distributing the spoils unevenly. In short, we are a long way off the lagom society. It’s like a Viking halfway around the circle chugging down all the mead, or that greedy little trespasser Goldilocks sipping all the soup before the bears get home.

Resources must be shared across generations as well as between them. In much the same way that the welfare state was created by Swedish society for future generations and is still enjoyed 70 years later (though eroded due to the best efforts of the free-marketeers), today, we as a global society must work together to ensure that in 70 years time there will be a society worth inheriting, not one wrecked by corporate excess and environmental chaos.

It is up to us to start building this society, to emulate the spirit of the welfare state generation.  Governments need to engage stakeholders from industry to civil society and create a fair and sustainable future.

A quick survey of the Western national political landscape doesn’t offer much hope. Only one European government in recent times has attempted to set a policy agenda for sustainable development: Britain’s (former) New Labour administration. In an all-too-predictable instance of weak leadership, the Commission that resulted from this pioneering agenda was abolished by the current government, despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s rousing pre-election pledge to be the ’greenest government ever.’

It is at the lower levels of government, however, where the lagom ethos can be found. Here, a handful of groundbreaking, forward-looking regional and municipal authorities are enacting admirable policies, including: international trade and procurement for sustainable social investment programs in infrastructure and transport, energy efficiency programs, alternative energy, local farming, social care and job creation. It is high time their example, and that of the 1930s Swedes, catches on higher up the political hierarchy. Time is running out. We must make it happen.

Here’s to a society of equitable balance – a balance between capitalist models and social policies, between economic growth and environmental sustainability, between national interests and international responsibilities, and between contemporary populations and unborn generations. I’ll raise my horn of mead to that.

Kaj Embrén

We are a long way off solving the problem of climate change. One need only to think of the string of failed climate negotiations or the recent massive investments in tar sands and shale gas to appreciate this.

It is a problem rooted in the fact that national governments do not prioritise renewable energy. They happily spend hundreds of billions of dollars on fossil fuel subsidies, while investing only a fraction of this amount in renewables.

Such frustrations are nothing new in my line of work. I have spent the last 30 years working towards a more sustainable society. In 2001, I co-founded Respect with the aim of helping business to become more sustainable. Now, 12 years on, I am proud to announce Respect Climate, a new joint venture company with South Pole Carbon, the world’s leading premium emission reduction project developer.

From its beginnings, Respect has pooled the knowledge and experience of leading experts. Specialist advisors, such as Christian Azar, Chalmers University scientist and former member of the UN Climate Panel, and Margot Wallström, the then Swedish Environment Commissioner, have lent their respective scientific and political expertise. As have renowned business leaders at the time, such as IKEA’s Anders Dahlvig, Interface Europe’s Rob Combs, Triodos Bank’s Peter Blom, and Birka Energy’s Thomas Bruce, to The Body Shop’s co-founder Gordon Roddick and Ben Cohen, the ‘Ben’ in Ben & Jerry’s.

In 2001, Respect, inspired by the US Environmental Protection Agency´s Climate Leaders program,  developed our Business Leaders’ Initiative on Climate Change (BLICC).  The BLICC program pioneered a new way of measure companies’ greenhouse gas emissions. This enabled business leaders and governments to better understand and manage the corporate carbon footprint.

A growing number of companies are reaping the rewards of BLICC. The follow up program based on experience from BLICC - The Climate Neutral Program – showed that after one year on the program, emissions are reduced by an average of 30% (well above legislative targets). This allows companies to save resources, strengthen their brand and boost employee morale.

Alongside BLICC and the Climate Neutral Program, Respect launched Svante: climate calculation software that facilitates companies and organizations to measure and report their climate work. These initiatives have had a great impact. We are now looking for initiative by national government and the EU, to make the measurement of corporate greenhouse gases mandatory. With the World Resource Institute, Respect then launched the Green House Gas Protocol for companies working in China.

While changing attitudes and practices in the West is imperative, it is in the developing world where the future of the planet will be decided. This is why Respect has highlighted climate justice for developing countries at Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Mary Robinson and Margot Walhström led our ‘Road to Copenhagen’ delegation to show how the West could invest in sustainable local community projects in the developing world through voluntary Cap and Trade schemes. We have made the case that some of the $100 billion per year pledged by the Summit in Copenhagen to fight poverty from 2020 onwards should be invested such projects.

For years Respect has worked to promote voluntary emissions trading schemes in developing countries. We believe that this is vital because it both provides direct benefits to local populations and serves as a valuable tool for companies’ carbon reduction. We have follow the WWF  ‘Gold Standard’ certification scheme for carbon offset projects. This ensures that our projects do in fact reduce carbon emissions and benefit local populations.

Our belief in this system is substantiated by the following figures. Over $150 billion in private investment has been generated from voluntary Cap and Trade. Since 2005, over 4,600 sustainable local community projects have been established in 79 developing countries under the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Such projects have reduced global emissions by over one billion tons. Global emissions have been reduced through renewable energy projects outside the CDM by 35 million tons.

This brings me back to South Pole Carbon. As the leading premium emission reduction project developer in the world, South Pole Carbon has over 300 sustainable projects in 25 different countries. Together, in Respect Climate, we can expand our international market and provide clients with sustainable investment opportunities that will benefit not only local communities in the developing world, but also the environment as a whole.

While the world’s climate problems are far from solved, we hope that Respect Climate is a step in the right direction.

Kaj Embrén

It is no surprise that we see some Swedish Consumer Market giants acting more responsible in their markets. With a step by step approach, both IKEA and H&M, have positively moved their positions in the field of CSR. IKEA, based on its family values, developed its business strategy together with the values from the Natural Step Foundation already 1990. H&M with a strong family owner influence has been taken steps in all field of Sustainability. The latest step, to positioning H&M Conscious work for a more sustainable fashion future can bring a stronger communication voice to the consumer.

With their actions, the societies in developing countries will have a hope to gain better conditions in their working life and a better living standard. But, will government in these countries meet up with rules that will bring in an acceptable social standard that welfare states are built on? A challenge that will need a more intensive dialogue between business and government in developing countries.

But, lets focus on some new promising steps for both the consumer giants and its suppliers. And why not involve the stakeholders around the corporations. Government, Ngo:s and shareholders….

The Ikea Green Tech company announced the 8th of April that it has invested in DyeCoo Textile Systems, a Dutch company that has developed the first commercially available waterless dyeing technology. Using recycled carbon dioxide (CO2), the technology avoids the large amount of water and chemicals used in traditional dyeing processes.

In a press release IKEA said – Still, the biggest climate impact along our value chain happens outside of our operations. That’s why we also want to use our influence to encourage action on climate. This includes working with suppliers, fabric mills and transport providers in a range of voluntary programmes and collaborative initiatives to improve their energy efficiency and overall environmental performance. It also includes inspiring conscious garment care amongst customers.

“DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing technology is a truly innovative system that could bring real environmental and costs benefits for the textile industry by reducing water and chemical use. Through the partnership, IKEA will help to speed up the development and availability of the technology,” says Christian Ehrenborg, Managing Director, IKEA GreenTech AB

The investment will support the delivery of the IKEA Group Sustainability Strategy, People & Planet Positive, which includes challenging commitments for IKEA to make its products, operations and supply chain more sustainable. In the supply chain, IKEA is committed to reaching 100 percent compliance with its suppliers.

The significant potential of the waterless dyeing process has also been recognised by the world’s leading apparel and footwear brand, NIKE, Inc.which invested in DyeCoo in 2012. Nike’s strategic partnerships group worked closely with IKEA GreenTech throughout the investment process.

- This is very promising. We are working hard to implement new technology solutions that bring down both water use and chemicals in all our operations and in the supply chain, said Helene Helmersson, Head of H&M Sustainability, when I spoked to her. She was also aware about the work in both Nike and Ikea around this issues and said, –  this brings new stronger opportunities for us who work with textiles.

The textile industry is one of the largest consumers of water and most of the world’s textile suppliers are located in Asia. The scale of the industry’s activity in the region can put pressure on the availability of clean water and contribute to environmental pollution in the discharges from manufacturing processes. By removing the need to use water in the dyeing process and eliminating the risk of effluent discharge, a known environmental hazard, the DyeCoo system could bring significant benefits to the region.

“IKEA strives to have a positive impact on people and the planet. By helping to scale the DyeCoo system for use with larger production volumes, we could help to make a big difference for the environment as well as workers and communities around textile facilities,” says Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Group

Nike’s VP of Sustainable Business & Innovation, Hannah Jones, welcomed IKEA as a partner in DyeCoo Textile Systems.

“IKEA’s decision to invest in this technology signals an exciting step in cross-industry collaboration. A key objective for Nike, when investing in DyeCoo, was to scale the technology to benefit consumers, business and the environment. We’re delighted IKEA shares a similar objective to accelerate development of more sustainable materials and manufacturing processes.”

The first range of machines developed and manufactured by DyeCoo are for waterless dyeing of polyester fabric. As well as helping to scale the processes for dyeing polyester, the partnership with IKEA will speed up the development of processes and machines for dyeing cotton.

This is all steps in the right direction, but not the last challenge, when we look at the perspective with the needs of 1,5 planets to provide resources for todays population…..

Thats why we need more responsible business leader that bring solutions in front of the governments and NGO:s that say – yes we can –  Are you prepared to work together!

Kaj Embrén

51%. The majority of Sweden’s energy comes from renewable sources.

It is an achievement that has surpassed both the EU’s target of 49% by 2020 and the Swedish parliament adopted target of 50 percent in 2020.The seeds to this success can be traced back to the establishment of the official Oil Commission in 2005, which was charged with reducing Sweden’s  dependence on oil.

A prominent member of that Commission was Volvo’s (former) CEO, Leif Johansson.  He announced that Volvo recognised the threat of climate change and the imperative of reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

Volvo soon became the first vehicle manufacturer to produce prototype carbon neutral trucks. It made  seven in all, each modified for a different type of liquid or gas renewable.

“Volvo is part of the climate problem,’ Mr. Johansson said, ‘but today we have shown that carbon-free transport is a possibility and that we as a vehicle manufacturer can and wants to be part of the solution to climate change.”

Nevertheless transport continues to pose a major challenge to Sweden’s sustainability credentials. Around 90 percent of road vehicles still run on fossil fuels.

By far the greatest contributor to Sweden’s renewable revolution has been bio-energy. Bio-mass, such as firewood, wood chips, pellets, briquettes, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, bio-oil, bio-gas, dimethyl ether and biomethane accounts for most of Sweden’s renewable energy, Gustav Melin, CEO of the Swedish Bio-energy Association (Svebio) told me in our interview yesterday.

It is a sector that has grown for the third consecutive year, with pioneering projects springing up around the country. In Stockholm, energy giant Fortum has invested $680 million in a new biofuelled combined heat and power plant. The direct and indirect
environmental benefits of the new biofuel-based plant will be significant. The
global CO2 emissions will decrease by 650,000 tons annually”, says Anders
Egelrud, Managing Director of Fortum Värme – Fortum’s heat business in Sweden.

In Norrköping,  E.ON, Lantmännen Agroetanol, Swedish Biogas and the local municipality have invested nearly $1.5 billion into plant that produces steam (used for production of fuel ethanol), electricity and heat from biomass.

While, in Värmland, a $540 million plant are under planning to produce bio-methanol using raw material from the forest.

These are just a few examples of an expanding renewable industry that has been the heart of Sweden’s success.

Such success can, and should, be replicated by other states. But global priorities need to change first. According to the International Energy Agency, the world’s governments spent $409 billion on oil subsidies in 2010.  Only $64 billion went on renewable energy subsidies.

If only things were the other way round! As former U.S. president Bill Clinton put it in an interview in Financial Times:

“For $ 1 million invested in a new coal plant, you have fewer than 900 jobs, to the solar plant you get 1,900 jobs, wind turbine jobs 3300,  (for buildings) retrofit 7000-8000 job … this is jobs, this is investment. Are you really against it? “

Smart investment in renewables is good for the economy, good for the climate and good for jobs.

Kaj Embrén

In his new book, 21st Century Management: Leadership and Innovation in a Thought Economy, Mats Lindgren argues that modern management must adapt to the Thought Economy.

We, in the West, live in a post-industrial world, where information, patents, ideas and services are drivers of growth. Mats identifies the leadership qualities that this era demands. In a world where ideas are assets, managers need to be innovative and foster creativity in their workforce. In a world of rapid change and depleting resources, managers must be steadfast and prioritize long-term business health over short-term profits.

It is hard not to agree with Mats, and I particularly like the book’s subtitle: ‘Making People Dance’. I found myself picturing line managers with the creative flair of a Samba and CEOs that inspired the discipline of a good Tango in their employees.

Yet, it was the basic step to the Foxtrot that I couldn’t get out of my head: two steps forward, one step back. As I have learnt over the last 30 years, this is the choreography of sustainable development.

The firm and visionary leadership that Mats prescribes is vital for sustainable business practice.

Daniel Hendrix, CEO of Interface Inc., the world’s largest carpet manufacturer, is a is a case in point. While in a traditional industry, Daniel adopts the management ethos of the Thought Economy, and encourages sustainable thinking throughout the chain of command. The company was founded on such principles by the late Ray Anderson, who sought innovative ideas from organisations such as The Natural Step and Rocky Mountain. Thanks to continued commitment and creative leadership, Interface Inc. remains both world-beating and sustainable.

It has been demonstrated that sustainable practice is jeopardized in the absence of such leadership. In a recent study, Jim O’Toole, a business professor at the University of Denver, found that companies which had committed to sustainability were likely to fail to meet their own targets if they had undergone a change in management.

Fortunately, there are a range of frameworks and standards to help guide leaders along the path of sustainability. These include: the Natural Step’s System Conditions; the UN Global Compact Principles; and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which is a 30,000 strong global network that enables companies to measure and report their sustainability performance.

Let us hope that, through strong leadership, the Foxtrot of sustainability will one day become a steady march.

Kaj Embren

A new list of Swedens most influence people in the field of Environment has been published. The new ranking list will give you a deeper insight in the field of opinions, environment and Sustainable Development. The Environmental Dayli’s (owned by IDG) list of the 100 most influence figures 2013 are again topped by Johan Rockström, Professor and Head of the Stockholm Resilience Center.

Number 2 on the list is Mikael Karlsson, President of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC), Sweden’s largest environmental NGO.

A new person has been placed as number 3 on the list –  Emma Ihre. Emma Ihre, a Special Advisor Sustainability at Ministry of Finance. She has many years of experience in assessing and drive sustainability.

Number 4 is Mattias Klum, Photographer and a film maker. One of his latest project was the book – The Human Quest – An illustrated book that he developed together with Johan Rockström - See the video and read more about the book.

Number 5 is Anders Wijkman, former MEP, President of the Rome Club. He wrote a debate book 2012 together with Johan Rockström - Bankrupting Nature – See the interview

Number 6 is Jan Eliasson, also new on this years list. Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary General at the UN since July 2012. See the interview from the opening of the Hard Rain Exhibition in the City of Lund 2012.

Number 7 is Svante Axelsson, Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC), Sweden’s largest environmental NGO.

Number 8. The third new of the top 10 on the ranking list is Annika Jacobson, Head of Greenpeace, Sweden.

Number 9 Pär Holmgren, a popular former Swedish Television weatherman also senior advisor at Respect, a values based consultancy in Sweden

Number 10 Åsa Romson, spokesperson for the Greenparty in Sweden.

You can also look at the last years blog about ranking list from Sweden.

In the coming week I will update this list with information who are nominated to the Sustainable Leadership Prize awarded by of Environmental Managers (NMC) to reward a person with competent leadership contributed to a successful sustainability efforts. The purpose of the award is to recognize the work of sustainable development activities in the Swedish society and increase interest in leadership in these areas.

So, when you visit Sweden next time – why not get in touch and build your network!

Kaj Embrén

An increasing number of people, myself included, are demanding more from what we eat.  The discussion of horse meat will push the food industry to the front of the debate. And it is more than one question to be raised about values and ethics in the industrial process of food and its supply chain.  The availability of eco-friendly, organic products has visibly improved in recent years, as people take a greater interest in what they consume and how it impacts the world around them. But, still a growing problem for our society.

- This facts coming from an article in the New York Times the last week - The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food scared me.

- One in three adults is considered clinically obese, along with one in five kids, and 24 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes, often caused by poor diet, with another 79 million people having pre-diabetes. Even gout, a painful form of arthritis once known as “the rich man’s disease” for its associations with gluttony, now afflicts eight million Americans.

This is not just a problem for consumers in America. The use of antibiotics and additives in the food production cycle is a major global issue. Regardless of where in the world you live, food producers will use shortcuts to boost profits.

This is not sustainable development.

It is time for both agriculture and the food industry to accelerate a move towards a more sustainable society. A society in which producers work together with consumers to incorporate economic, social and ecological values into their business strategies.

The importance of sustainable food production reaches far beyond the dinner table. It feeds into a complex system of global justice and consumption patterns. It also ties in with climate change, as fossil fuels are used in connection with transportation, heating and fertilizer production.

Public health is another hugely important factor in the food standards debate. Obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and a number of cancers are all on the rise in Europe. The latest studies from the World Health Organization show that between 30 and 70 per cent of the continents’ adult population is considered overweight and between 10 and 30 per cent are classed as obese. Studies have also shown that children’s intake of nutrients is far too low and I wonder how the younger generations will look and feel in the future if nothing changes.

But amidst these worrying trends there are some examples of successful campaigns that have raised awareness about the quality of what we eat and inspired real changes in the food market.

In Jamie Oliver’s TED talk, he describes his encounters with countless American children that could not even name a tomato or potato. It is a worrying thought. But Jamie’s ability to positively influence people’s behavior gives me hope that, with education, individuals will take greater responsibility for what they eat. Having seen his campaigns in both England and the USA, I understand the power of change that he carries.

I was also reminded of a less high-profile, though no less inspiring, example from a trip to Japan a few years ago. Here I visited some local consumer groups that had successfully changed the rules around purchasing vegetables from local farmers. The number of local cooperative HAN (a group involving 6-10 families) groups now total over 1000 and Japan’s consumer cooperatives have more than 14 million members collectively. One of these groups, Seikatsu Club, even won the Right Livelihood Award (also know as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’) in the 1990s. The Japanese model is fundamentally changing the relationship between consumers and producers in local markets.

Japan’s success is based on consumer demand and wider global trends also show an evolving marketplace. Organic products sales increased by 8.8 per cent in 2010 and they continue to expand, according to a recent study by the ethical bank, Triodos. The UK appears to have the strongest local growth of organic products, making up between 23 and 29 per cent of sales for dairy products, fruits and vegetables. As many as 8 out of 10 UK households bought organic products in 2011.

But demand for sustainably-produced food is only half the answer. The other half is supply, which currently struggles to meet our changing consumption patterns.

But, my question, will be addressed to the Co-op and its Consumer Movement that once in a time was a leading opinion maker and educator for households and schools – Time to wake up?

Kaj Embrén

I want to talk to you about TeliaSonera, a telecoms operator, and Vattenfall, an energy company.

Both these companies are Swedish. Both are giants in their respective sectors. And both have recently been embroiled in scandals that have cost their CEOs their jobs. Vattenfall in 2009 and TeliaSonera in 2013.

TeliSonera stands accused of bribery and money laundering in Uzbekistan. Behind the slick falsehoods of its environmentally friendly PR campaign, Vattenfall has invested so extensively in brown coal that, if its global operations were counted as domestic, Sweden would be the world’s fourth highest CO₂ emitting nation per-capita!

I am writing this post, however, because of the final parity between the two companies: both are owned by the Swedish state – TeliaSonera (37% ownership from the State).

It is shocking that Sweden – a country that prides itself on being an exemplary sustainable economy and liberal democracy – is ultimately responsible for such unethical activities.

One need only look over the border to Norway, our friendly rival, to see how things should be done (this admission amounts to high treason for a patriot such as myself). Norway’s Oilfund serves as a paragon for ethical and responsible state-owned investment. Its oil profits are channeled towards advancing renewables and helping vulnerable members of society.

While Norway is certainly fortunate to sit on such lucrative natural resources, the principle remains: state-owned enterprises should both be respectable and serve citizens’ long-term interests. This means ensuring a sustainable future for generations of voters still to be born.

Perhaps even more damning for Swedish state-owned companies is a comparison to the growing number of public companies that are committing ethical business.

As you may remember, in our recent interview, Jim O´Toole, professor of business ethics San Francisco, explained how shareholders’ fickle pursuit of short-term profit could prevent public companies doing long-term good.

Yet surveys from consulting firms as PWC, McKinsey and Ernst & Young reveal the growing agreement amongst business leaders on the importance of sustainability and social responsibility.  In recent years, the likes of Levi’s, Nike, Unilever and P&G have been putting these convictions into practice. H&M has recognised that, as a multinational, its social responsibility extends across borders and throughout its supply chain (a stark contrast to TeliaSonera’s Uzbekistani escapades)

If public companies can overcome shareholders’ impatient demands for profit to become more ethical, surely state-owned companies can respect citizens’ values to do the same.

At Respect, we have worked for over a decade to advance sustainable and responsible leadership. 15 multinationals, including Ericsson and ABB, have attended our Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights (BLIHR) programme.

I will be pleased if more business leaders will be looking into the experience from the BLIHR work when they build their business strategy in the future.

Kaj Embrén