HögforsGST has published its first sustainability report in accordance with the VSME standard. The report brings together the company’s key environmental, employee and corporate governance indicators, targets and development measures, while laying the foundation for the long-term development of its sustainability work.
Sustainability has long been an integral part of HögforsGST’s operations. The newly published report is the company’s first comprehensive report prepared in accordance with the voluntary VSME reporting standard (Voluntary Reporting Standard for SMEs), bringing sustainability information together in a structured and comparable format. The report covers the operations of the HögforsGST Group in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany.
A significant step in advancing sustainability
Petri Strandén, Technical Director responsible for sustainability at HögforsGST, sees the report above all as a tool for systematically developing the company’s sustainability work.
“Sustainability has been part of HögforsGST’s work for years. With this report, however, we can for the first time bring our work and targets together into one clear whole. At the same time, we are establishing a foundation for developing our operations and communicating openly with our stakeholders,” Strandén says.
The report is based on a double materiality assessment carried out in 2024, which identified climate change, employees, customers and end users, and business ethics as HögforsGST’s most significant sustainability topics.
Tangible results in energy efficiency and emissions management
HögforsGST expanded its emissions calculation to cover Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions. The Group’s total emissions during the reporting year were approximately 459 tCO₂e. In 2025, HögforsGST switched to emission-free electricity. In addition, the company’s own solar power plant at the Leppävirta factory generated 117.9 MWh of renewable energy during the year.
The goal is to halve the company’s carbon footprint by 2030. This target is supported by measures including increased use of renewable energy, improved material efficiency and reduced supply chain emissions.
Petri Strandén emphasises that sustainability is directly connected to the core of HögforsGST’s business.
“We work with energy systems and energy efficiency every day. Sustainability is therefore not a separate initiative for us, but part of product development, manufacturing and customer work. In addition to improving our own operations, we want to help our customers use energy more wisely and reduce their own environmental impacts.”
Sustainability is not only about environmental actions; it also encompasses matters related to employees, good governance and financial operations. In addition to environmental topics, the report therefore examines areas such as employee well-being, occupational safety and responsible business practices.
Sustainability supports future competitiveness
At the heart of HögforsGST’s operations is the idea of using energy wisely. The same thinking is reflected in the sustainability report, where technical expertise is combined with long-term environmental and business objectives.
Petri Strandén sees the report as only the first step.
“Our first VSME report is an important milestone, but above all it is a starting point. In the coming years, our goal is to further develop our reporting, deepen our measurement and demonstrate even more concretely how sustainability is reflected in our operations and in the benefits our customers receive.”
