Sustainable leadership

At Billerud we strive to be the very best we can be. And that means investing in our people. A vital part of our strategy is our people as it’s through them we reach our goals and mission. Having dedicated employees who want to be a part of our journey is vital, and we know that commitment and engagement is built by our leaders. Employees who create sustainable products also need sustainable leaders.


In 2018, 150 of our top global leaders met to workshop around what kind of leadership we needed going forward. This is where we built the platform of our Sustainable Leadership program. A program that clarifies the expectations of our leaders, and through our very own Leadership Academy giving our leaders the relevant training, tools and support they need to grow and develop as leaders, build highly engaged teams, and hence deliver on these expectations. At the core of the program are the leaders themselves, and that the focus should not only be on the ability to run 60 meters, but to be sustainable for a whole marathon. Which means a great focus on self-leadership and personal development.

We believe in shaping leaders who can confidently stand the test of time and outshine the very best in their own way. As a testament to our commitment, Billerud’s Leadership Academy consists of leadership programs for both new and experienced leaders, as well as off-the-shelf courses on specific topics. We have also built an e-learning to introduce new leaders to Sustainable Leadership early on and to learn more about the training courses and tools offered to support them in their exciting leadership journey ahead.

To ensure that we are taking strides in the right direction and strengthening our leaders, we have built our own Sustainable Leadership Index (SLI). We measure this through our employee survey, and since we started to train our leaders in Sustainable Leadership, we are proud to say that our leadership has strengthened every year.

But it’s of course not just about our leaders. Read about our Sustainable Employee program here.

Meet Our Sustainable leaders

Linnea Danielsson

"I think the term “Sustainable leader” is wide and includes many important perspectives on leadership."

Risto Hovi

"I see it my responsibility to nurture talents, help them grow and be available for them."

Lisa Li

"As a Sustainable leader, you should be good at finding team's strengths and willing to offer a platform to show their talents."

Mikael Öijerholm

"A sustainable leader is someone who can manage a balance between driving performance and coaching employees to outdo and outgrow themselves"

Inger Heinke

"For me, it’s really about enabling a very high functional team to execute on a very clear strategy with meaningful value".

Johan Bågling

"The most important thing for me is that my employees feel confidence in me as a leader, because without that my leadership means nothing"

Åse Buvik

For me, it means creating the conditions for employees to achieve high goals while also feeling good and enjoying their work.

Johan Wallin

“I believe in freedom with responsibility, and that you develop by testing your own wings in a context with clear expectations and goals”

Agneta Funke

”I strive to provide the conditions for a sustainable way of working for both myself and my colleagues”