Södra and KPMG

KPMG is currently helping many companies with sustainability matters. One such example is Södra, which wants to become an even more sustainable company. Through a joint initiative with KPMG and Microsoft, a new solution is now being created that automates the collection of sustainability data within the organization. Today’s reporting requirements have increased the volume of sustainability data that must be collected and analyzed. By automating major components of the data retrieval process, Södra has freed up time to analyze its sustainability data and make better decisions. And digitalizing the process reduces the risk of errors when the information is collected. 

In a complex business such as Södra's, including family-run forestry and wood and pulp industries, the data collection needed for sustainability reporting alone is enormous. There are forests all over southern Sweden, the industries vary in size, and timber transportation and other logistics compound the complexity within the business. To implement its sustainability strategy efficiently, Södra has enlisted help from Microsoft and KPMG. 

Södra’s climate-related ambition is to “Lead society’s journey towards climate-neutrality.” In addition to continuous efforts to reduce the company's climate impact, they have a long-term and strategic change program in place that leads common initiatives. 

Following up climate impact work carried out in the value chain requires access to extensive and frequently updated sustainability information. Through the solution being developed together with Microsoft and KPMG, Södra will have access to sustainability data in real time. This type of information is already collected today, but less frequently and via time-consuming manual processes. Now that Södra has access to real-time information through the new system, they get completely new knowledge to act upon and use to drive their strategic change efforts forward. 

“My ambition is to push the entire company forward using digitalization as my prime tool,” says Cristian Brolin, Södra’s CDO. “For this project, first of all I joined forces with our Head of Sustainability, Anders Norén. And together with KPMG and Microsoft we have now developed a structure and tool that enables us to lead Södra into the future. 

New possibilities are opening up as we automate data collection. The time we free up through digitalizing and automating collection can be spent on analyzing and understanding the information so that we can take decisions that make us more efficient, more profitable, and sustainable.”  

Yalle Elehu heads up Microsoft's Sustainability business, which the Sustainability Manager tool is part of. It originated as a tool developed by Microsoft to handle its own sustainability reporting, but it is now also available to their customers. 

“Sustainability Manager makes sustainability-related work clear to everybody involved. When information is shared in real time, the material comes to life and more people feel involved and can contribute. 

Essentially, it involves creating an operational support tool that enables Södra to see patterns in the data and make information comparable – so at the end of the day they can make better decisions about the future.” 

The driving forces behind the project come from two different directions. IT wants to digitalize business operations to make them more informed and efficient. However, there is also a push from the sustainability side, which sees the need to be able to follow up sustainability work and ensure that the company is on the right track with change efforts.  

KPMG’s Caroline Kolmodin Palm is the Project Manager, and she keeps all the processes moving forward, along with Södra and Microsoft. This is how she describes the project: 

“The exciting thing is how we combine our skills to build a force for innovation that goes beyond the normal. We are proud and delighted to accompany Södra and Microsoft on this journey. Through an insights-driven approach, we are generating new possibilities to analyze and create new knowledge from the sustainability data that is collected. And based on that information, Södra can take decisions faster and more confidently, which secures their leading sustainability position.” 

“Everybody that has been involved in this exciting project repeatedly comments on how engaging sustainability is. When sustainability efforts are digitalized, it is also possible to share the work with everybody and demonstrate how they can all can do their part. Sustainability matters are brought to life and more people feel involved. It quite simply becomes an integrated part of operations, every day at work.” 

Södra’s Cristian Brolin summarizes the project like this: 

“The greatest insight we’ve gained from this project is the overwhelming innovative power that arises when three companies such as Södra, Microsoft, and KPMG combine their talents and work together. It is also exciting knowing that what we are creating together in this project means that the tool can improve even further, and thereby also help their other customers to become more profitable and sustainable. Thanks to this tool and the work we have done, we can make even faster progress towards our target to become climate neutral, while the project also creates experience and insights that will help companies all over the world to become more sustainable.”