Samhall: winning the European Business Award gave us a competitive advantage

Albin Falkmer, Head of Public Relations at Samhall AB:

What does it mean to you to win the European Business Award?

It means a lot. For our company, sustainability is a key competitive advantage. Our customers truly value our work for a more sustainable society and the environment. Being able to say to our potential customers that we are the most sustainable company in Europe is of course a unique selling point. It is also a great source of pride amongst our 23,000 employees.

Has it changed anything for your business - will it change anything in the future?

Obviously, it is an extremely valuable addition to our marketing. I’d also say that the award has given us a greater awareness of sustainability issues, throughout the whole company. Even though we made big efforts in the past, I would say that we have now raised our bars even higher.

What did you gain from going through the Awards process?

It was useful for the organization to review and evaluate the company's work. By looking closer at our facts and figures we have created a greater awareness of our sustainability efforts. We found areas where our results were surprisingly good - but also areas where we should perform a lot better. It was also valuable to learn about and take advantage of our competitors’ work. Many of the other finalists have made impressive achievements that we all can learn from.

Would you recommend other businesses in Europe to apply?

Absolutely! To participate in the process gives you valuable insights and contacts. You get back far more than the work of writing an application requires.

Why do you think the European Business Awards are important?

The European Business Awards is important for several reasons. Primarily the contest spreads good practices across Europe. But it also provides the opportunity for cooperation and learning from each other across both industry boundaries and national borders. It simply helps us all to become better.  

About Samhall AB

Samhall is one of Sweden’s largest companies. With more than 23 000 employees across 200 areas, it offers services in everything from cleaning, laundry, care services and property maintenance to logistics and manufacturing. Samhall is owned by the Swedish state and has the mission to create meaningful work that furthers the personal development of people with functional impairment causing reduced working capacity.