Sustainability in Niche Products

Niche Products includes proprietary products and solutions in specific technology niches, such as dispensing solutions for the food industry, flood protection and wetland equipment.

Sustainability issues in focus
Diversified portfolio of value-creating technologies
Niche Products’ customer offering is based on high added value through specialisation and close cooperation with customers. Innovation drives the development of solutions, which for example, reduce microplastic emissions during snow clearance and cleaning, and preserve ecosystems in connection with water management.

Reduced climate impact
The division’s climate impact is mainly driven by emissions in its value chain, such as purchased raw materials, especially steel and aluminium, as well as inbound and outbound transports. In its own production, it is the electricity mix in the Baltic and Central European factories that contributes most to the negative impact. Niche Products will contribute to the Group’s goal of halving its climate impact by 2030 by transitioning to green electricity in the factories in Poland, Estonia and the Netherlands, replacing fossil-based heating systems and changing over to electric power or more environmentally friendly fuels in service vehicles, and using more environmentally friendly refrigerants. In addition, the companies are actively working to increase the proportion of sustainable components in their technical solutions. 

Outcome 2024

• 36% reduced climate impact from own production relative to base year 2020, driven by an increased proportion of green electricity and improved efficiency.

• 50% (45%) fossil-free energy.
  Scope 3 has decreased by 25% compared to the base year 2020 which is explained by lower purchasing of materials.

  See detailed outcome on pages 22–24.

Responsible employer and business partner
The division has an extensive portfolio of proprietary products, which involve several production facilities and, in some cases, work processes that place special demands on the work environment. The companies work systemati­cally on preventing occupational injuries and on reducing absence due to illness. The division is striving to increase the ­proportion of women in management teams. Suppliers are evaluated according to business ethics principles and all staff undergo training in Lagercrantz’s Code of Conduct.

Outcome 2024

• In 2024, the injury rate amounted to 6.5 (6.9). Common accidents include crush and cut injuries. Regular dialogue on the work environment is conducted in the boards of companies where specific challenges have been identified, with the aim of understanding the root causes and putting in place relevant measures in a timely manner. This work is important to reduce sick leave due to illness in the longer term and to promote wellbeing in the workplace.
• Sick leave due to illness amounted to 4.2% (3.7). 
• The proportion of women in management teams amounted to 24% (26%)..