It was a full house as Daniel Bergsten and Mette Byström from Année welcomed the guests and introduced the panel: Annika Winlund from Skanska, Alexander Bergendorf from Axfood and Christina Johansson from Knowit. All three are seasoned professionals in the world of annual reporting and brought valuable insights to the table.
Together, we explored a wide range of topics – from business strategy and investment cases to digitalisation and early lessons from the first round of ESRS reporting.

Some of the key insights shared included:

» The annual and sustainability report is a powerful opportunity to tell the story of your company – presenting your business strategy clearly and confidently is therefore essential. It helps frame performance in context and builds understanding of where the company is headed.

» It can also be used in far more ways than just fulfilling a legal requirement. The report is a communication tool both internally and externally, and – as Christina Johansson pointed out – an important asset for employer branding, especially at Knowit.

» For many, 2024 was a year of focus on the CSRD and getting the ESRS report off the ground. Now, with the basics in place and a solid foundation built, it’s time to shift focus to sharpening the messaging and highlighting your company’s sustainability work more clearly.

All three panellists noted the ongoing progress of digitalisation. Tools using AI and machine learning are increasingly being applied – though currently still mostly in research and translation tasks. At the same time, the number of platforms for data collection, especially in the sustainability space, continues to grow. As these platforms evolve, the intersection of data and design is giving rise to a new generation of technical solutions.
In addition to the panel’s reflections, Année shared practical tips and inspiration from international examples, including learnings from the past reporting season and standout cases from companies like Lloyds Bank and Heineken.

All in all, it was a rich and rewarding seminar with great discussions. We’re grateful to our panellists for generously sharing their experience – and to all the guests who joined us and contributed thoughtful, engaging questions throughout the session.
Thanks to all who attended!