“This company has a tremendous belief in the future.”
Five quick questions to Pia Lindström, Senior Vice President of Sustainability.
1. You started at LKAB in February.What is your impression of the company so far?
“This company has a tremendous belief in the future. We have reached a point at which we must shift to something entirely new – fossil-free processes and products. I am impressed by the energy shown by our co-workers as they meet the opportunities and challenges this transition entails.”
2. LKAB will take the lead in the transformation of the iron and steel industry. What are the implications of this for your work?
“Sustainability issues are the very foundation of what we are about to do, which is why I couldn’t imagine a more rewarding job than that of Senior Vice President Sustainability. Few are so privileged to be part of such an incredible journey that will mean so much for so many.”
3. As you see it, from a sustainability perspective, what challenges lie ahead?
“The climate can’t wait, so the biggest challenge is that we must have the right prerequisites for realising our plans for the transition. Here, I’m referring to the environmental permit processes, which must be more effective and just; but it’s much broader than that. We need legal acceptance for the transition. The timeline we’re working on demands changes in legislation, at both the national and EU levels. And these changes take time.”
4. What does the term 'sustainability' mean for LKAB?
“We look at in terms of four dimensions: society, climate, environment and economics. In our roadmap for sustainability we have set long-range targets for what we wish to achieve in all four areas. Among other things, it has to do with how we become part of the solution for the climate by being fossil-free, how we minimise our environmental impact with sustainable waste management and biological diversity. This also means that we must assume responsibility from a societal perspective in terms of local social responsibility and commitment, safety and diversity. And, not least, how we create economic value with sustainable value chains and sustained financial strength.”
5. What do LKAB's values, Commitment, Innovation and Responsibility, mean to you?
“Commitment: when the people around me are passionate about their work; then, together, we can do miracles. For me, innovation means not being hindered by what we already know. Responsibility is doing the right things, both as an individual and as an organisation, in both the short term and the long term.”
- Name: Pia Lindström
- Role: Senior Vice President Sustainability, LKAB
- Lives in: Skellefteå
- Family: Husband and two sons, 21 and 18, and Spanish Water Dog Selma.
- Leisure interests: I like to be outdoors! Running, cross-country skiing, fishing, riding and hunting. Furthermore, I’m a manic chanterelle forager.
- Most recently read book: Silvervägen, by Stina Jackson
