With its 120 employees, Skövdebostäder carries out a great deal of work in-house. At the same time, the company is a major local purchaser of services, including in the areas of new housing projects and renovation. The company now wants to encourage its suppliers of both services and products to make improvements in sustainability.
“We have been developing our sustainability efforts within our own operations in recent years. A natural next step is to set requirements for our partners as well, so that together we can become more sustainable throughout the entire supply chain,” says Sofie Spetz, environmental and sustainability coordinator at Skövdebostäder.
Value-Added Model for a More Sustainable Business
As part of this effort, Skövdebostäder has gradually implemented a new procurement model. This model allows the company to prioritize sustainable initiatives in addition to factors such as price and quality.
– With this new approach, we reward suppliers who not only make promises but also deliver concrete results in sustainability. This could involve, for example, being fossil-free, reuse, and resource efficiency. “This model allows us to reward suppliers who take a proactive approach to sustainability without having to define exact requirements in advance,” explains Jesper Cederlöf, procurement coordinator at Skövdebostäder.
Complies with sustainability requirements
An important part of the work is ensuring that suppliers also meet the sustainability requirements set forth in the contracts.
“If the terms are not met, the supplier may have to pay a penalty—and we’re noticing that we’re gaining a reputation locally as a client that enforces our contract terms. In 2025, we’ve, among other things, reviewed compliance with the requirements for fossil-free transportation,” says Sofie Spetz, environmental and sustainability coordinator at Skövdebostäder.
Code of Conduct on Human Rights
To further clarify its social sustainability requirements, Skövdebostäder adopted a new Code of Conduct for suppliers in early 2026. The purpose is to ensure that human rights are respected throughout the supply chain.
– In some cases, we work with suppliers who, in turn, have many subcontractors, and production may also take place abroad. “We want to ensure that the goods and services we purchase are produced under sustainable and responsible conditions, free from corruption. For example, our suppliers’ operations must comply with applicable labor laws and the UN Declaration of Human Rights at every stage,” says Sofie Spetz, environmental and sustainability coordinator at Skövdebostäder.
Skövdebostäder is a major local client for services, including new housing projects and renovation. Photo from the construction of Tallyckan Stöpen.
