220407 In response to Expressen’s report on the Gudrun Sjödén company.

Further to an investigative report in Expressen newspaper, we realise that it is of the utmost importance that we as a company respond with our views on the information that appears in the report.


We are taking the claims in the report very seriously and understand that many people will react strongly to how our company has been portrayed. The report includes words such as “reign of terror”, “bullying” and “racism”, and suggests that our employees do not feel or have not felt happy in our mutual workplace.


The impression conveyed is of a workplace in which employees are not respected and where psychosocial issues are managed poorly – which we acknowledge and will act upon.


It goes without saying that we must apply a zero tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination, bullying and racism. Our employees know how to report workplace harassment, and our organisation is able to act and deal with any issues that arise. In the management team, we are self-critical – we must be better at communicating and implementing our corporate values. This is our ultimate responsibility.


We have decided to take further action and conduct an independent analysis in the near future to investigate how existing employees perceive their work environment (psychosocially and physically).


The image of our workplace portrayed in the report is not the one we want our employees to have.


Several years ago, we realised that we needed more instruction in the Work Environment Act, and this was provided successively to every manager in the company. In addition, we created an occupational health committee that has dealt with OHS issues together with the employees on an ongoing basis since 2018. Regular inspections of all workplaces are conducted by an ergonomist and we actively monitor overtime and holiday time, and endeavour for a reasonable work-life balance. Unfortunately, elements of this work were overlooked due to a change of personnel, which we sincerely regret.


Since August 2021, we have further expanded our OHS efforts, and currently co-operate with Regional Representatives from Unionen to ensure that our company is fully compliant with Swedish laws and regulations.
Confidence in our company has been harmed and it is now our duty and mission to restore that confidence.We respect that this may take time, but our fantastic employees should both know and feel that as employers we are working side by side with them along the way.


We very much appreciate our employees and want them to flourish in their place of work.

Ann Adelsson and Gudrun Sjödén