What is your working day like?
It’s very varied. I do everything from discussing in-store chillers to transport improvements, chemicals in food, Nordic Swan ecolabelled computers and social audits in China. On top of that, I have a great deal of contact with environmental and consumer organisations.
What are you most proud of having introduced since you joined Axfood?
As ever, nothing is really down to just one person, but I am proud of our fish policy.
What is the fish policy about?
It is about us fully complying with the recommendations of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). They divide fish into three categories. Red – stop. Amber – think. Green – OK. Under our fish policy we don’t sell fish in the red category. We’re also developing our assortment to include more fish from the green category.
Radio Sweden recently carried out a survey of food stores which clearly showed that we are leading the way in this area. That felt good!
How long have you worked in food retailing?
I’ve almost always worked with food in some form. As a teenager, I got a job at a farm. I milked the cows and drove a tractor and I loved it. Then I studied agricultural sciences. During my two periods in the Riksdag, I was responsible for issues regarding food and agriculture.
How would you sum up Axfood as an employer?
I think that what we decide gets put into practice. It’s not all talk. When I started, we appointed environmental coordinators, people with long experience and broad networks. That means that decisions can gain backing and be implemented quickly. Much more quickly than I would have thought before I started.
There is a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere between people. It feels like we have plenty of freedom. We’re not micro-managed. It is also non-hierarchical and I know from other listed companies that that is by no means true everywhere.
How does working here compare with your previous jobs?
It reminds me a lot of working in the Riksdag. There are dicussions with internal contacts and external stakeholders. I take part in panel debates and give talks. But things happen much more quickly here than in politics. The decisions are made more rapidly.