The Nordic Way Virtue #1: Innovative Vision Constructs Leadership for a New Era

The first virtue of The Nordic Way is an Innovative Vision. It guides companies to look forward, develop new solutions, and proactively respond to challenges and opportunities of sustainability. The courage to believe in something new and the ability to innovate help in developing products and services that best serve customers while increasing competitiveness sustainably.

The essence of an Innovative Vision emphasizes the importance of continuous development, collaboration, transparency, and flexibility. Leadership is no longer the sole responsibility of an individual but the collective duty of the entire organization. Leadership in the new era isn't just about wielding authority, but also about adaptability, evolution, and growth. Leaders must reassess themselves, their roles, their communication skills, and their leadership style. This adaptability is central to sustainable development and an innovative vision.

In today's organizations, instability is the norm, not the exception. Pioneer organizations operate based on an innovative vision, collaboration, self-directed teams, and quick cycles that produce value for various stakeholders.

Sustainability is a prerequisite for future action

Companies prepared for future shocks and able to react quickly during crises can gain significant competitive advantages. This requires organizing to improve response speed, empowering people with the ability to change, and fostering a culture of continuous learning. The culture must also support more open and collaborative work.

Structures and operational models familiar from the industrial era, which focused on stability, scalability, and predictability, are receding. The world has become more complex while societal expectations of companies have increased. Many companies have realized that the traditional organizational model no longer functions amidst current challenges and expectations.

Every company – and leader – should be able to explain to their employees and customers what sustainability means for their company. From a sales perspective, a sustainability strategy can help identify new opportunities, improve company reputation, thereby attracting new customers and keeping existing ones satisfied.

In this new mindset, companies and sales teams are looking for operational models that release collective energy and passion, enable the genuine potential of people, renew strategies, and serve the interests of all stakeholders. Often, the concept of sustainability becomes a mere buzzword without understanding its linkage to sales and leadership and how it can be used to build a competitive advantage.

“Today’s workforce is calling for a different breed of leadership, one that is adaptable, empathetic, and committed to sustainability,” aptly summarized in the Alumni companies' blog.

Sales and Leadership in The Nordic Way Model

McKinsey's report "New leadership for a new era of thriving organizations" highlights ten significant changes occurring in organizations that affect the company's structures, processes, and people. From the perspective of The Nordic Way model, the most relevant of these changes include the increase in hybrid work models, the generalization of AI usage, methods to attract new talent, job attraction and retention, and the promotion of workplace diversity.

Innovative Vision emphasizes long-term strategic thinking and agility and ability to adapt quickly to changing situations. Sales are based on long-term planning and trust, essential for a long-term relationship between the company and the customer. Leadership in companies emphasizes respect for employees, well-being, and participation, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

The future is based on sustainable business, but only when sustainability is understood more deeply than just an abstract concept or a marketing slogan. In sustainability sales and leadership, it must reflect the organization's daily operations, and it must integrate into the strategy as tightly as financial metrics and objectives.

– Tomi & Ruba

The Nordic Way Virtue #2: Collective Happiness Leads to Sustainable Work Culture

Happy employees create satisfied customers. Shared happiness directs us to identify and revel in sources of collective joy. When people genuinely do good for others, there's no need for awkward and contrived morale-boosting events.

For those seeking genuine interactions and a shared direction, The Nordic Way acts as a compass, guiding the organization towards collective happiness. That's why the soul of The Nordic Way model, Principle #2, emphasizes well-being, commitment, and productivity in the workplace.

Community isn't created by orders, but by actions. By collaborating with staff, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders, businesses can identify and implement sustainable solutions that benefit everyone involved.

Only when the factors enabling shared happiness within an organization have been extended to include its customers, and a corresponding atmosphere has been transferred to the end-users, can an organization be deemed to operate as The Nordic Way model requires.

Sustainable leadership and sales necessitate emotional management skills. Economist, emotional trainer, and non-fiction writer Camilla Tuominen believes that the capability of individuals and organizations to understand and manage emotions will be a crucial competitive advantage in the future. Surface-level interactions won't suffice; the successful entities of the future will dare to engage people more profoundly. Managing emotions is a critical aspect of sustainable sales and leadership.

In successful customer interactions, the emotions of customers are considered. This doesn't only mean recognizing positive emotions but also confronting and handling challenging ones. Understanding and managing emotions help forge trust-based customer relationships, which stand strong even in competitive scenarios. Proper emotional management results in increased happiness, better collaboration, communication, and ultimately improved outcomes.

The organizational psychologists Outi Ikonen and Jaakko Sahimaa aptly note in their book "Human Efficiency - Tensions Utilized" that "Things aren't always in organizations as they appear. Problems can be elusive, keeping you awake at night."

From the perspective of customers and end-users, the well-being and internal motivation of a company's staff can manifest as better service, higher compliance with quality standards, and ultimately superior products or services. Clearly, an enthusiastic, committed, well-off, and happy employee is the best brand ambassador a company can have.

The Nordic Way is the path to a happier future

Elevating sustainability-driven metrics alongside other performance targets is a significant step towards collective happiness. If, for instance, a product or service demonstrably promotes the sustainability and responsibility of a customer or end-user, it should be highlighted as a primary performance metric.

Sustainable sales and leadership require a sensitive and critical attitude towards the values a company represents. Brands committed to helping people lead better and happier lives will thrive in the markets of the future.

Nordic companies have the opportunity to set an example for the world on how business can be both prosperous and joyful. This is the true essence of The Nordic Way, a path on which each of us can journey towards a happier and more successful future.

- Tomi & Ruba

The Nordic Way Virtue #3: Radical Transparency Builds Trust

The third principle of "The Nordic Way" emphasizes that radical transparency lays a solid foundation for business growth and success. Investing in radical transparency not only benefits the future of the company but also strengthens its business relationships and contributes positively to society at large. Open, honest, and transparent communication enhances credibility, trust, and engagement among employees, customers, and partners.

Addressing the harsh truth, even before a customer notices a blunder or error, can help your business forge stronger and more durable relationships with customers, end-users, and other stakeholders.

Many organizations are accustomed to withholding information, either to shield it from competitors or out of fear of customers' reactions. Taking steps towards greater transparency can be daunting. However, when transparency becomes the norm, the rewards are manifold.

Timo Ritakallio, CEO of OP Group, shared in an October issue of Kauppalehti Optio, “In business, one must always contemplate the future and force oneself towards brutal honesty.” According to Ritakallio, being open to feedback is a core issue in management.

The Nordic Way: A New Paradigm in Sales and Leadership

Traditionally, sales relied on the asymmetric distribution of information. Sellers held information that the customer needed, providing them with negotiation power, even dominance. Now, customers can access almost unlimited information before even encountering a salesperson.

Salespeople and managers need to be overtly transparent about their sustainability practices and objectives to meet the expectations of employees, customers, and other stakeholders. If a product or service doesn’t meet all of a customer's needs or expectations, it's imperative to proactively communicate this. Openness fosters trust and spares both parties’ unnecessary effort.

In leadership, radical openness primarily means mutual understanding and transparency in expectations and customer satisfaction. This openness is built on mutual trust and security. At its best, radical transparency serves as a guiding principle for an organization, strengthening communication, building trust as a cultural element.

- Tomi & Ruba

Virtue #4: No Ego -thinking is a cornerstone of Modern Leadership

No Ego is the fourth soul of The Nordic Way. In modern sales and leadership, egos are set aside. The perspective of “What can you do for me” is transformed into “What can we achieve together.” In The Nordic Way mindset, there is no room for arrogance, hierarchies, nor expectations of power and respect derived from position and title. The sustainability of a company requires the success of both individuals and teams. Sustainably profitable growth needs the best contribution from every individual.

Our world has changed radically, but the evolution of leadership styles has not kept up with the turmoil. Bestselling author and popular speaker Stephen M.R. Covey points out that people don't want to be governed but led properly. In his book “Trust & Inspire” he presents a new model of leadership. It starts with the belief that people are creative, collaborative, and full of potential. This philosophy requires modern leaders to have the ability to inspire their employees, especially in a diverse and dynamic work environment, characteristic of today's work life.

No Ego -leadership transforms the workplace

Research by consulting firm Bain & Co shows that inspired employees produce 125% more than those who are 'just' satisfied and 55% more than those who are committed but not inspired.

The future workplace requires a decentralized workforce, which demands trust and collaboration across different cultures, personalities, generations, and technologies. A high-trust culture and an organization's ability to inspire employees are critical elements for a company's competitiveness. Another requirement for a successful organization is the ability to work together and innovate to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world of disruptions. No Ego leadership is based on trust and inspiration, with a clear direction, vision, high expectations, and responsibility for sustainable results.

A leader's task is to free people to do their best, not to control the energy within the employees. As a result of a holistic view of humanity, leadership is seen not only as motivation but also as inspiration. When a manager internalizes that leadership is a service profession, they can elevate serving others above their own interests. This creates a work environment where salespeople don't compete against each other but strive to help each other achieve the best possible results – together.

The Nordic Way guides Sustainable Leadership

Studies show that when employees feel safe and respected, they are more productive, innovative, and committed. A company that adopts the No Ego culture creates space for open dialogue and discussion, which improves the company's ability to identify and solve all kinds of problems with both staff and customers.

The No Ego mindset is more than just words; it's actions! When companies embrace this, they improve both their work environment and build a fairer society. As The Nordic Way emphasizes, leadership is much more than just optimizing productivity – it's about building the culture and sustainability of the entire organization in sales and leadership in the long term.

– Tomi & Ruba

Virtue #5: Enough is Enough - Sustainable Growth Through Satisficing

The core of Virtue #5 in The Nordic Way, "Enough is Enough," lies in the ability to recognize and appreciate what has already been achieved. Development, learning, and healthy growth are part of this Nordic soul. But what does this mean from the perspectives of sales and leadership?

Does it mean reducing the workload? Achieving goals with a six-hour workday or a four-day work week? Unlikely. Does it mean that budgets for salespeople and units shouldn't grow year-on-year if the market allows? No. Does it imply that the standard for work quality and outcomes should be less ambitious? Definitely not.

To genuinely implement a joint vision between a seller and a customer, maximizing short-term benefits is not feasible. Instead, opportunities that allow for the creation of high value together are sought.

"Enough is Enough" gives the courage to say no when necessary. It helps find a balance and focus on opportunities that bring long-term, sustainable growth. This mindset applies to both individuals and communities. Sometimes it's best to say: This is enough!!

A Net Positive Business Model Gives More Than It Takes

Escalating climate change, worsening human inequality, diminishing resources, and decreasing biodiversity are acute challenges. They threaten not just the corporate world but humanity as a whole. They create a complex tangle that requires unprecedented actions and collaboration among various stakeholders.

Traditionally, companies worldwide have pursued one goal: maximizing profit. But what if the greatest profit is not in money, but in the value a company creates for the world? What if a company's real success is measured by its positive impact on our society and planet?

In an October 2023 interview with Talouselämä, Susanne Ehnbåge, CEO of Lindex, who led the brand to become a star of the Stockmann group in four years, shares how "Lindex is increasingly selling recycled children's clothing. Used clothes reveal what works in production and what needs improvement. About 80% of the clothes returning to circulation are fully usable. This is how all companies must operate. Customers and especially financiers demand responsibility from all companies.”

Lidl no longer sells fruits and vegetables flown in by air freight, opting for land and sea transport. This reduces nearly half a million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman and sustainable business expert Andrew Winston demonstrate in their successful book "Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take" that when a company focuses on solving the world's greatest challenges, it does not just "do the right thing" but also grows its business. Companies that build trust, attract the best employees, and inspire customers ensure sustainably profitable success.

A net positive business model is not just about reducing carbon footprints or donating to charity. It means building business models that genuinely improve people's lives and protect the planet. Net positive companies create deeper value that extends far beyond short-term financial gains.

Sustainable HR Policies Lead to Good Customer Service

The "Enough is Enough" spirit challenges organizations to critically examine their HR practices. Sustainable HR policy is more than just complying with laws and regulations. It means treating employees as valuable individuals, considering their well-being, and creating a work environment that promotes endurance and motivation. This is also an essential part of a company's social responsibility and employer brand. Setting goals should always avoid unrealistic and excessive ambition. The negative publicity received by Gigantti is an example of this.

Gigantti's care service received a reprimand from the Competition and Consumer Authority in 2021 for its pressuring sales style. This fall, Gigantti has once again been in the eye of the storm. In October 2023, Gigantti issued a statement apologizing for failures in customer service and promising immediate corrective actions. CEO Niko Sandström states that they do not accept any dishonesty or scam practices in their customer service. To eradicate unethical practices, corrective actions have been initiated. The role of customer satisfaction in the store employees' bonus model is greatly increased, a diversity working group aims to improve ethical customer service practices, and a new local leadership model guides individual employees more strongly from an ethical perspective.

The Nordic Way Navigates Towards Sustainable Success

At the heart of the "Enough is Enough" soul is the ability to recognize and appreciate what has already been achieved. It's crucial to internalize what genuinely makes life good for oneself or one's organization. Development, learning, and healthy growth are part of this Nordic spirit.

The "Enough is Enough" philosophy refers to the idea that, for instance, a top salesperson doesn't need to reach extremes to be content and happy. It requires a mindset that values moderation and understands that too much can indeed be too much. The focus should be on balance and satisfaction with what we already have.

In an HS Vision interview, angel investor Tim Ferriss notes that it’s enough to be truly excellent in one or two things. In everything else, being good enough is sufficient. He names his two measures of success: How did it feel to go to sleep? And how did it feel to wake up?

The "Enough is Enough" principle does not mean the minimum amount but the right amount. Sustainability in sales and leadership is not always easy, but it's both humanely and economically sensible. When forming an ambitious and innovative vision jointly between a seller and a customer, neither party can afford to be short-sighted and greedy. To truly implement a joint vision, one does not need maximal short-term benefits. Instead, seek opportunities that enable the creation of high value together. For such sustainable partnerships to work, the selling party must internalize and concretely set limits for when enough is indeed enough.

Are you ready to challenge the way your company operates? Are you prepared to lead the change necessary for your company and the entire planet?

– Tomi & Ruba

Virtue #6: Intelligent Empowerment is a Strategic Competitive Factor for Business

The Nordic Way's sixth virtue, Intelligent Empowerment, naturally follows the footsteps of the previous five virtues. Technological development alone cannot solve the sustainability problems of businesses, society, or the planet. Instead, a balance is needed between all six virtues.

Intelligent Empowerment encourages employees to innovate and solve problems, making independent, smarter decisions. This is achieved by utilizing one's expertise, new technologies, and artificial intelligence together, which in turn increases efficiency, productivity, and accelerates the quality decision-making process.

However, Intelligent Empowerment is much more than just technology and artificial intelligence. It is a key factor in the success of many new initiatives and projects in sales, management, and customer relationships. Deep understanding of customer data, their situations, and needs allows greater freedom and responsibility to be given to customer representatives as they make more proactive decisions with customers.

Artificial Intelligence changes the way we work

An innovative vision formed together with the customer is a guiding beacon, where data and its utilization are tools for achieving goals. Artificial Intelligence combines data from various sources, improving decision-making support.

OP Lab's “AI Maiju” has been piloted in the OP Home (OP Koti) Turku region. Real estate agents spend thousands of hours annually writing about 23,000 real estate listings. OP Group's technology and development director, Kasimir Hirn, says that automating the writing of property listings is an excellent example of the positive impact of artificial intelligence on real estate agents' daily lives.

OP Home's (OP Koti) director, Lasse Palovaara, adds: “Artificial intelligence won’t replace real estate agents, but the property listings generated by Maiju are already of such high quality that they could save agents’ time. If AI can provide a good basis for listing text, agents can focus more on personalizing the advertisement based on the specific features of the property.”

Intelligent Empowerment also refers to ways in which technology, especially artificial intelligence, and other smart systems, can be used to empower individuals, communities, and organizations. This highlights the importance of cybersecurity. Sustainable cybersecurity is an important part of digital strategy and must develop alongside technology.

Utilizing new technology, maintaining it, and the opportunities it offers depend on digital experts, employees who understand and master these tools. Talents, such as programmers, data scientists, cybersecurity experts, and many other technology professionals, must be ready to support this digital transition.

McKinsey's Saurabh Sanghvi notes that green jobs will attract future creators. "We think zero is going to be a tremendous opportunity for job growth. But similar to some of the things we've talked about regarding automation and AI, it will require quite a bit of transition."

Leadership will also change

The commanding approach that defined success in the past is giving way to a new style that values and utilizes the skills, creativity, and insights of the entire team. This new leadership style requires new human skills and intelligent empowerment.

Vincit, a top expert company in digital business, has been at the top of the Great Place to Work listings for several years. Vincit's Head of Competence Development, Essi Isohanni, says, “It is essential not just to allocate people to a project where they produce for the company, but to allocate them to projects that are meaningful for them and their expertise. This leads to new learning, well-being at work, and gives people opportunities to develop while maintaining higher job satisfaction.”

The Nordic Way’s Six Virtues guide your change journey

The Nordic Way emphasizes the Nordic style of leadership. Like the six virtues, the journey to human-centered leadership requires building trust, promoting equality through decentralization of power, and maintaining balance by combining guiding and empowering styles. It requires openness to feedback, self-awareness, holistic thinking, recognizing the value of different skills and perspectives, and empathy to appreciate every team member's contribution. It requires intelligent empowerment.

On the journey to the top, leaders often rely on their expertise and the sense of control it brings, but once there, they must adopt a human-centered approach. They must transition from a lone wolf role to that of an orchestra conductor, promoting harmony between different departments and leading them towards a unified purpose. This critical change is rarely quick or easy.

The path to becoming a human-centered leader, like the entire Nordic Way, is complex and challenging. It requires humility, self-awareness, resilience, and a lasting commitment to sustainable change. It's about taking on the role of a mentor, guide, and empathetic leader. Ultimately, it's about nurturing the collective wisdom and creativity of the team and leveraging the opportunities provided by intelligent empowerment.

– Tomi & Ruba

Virtue #7

Each of The Nordic Way's six virtues possesses tremendous potential for change in both sales and leadership. The Six Virtues help build depth in the company and its customer relationships. A company can proceed in its own process one Virtue at a time in any order it chooses or grasp the entire landscape of virtues at once.

Each company naturally follows its own path towards more enduring sustainability. Therefore, it is worth considering what the possibly missing piece, the seventh Virtue, is that completes your company's map towards business growth, sustainably and profitably.

OP's Major Corporation Study 2023 reveals that only one in ten large corporations is satisfied with the responsibility of their subcontracting chain. 83 percent of respondents feel pressure to renovate their subcontracting chains due to sustainability commitments. Nearly 43 percent of respondents have already had to change their subcontractors or suppliers due to sustainability requirements, and over 45 percent anticipate changes soon. Companies that are genuinely committed to sustainability are now in a strong position. Therefore, each company must perform a value chain analysis, identify the value drivers related to subcontractors and partners, and based on that, assess which of the six Virtues fit into the strategy. Only then can it be decided whether this seventh Virtue is needed to communicate true sustainability to stakeholders.

A good example of manufacturer and supply chain collaboration is the Swedish steel company SSAB and the Nordic social constructor Peab, who have committed together to reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry. “The climate cannot wait,” says Head of Environment Elisabet Stadler from Peab. “We take responsibility for our environmental impacts throughout the value chain and entire lifecycle. Peab's goal is to work sustainably in every area to reduce the company's environmental and climate impacts. We have a great responsibility in the construction industry, and by using SSAB Zero, we can achieve our goal of being a climate-neutral industry by 2045. It's a milestone not only for Peab but also for the whole industry.” SSAB Zero™ uses only recycled steel as raw material and does not cause fossil carbon dioxide emissions in production, purchased energy, or transportation. Carbon dioxide emissions are not offset.

ESG and DEI also define sustainability

Capital investors carefully analyze the sustainability strategies of their investment targets before making decisions. They also demand additional contributions to sustainable sales and leadership from their associated companies. Sustainability leads to innovation and thus new investment opportunities. Business leaders and analysts have noticed that considering sustainability in investment decisions is an important question in assessing and creating long-term value for companies. It is also a growing demand from investors in Europe.

Jay Gelb, Rob McCarthy, Werner Rehm, and Andrey Voronin write in McKinsey's article "Investors want to hear from companies about the value of sustainability" that although over 95 percent of S&P 500 companies publish a sustainability report, only a few fully integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects into the value of their stocks. If there is no clear connection between ESG and strategy, investors may find it difficult to understand how the company's efforts affect financial performance and its value.

"Midway through the target period, only 15 percent of the sustainable development SDG goals are on the right track, and many are even going in the wrong direction. I urge you to continue working and see that sustainable development is the best of all business plans," said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his opening speech at the SDG Action Weekend in New York in September 2023.

Antti Isokangas, one of the authors of the book “Greenwashing Guide – How Meaning Turns into Marketing,” says in the podcast Responsibility from Newspapers that “The desire in companies to appear responsible is much greater than the ability to actually act responsibly and change business and processes to be sustainable.” Isokangas continues: “Companies' sustainability reports go to die in the sustainability section of websites, but they are evidence of what is happening in companies. Very few consumers are so enlightened that they would go to read sustainability reports. Things can and should be told to consumers in a way that is understandable, interesting, and relevant to the target group.”

Frosmo's August blog "Personalizing sustainability: Integrating eco-consciousness into ecommerce" emphasizes how the growth of online shopping has revolutionized our shopping habits. The downside of convenience and a wide selection is increased logistics and packaging. Many consumers are looking for ways to make more environmentally friendly choices online, which has led to the development of sustainable e-commerce practices. The goal is to reduce the environmental impacts of e-commerce and promote ethical and socially responsible business practices. Integrating sustainability into e-commerce personalization improves customer experience while promoting environmentally friendly practices.

Bringing environmental issues into everyday activities and actively partnering with customers to minimize their environmental impacts elevated Telia to the top spot in Europe’s Climate Leaders 2023 survey, which evaluates European companies' environmental work. "We are already seeing the concrete effects of climate change and the decline in nature's biodiversity. The rapidly advancing climate change requires quick changes and good cooperation between companies and other actors. Continuing and expanding climate actions is more important than ever," says Telia's sustainability director Eija Pitkänen.

Finnish energy conglomerate Fortum Oyj plans to show that carbon dioxide emissions from waste incineration plants can be turned into environmentally friendly plastic. Fortum is investing ten million euros in a pilot project at the Riihimäki waste incineration plant. "Waste incineration has the potential to be much more than just energy production in the future. We can replace fossil raw materials. We don’t need to use them if we make them from our own carbon dioxide emissions," says Fortum Recycling & Waste's Carbon2x project manager Tony Rehn in an interview with Tekniikka&Talous. Fortum's project is the first of its kind in the world.

More and more organizations also recognize the importance of the DEI process, i.e., diversity, equity, and inclusion, but mere recognition is not enough. It is essential to integrate the DEI strategy into the business strategy so that diversity, equity, and inclusion become a natural part of the organization's operations and culture. Combining DEI with business goals is not always straightforward, and achieving real change requires commitment. It is important for organizations to recognize the importance of the DEI process, but it is even more important to act, invest in resources, and integrate DEI deeply into the core of the organization.

– Tomi & Ruba

The Nordic Way: Achieving Sustainable and Lasting Success in Sales and Leadership

Sustainability in sales and leadership is not a project. It's a continuous loop requiring deep commitment and effort from both corporate leaders and all their employees. Permanent change in sustainability demands integrating a new mindset into the company's strategy, culture, processes, and structures.

The ability of companies and individuals to adopt new methods and respond swiftly to a changing world varies greatly. Without significant external or internal pressure, organizational culture typically changes slowly. However, with determined leadership, even a large ship can be turned. Now, responsibility is rocking this ship. Skilled navigation can steer towards a more sustainable and profitable future.

Companies must prioritize sustainability and social responsibility. Consumers and business customers are increasingly aware of companies' impact on the environment and society. They prefer companies that prioritize these values and can demonstrate a real commitment to sustainability.

Sustainable sales are profitable. The ability of sales to command higher prices for sustainable products and services is not just rectified by teaching salespeople or learning to communicate with customers. True success and business growth are achieved only when strategy, management, processes, objectives, rewards, and communication are all elevated to a sustainable level. The combined effect of these measures integrates sustainability at all levels of sales planning and execution, adding value for end customers. Transitioning to this broader sustainability in sales and leadership is a huge leap and a significant milestone on a company's path to sustainability.

The Path to Sustainable Success

The Nordic Way Approach: Valuable Insights for Building Sustainable Success in Our Lives.

• Inclusive leadership, where every employee has a chance to impact decision-making, increases readiness for change and commitment.

• Honest and open communication helps employees understand the reasons, goals, and benefits of change. It also helps alleviate the uncertainty and resistance often associated with changes.

• An attitude of lifelong learning helps organizations stay dynamic and adapt quickly to a changing operational environment.

• A healthy work-life balance improves the well-being and commitment of employees.

• Equality and diversity help build an inclusive culture, which in turn promotes the success of change.

Join the Journey Towards a Sustainable Future

Sustainability rises from compliance with laws and standards and awareness of risks to become part of the everyday practice in sales and leadership, right up to customer interactions. Gradually, sustainability also becomes a central part of the company's strategy, where it is considered internally not just in environmental matters but also in staff management. With lasting sustainability, better business is conducted while considering impacts on the environment, people, and the economy.

Ask yourself: How can I ensure that sustainability in my community doesn't remain just lip service, but becomes a permanent part of the organization's DNA? How can the role of sales and leadership evolve to enhance the company's sustainability?

Sustainability in sales and leadership is a journey, not a destination. Salespeople and leaders must commit to continuous improvement and seek new and better ways to be more responsible. This requires close monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation of sustainability practices, as well as a new kind of courage and mindset.

Are You the Next Nordic Way Coach?

Do you want to help businesses place sustainability at the core of their business renewal and turn sustainability from speeches into concrete actions? Can you assist salespeople in justifying the investments and achievements made in sustainability to customers, thereby commanding higher prices for products and services? Can you illustrate how sustainability is manifested both within the organization and in relation to customers, end-users, and other stakeholders?

The Nordic Way is rapidly expanding, and we have a clear vision: to strengthen the movement of sustainable sales globally. We focus on quality factors in sales and leadership and their sustainable development. More and more coaches are joining us on the path to sustainable business. By joining forces with us, you can serve your current clients with a more diverse offering. We enrich your coaching portfolio with fresh content and open doors to new client relationships in your area. If you work as an internal coach within an organization, we provide you with the keys to significantly strengthen competitiveness.

Take a step towards a more sustainable future and join us! Together, we inspire business professionals and build a future that reflects the values of sustainability. Seize the opportunity and make the change with us.

Welcome to The Nordic Way transformation journey!

– Tomi & Ruba

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