Nyah-gruppen was founded in 2016, but its history goes back much further. In fact, the group is the result of a marriage between two long-established Swedish companies: Nybloms Papper in Kalmar and Ahnviks in Borås, both dating back to the 1920s. It is a merger that is also reflected in the name Nyah-gruppen.
The companies originated from an activity that is as Swedish as the forest - the processing of paper pulp. For Nyah-gruppen, however, it is not manufacturing that is at the center, but the distribution of processed products. These include packaging, wiping paper, disposable tableware, carrier bags and protective clothing, but also a wide range of other products that are not necessarily paper-based.
The value chain plays a key role
- At Nyah-gruppen we are wholesalers, we are in between manufacturers and retailers. It's a role we take very seriously. As a wholesaler, it is extremely important to keep track of the entire value chain.
So says Johan Flodin, Sustainability Manager for Nyah-gruppen. According to him, an important aspect of the value chain is sustainability work. The issue of sustainability has been with the companies for a long time - Johan traces it back at least forty years.
Johan Flodin, Sustainability Manager for Nyah-gruppen
The sustainability journey is taking off in earnest
In 2022, Nyah-gruppen was preparing for new legislation from the EU, which meant that the sustainability journey was taking off in earnest.
- In a short time, we achieved several goals. We achieved ISO 26000 certification, set climate targets, and succeeded in our assessments - including winning gold at Ecovadis. But soon we also realized that we needed solid system support to succeed in long-term compliance work.
In other words, it was time to take the next step in sustainability, by adding a sustainability management product.
Evaluation of six platforms
That it would be Stratsys was not a given from the start. Quite the contrary.
- When it came time to choose the system support, the sustainability team at Nyah-gruppen and I made sure to do our homework properly. We made sure to do a thorough investigation of the facts.
In the end, what made the decision was not any single part, but the overall offer.
For us, the really great thing about Stratsys is the possibility of having a single speaking partner for all parts of the sustainability work.
- For us, the really great thing about Stratsys is the possibility of having a single speaking partner for all parts of the sustainability work. It gives us the totality and opportunity for control that we want to be able to package the sustainability offer in the best possible way.
The pieces are falling into place
Nyah-gruppens collaboration with Stratsys began in earnest in September 2024, with the first draft of the double materiality analysis ready for auditors in September of that year - a full year before regulators required it. This allowed the company to identify sustainability issues affecting Nyah-gruppen and its various stakeholders at an early stage.
Since then, sustainability has evolved at a rapid pace. Metrics have been added and the structure has been put in place. As the picture becomes clearer, Johan and his colleagues see potential for improvement.
- We are working to rebuild the double materiality analysis based on our lessons learned in the first round. This includes clarifying wording and fine-tuning.
Stakeholder analysis with strategic benefit
Johan feels that Stratsys provides a very good and accurate picture of reality. Not least, he emphasizes the value of the stakeholder analysis, which helps Nyah-gruppen to better understand the influence and requirements of various stakeholders.
- Stratsys' assessment and our stakeholders' priority list are very close. In the system, we have a sample of 250 customers, 50 suppliers and 100 employees. As stakeholders, both customers and employees are vital to our business model.
Due diligence - the holy grail of wholesalers
In the role of a wholesaler, it is business-critical to get to know your value chain in depth. Therefore, in addition to the product Sustainability Management, Nyah-gruppen has also added the product ESG due diligence. A product that helps Nyah-gruppen to evaluate and manage risks in the value chain.
We can give customers the opportunity to reduce their emissions and secure their value chains. It strengthens our offering.
- We have worked with two project managers at Stratsys to help with our due diligence. And we can already see that the platform helps us in our role as a wholesaler. We can give customers the opportunity to reduce their emissions and secure their value chains. It strengthens our offer, for sure.
Johan testifies that it has been easy for the purchasing department to integrate and start using the ESG due diligence product. At the same time, a lot of work remains to be done. For example, other parts of the organization also need to be trained in the system, something that Johan is looking forward to starting soon.
The direction is set, regardless of legislation
In the world of Nyah-gruppen, sustainability is a strategic issue that strengthens the company's position in the market. Johan takes the changes at EU level in stride:
- For us, it's much more interesting to focus on how to be even better at what we do. For example, we have developed a calculator to measure carbon emissions and are working to become even better at meeting customer requirements. That's not something that will change.
Enough pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place for Johan to venture a preliminary assessment of Stratsy's role in sustainability work.
We are driven to do the right thing. And Stratsys helps us get where we want to go.
- We have always had clear values in our company. We are driven to do the right thing. And Stratsys helps us get where we want to go. For us, they play an important role, Johan concludes.
Want to know more about how Stratsys can help you in your sustainability work? Contact us and we will be happy to tell you more.
