Annual Report and Sustainability Report 2019
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Annual Report and Sustainability Report 2019 1 RISE 2019 Contents RISE today 1 Year in brief 2 A word from the CEO 3 The year in figures This is RISE 5 Key performance indicators 2019 2018 Mission and objectives 7 Net sales, SEK m 3,568 3,066 Our objectives 7 Operating profit, SEK m 63 34 How RISE creates value 8 Profit after financial items, SEK m 54 25 Offer 9 Net profit for the year, SEK m 47 11 Governance 11 Equity, SEK m 1,041 991 A word from the Chairman 12 Total assets, SEK m 3,749 3,064 Corporate Governance Report 13 Equity/assets ratio, % 28 32 Electricity consumption per 14,823 16,636 23 Sustainability report employee (kWh) About the report 24 CO2e emissions from business travel Stakeholder dialogue and materiality analysis 25 per employee (kg) 763 1,066 RISE sustainability strategy 28 Responsible business 29 Environment 32 Social responsibility 35 The coronavirus pandemic spreading around the Financial responsibility 38 world is creating major problems for communities Important areas of sustainability 39 » and businesses. We are monitoring our customers’ GRI index 41 needs and identifying ways in which we can assist Audit report 44 while at the same time protecting the health and safety of our employees and customers Annual Report 45 « Administration Report 46 Pia Sandvik, Proposed appropriation of profits 50 CEO, RISE Risk and risk management 51 Accounts and notes 54 Auditor’s report 98 Additional information 101 Definitions and glossary 102 1 RISE 2019 Year in brief RISE takes ownership of MoRe Research Support approved for electromobility centres The vision is to make the Norrland coast a world-class The European Commission approved Sweden’s centre for research and development in the paper, pulp application for funding for the construction of the SEEL and biorefinery industry. electromobility lab owned by RISE and Chalmers. RISE is leading the development of a national Nordic investment in electric aviation action plan: the AI Agenda To promote the development of electric aviation, RISE Technology leaders from academia, industry and the is leading a platform to create a Nordic standard for public sector are developing concrete proposals for infrastructure and to develop technology for the Nordic making Sweden a leader in AI. climate. New RISE testbed for digitalised agriculture Collaboration for carbon-neutral cement and inaugurated in Uppsala concrete industries The testbed is an arena for the development of new In the Vinnova-funded project BETCRETE, RISE has brought technologies for fossil-free, more sustainable and together operators to support the industrial transition profitable agriculture. towards carbon-neutral cement and concrete industries. 2 RISE 2019 A WORD FROM THE CEO Our reason for being is to strengthen Sweden's competitiveness The past year has brought new strategic partnerships, greater focus on climate transition and a major internal change process. At the time of writing, the coronavirus pandemic is spreading around the world creating enormous problems for communities and businesses, and of course we are also affected by the situation. Swedish industry and society needs RISE now more than ever. We are taking responsibility for the community, customers, operations and employees by keeping our operations running. We are monitoring our customers’ needs and identifying ways in which we can assist while at the same time protecting the health and safety of our employees and customers. RISE’s CEO Pia Sandvik gives a summary. How would you summarise 2019? SEK 63 million. More people are seeking collaboration with “2019 was an eventful year in which demand for our us, and we’re seeing that broad groups are familiar with services continued to be strong, and I believe that RISE our business. The brand survey conducted during the year is firmly established as a cohesive research institute for confirmed that something has changed. The results show Sweden. We fill a gap that existed in the Swedish research that awareness about us increased from 8% to 45% within and innovation landscape. The company’s sales continue to the target groups of industry and the public sector. None rise, and currently stand at SEK 3,568 million. We’re also of the previous institutions’ brands have enjoyed such high seeing a positive profit trend, with an operating profit of recognition.” 3 RISE 2019 “In an international perspective, RISE represents a » unique investment in cross-disciplinary innovation.” RISE frequently mentions the need to meet social also have the ability to take a leading role in international challenges. Why is this important? partnerships.” “We’re in a time when the market is changing in a historically unprecedented way. Society is facing major The project to create a new testbed for challenges which, as a research institute, we need to meet. electromobility had a breakthrough during the There is an urgent need to make the transition to a fossil- year. What happened? free society. With our focus on innovation and applied “In December, we received the long-awaited news that research, we at RISE can play a crucial role in this regard. the EU had approved Sweden's application for funding We provide the cutting-edge expertise and testbeds for the construction of SEEL (Swedish Electric Transport needed to succeed in the transition. But I’m also seeing Laboratory), which is owned by RISE and Chalmers. The that we can now take on assignments where we participate funding, which amounts to SEK 575 million, will be used in setting agendas for entire industries, thanks to our to construct a test centre that will be one of the few in expertise in various technology and system areas. Such Europe that can provide testing of all the parts needed for assignments include, for example, leading the construction electrified transport. I look forward to strong collaboration sector’s efforts to develop a national strategy for a carbon- with our industry partners.” neutral cement and concrete industry. We also manage Fossil-free Aviation 2045, an innovation What were the other key issues in 2019? cluster that gathers together all stakeholders involved in “During the year, we entered into important cooperation the production and use of fossil-free jet fuel. Our work on agreements with Stockholm University, Chalmers developing a national action plan to make Sweden a leader University of Technology and Luleå University of in AI brings together technology leaders from various Technology. This will further strengthen our relations in sectors of society. the areas of research, education and innovation. Overall, The fact that RISE has been commissioned, in it will contribute to broader expertise, more research and collaboration with the business community, to develop innovation projects and stronger competitiveness. a roadmap for Swedish industry with a vision of what To create an even greater customer focus and increased technologies need to be developed is a further example of cross-functional capacity, we have worked intensively how our breadth and cross-functionality allow important on preparing for an organisational restructuring, which future issues to be tackled with a broad approach.” took effect on 1 January 2020. The new organisation will give us greater possibilities to work in areas such as How does RISE compare to other research institutes systemic perspectives, service development and business in the market? development. None of this would be possible without all our “In an international perspective, RISE represents a unique committed employees, who have done a fantastic job during investment in cross-disciplinary research and innovation. the year. I would like to thank everyone at RISE who is We aim to strengthen Sweden's innovation power and working together to create a world-class research institute.” secure an edge in the global competition. In connection with the Hannover Messe 2019, the German and Swedish heads of government signed an updated innovation partnership in which RISE is named as a Swedish partner for collaboration Pia Sandvik, regarding testbeds and applied AI. This is proof that we CEO, RISE 4 RISE 2019 THIS IS RISE For a better future and those who take us there As the challenges facing us as a society RISE is a unique mobilisation of resources to increase become increasingly complex, innovation the pace of innovation in society. By gathering a number alone is not enough; you also need a of research institutes and over a hundred testbeds and strong innovation partner who can provide demonstration environments under the umbrella of a comprehensive support and a broad range of single innovation partner, we create improved conditions perspectives. This is where RISE comes in. for society’s problem solvers. We are an independent, state-owned research institute working with customers in industry, academia and the public sector. Together, we develop services, products, technologies, processes and materials that contribute to a sustainable future and a competitive business community. 5 RISE 2019 Our business A problem solver and with specialisation innovation and breadth areas Our 2,800 employees are RISE’s most valuable asset. Together we conduct and support all types of innovation In our business and innovation areas, we processes within a wide range of projects and topics, from employ a cross-disciplinary approach to using AI for the benefit of society to developing new ways meeting key challenges. This also gives to remove drug residues from wastewater, or researching our customers and partners access to preventive measures to tackle mental illness in children both specialisation and breadth through and young people. national and international innovation networks and relevant testbeds. • Digitalisation • Energy and biobased economy Our mission • Sustainable cities and communities • Health and life science We bring scientific expertise to bear on ensuring sus- tainable growth, by building structures and processes for • Material transformation innovation that make our customers and partners com- • Mobility petitive on the international stage.