FROM ALARM REPORTS TO ABATEMENT STRATEGIES Another Lifecycle analysis successful year has moved into the living room SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS SEEKING OUT THE INVISIBLE THREAT TO THE OCEANS Towards a better work environment NEW FORCES ARE EMERGING IN CHINA CEO’S COMMENTS This is IVL Another successful year PURPOSE SIX FOCUS AREAS Environmental issues are becoming increasingly complex and the ability IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is The Company is organized into four operating units, to develop solutions demands a critical mass of expertise. Against that back- engaged in applied research and consulting projects plus research, business development and market ground, IVL’s continued growth is cause for great pleasure, and I would like to aimed at promoting ecologically, economically and units. The organization also includes executive staff The air in Beijing start by thanking all IVL personnel who have helped us to go on recording socially sustainable growth in the business sector and functions for Finance, HR, IT and Communication. Today, air pollution problems in the increased turnover and achieve an all-time high for operating income in 2014. the rest of society. All units interact in six focus areas that at the same cities of China cannot be ignored, Further on, I will quote a couple of specific examples of current R&D projects time bring together IVL’s offering to the market: and rising environmental awareness showing the way we work in applied research and development in making our VISION Climate & Energy, Sustainable Building, Air & is adding impetus to a new force for contribution to the environmental and development goals of today and tomorrow. IVL’s vision is a sustainable society. We are driving the Transport, Sustainable Production, Resource-Efficient change there. And in the pages that follow, a number of IVL personnel highlight examples of transition into a sustainable society by transforming: Products & Waste and Water & Soil. important and successful R&D projects that are contri buting to sustainable • science into reality development. • environmental problems into opportunities RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY PROJECTS • linear processes into a circular economy. Just under half of IVL’s activities consist of research commissioned directly by external customers. The WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN 2015 AND GOING FORWARD? CORE VALUES remainder is made up of research that is either Environmental issues will continue to constitute an important aspect of the work IVL’s core values are based on credibility, a holistic and co­funded by the State and the business sector or on global sustainability. In 2015, the UN’s Millennium Development Goals will be forward­looking approach, commitment and benefit. grant­funded via State­owned research bodies, followed up and assessed, while new goals for sustainable develop ment will be foundations or the EU. formulated. While the Millennium Development Goals have been focused on SWEDEN’S FIRST ENVIRONMENTAL combating poverty in the poorest countries of the world, the task of establishing RESEARCH INSTITUTE PARTNERSHIPS AND NETWORKS new goals goes further than that. Economically, socially and environ mentally IVL was jointly established by the Swedish State and Part of IVL’s strategy is to maintain and develop close sustainable development is the thread that runs through the new development the business sector in 1966. IVL has been operated as cooperation with the business sector, international Invisible threat to the oceans goals that will be presented for approval to the UN General Assembly in a public limited company since 1982. It is owned by research bodies and institutes of higher education. As Micro debris abounds in the oceans September 2015. The new goals are intended to be more action- focused the Swedish Water and Air Conservation Foundation a result, IVL plays an active role in several inter­ and is suspected of being damaging and, if they are to be achieved, everyone needs to be on board and take (SIVL). national research networks and other partnerships. In to the ocean fauna, partly because responsibility – State, business sector and society. Sweden, IVL cooperates closely with the Chalmers such debris incorporates environ- I can affirm that not only IVL’s purpose – to engage in applied EMPLOYEES AND NATURE AND University of Technology in Gothenburg, the mental toxins and heavy metals. research and consultancy projects aimed at promoting ecologically, EXTENT OF EXPERTISE University of Lund and KTH, the Swedish Royal economically and socially sustainable growth in the business IVL has just over 240 employees, including 68 per cent Institute of Technology in Stockholm. sector and the rest of society – but also that our vision of a graduates and 27 per cent postgraduates. Sustainable urban development sustainable society is 100 per cent in line with the new Our expertise is broadly based, extending beyond tra- LABORATORIES AND TEST CENTRES IVL has established a presence in goals for global development. ditional environmental areas to behavioural science, IVL operates its own laboratories for advanced chemi- Malmö and operations there will Our challenge is to contribute by policy formulation economics and sociology. cal analysis – both organic and inorganic – and an focus on sustainable urban deve­ and implementation, by initiating, conducting and experimental facility where new technology for more lopment. This will now extend not following up research and consultancy projects that not ALL SECTORS COVERED resource­efficient production is developed. With KTH, only to technological solutions but only benefit the customer but also promote globally Today, IVL operates on a broad basis across the entire IVL jointly operates Hammarby Sjöstadsverk, a unique what is also sustainable in social sustainable development. This requires us to combine spectrum of sustainability. Activities span every sec- testing and pilot facility in advanced water treatment terms. long-termism with concrete short-term actions, to tor, and we serve customers in all parts of Swedish technology. develop new business models and to marry science and society. The Company also conducts wide­ranging technology with behavioural, social and economic international operations, focusing primarily on China ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY knowledge. The cover picture is of Gao Si, and India. IVL regards Europe as its domestic market. IVL is engaged in environmental and quality manage- Head of IVL’s office in China. ment, as well as in work environment issues within IVL Swedish Environmental the scope of an integrated management system. The Research Institute Annual Report 2014 system has been environment­ and quality­certified Graphic design and production: under ISO 14001 and ISO 9001:2000. Blomquist, www.blomquist.se Printed by: Pipeline Nordic AB Tord Svedberg Photography: Anette Andersson Paper: Scandia 2000 Chief Executive Officer IVL ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Tord Svedberg, CEO – “Projects that contribute to important environmental 6 and development goals.” Contents The year of 2014 in brief 8 IVL is to be an attractive 10 workplace Sustainability and social responsibility 12 John Munthe, Head of Research: Research and development at IVL 14 – challenges and opportunities New forces are emerging in China 16 From alarm reports to 22 abatement strategies Sustainable urban development in focus 26 Lifecycle analysis 30 has moved into the living room Towards a better work environment 34 Seeking out the 38 invisible threat to the oceans Directors' Report 45 57 Financial statements Notes 61 70 Auditors’ Report Corporate Governance 72 76 Scientific Articles 4 IVL ANNUAL REPORT 2014 IVL ANNUAL REPORT 2014 5 PROJECTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE Tord Svedberg, CEO dialogue with industry representatives, academics and politicians. It also intends to support new research and to share existing knowledge in order to promote sustainable development in the construction industry. MORE EFFICIENT WATER TREATMENT IVL’s water treatment and biogas operations are “Projects that con- maintaining their rapid progress. In Stockholm, the world’s biggest membrane system for water treatment is to be built, and IVL has carried out a major development project at its Hammarby Sjöstadsverk pilot facility. The new treatment technology results in considerably lower emissions tribute to important of phosphorus and nitrogen than today, and tests performed indicate that it also offers an effective base for further purification to remove pharma- ceutical residues. HIGHER LEVEL OF RECYCLING environmental and Guidelines on sorting of plastics at recycling centres, separation of hazardous materials from electrical waste for purer plastic fractions, a common Nordic textile strategy and new business models for tex- tiles, are among the suggestions for a higher level of plastic and textile waste recovery that were pre- development goals.” sented in a number of new research reports during the year. The reports were produ ced within the scope of the Council of Nordic Minis ters’ project: “Resource-efficient recycling of plastic and textile waste”, part of the Nordic Prime Ministers’ Here, Tord Svedberg, Chief Executive Officer, IVL, has selected a handful of current projects Initiative on Green Growth. The reports are based illustrating how the Company is contributing, via research and consultancy to the development of a sustainable society, while working to raise the competitiveness of Swedish industry. on a joint Nordic research programme involving IVL and Ostfold