Chairman of the Board Back to contents >
Building
a sustainable business
By making careful, long-term investments in every aspect of the organisation,
Jotun can build a more sustainable company and help support the business
and environmental ambitions of customers.
In 2021, Jotun successfully navigated a number of challenges, both internally
and externally. The coronavirus pandemic impacted business in many
key markets, and like many multinational paints and coatings companies,
Jotun’s earnings were affected by the high cost and availability of raw
materials.
Closer to home, a fire in the energy central at the company’s
binder factory in Sandefjord last fall was a “black mark” on Jotun’s
otherwise
improved HSE performance. While there were no injuries and
the binder factory is back in operation, the fire served as a potent reminder
of fire risk. Nevertheless, it is a testament to the skill and dedication of our
workforce that Jotun was not only able to maintain business continuity
during a challenging year, but grow the business in 2021.
FROM SUPPLIER TO SOLUTIONS PROVIDER
While the Board anticipates that both the pandemic and raw materials
prices will continue to impact Jotun in 2022, the company continues to
invest in the development of products, tools and systems to accelerate our
transition from a paints and coatings supplier to a solutions provider. And
with growing pressure from the public and regulators to combat climate
change, Jotun remains committed to offering products and solutions to
help customers improve their environmental performance.
The primary driver for this transition is Jotun’s Research and Development
department. Over the past decade, Jotun has allocated significant
resources to recruit skilled chemists and invest in equipment and
facilities to upgrade the company’s global network of R&D centres. These
investments have helped us pioneer the development of low or zero
solvent coatings and other specialised products that help customers
comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations. In some
cases, these products are supported by digital tools, standardised
documentation and technologies, often developed in collaboration with
other suppliers.
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY
Jotun is also committed to improving our own environmental
performance. Last year, we announced plans to align the business with
relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021, the company
formalised its integrated Sustainability Strategy, consistent with new
reporting requirements. The Board also approved and encouraged other
investments, such as a wastewater treatment facility at Jotun’s factory
in Norway and the installation of solar panels at our factory in Nilai,
Malaysia. The Board is confident that the company’s continued focus on
R&D and renewed focus on sustainability will play a larger role in helping
Jotun, and its customers, achieve good results in a more environmentally
responsible way in the years ahead.
Board of Directors, from left: Bjørg Engevik Nilsen, Einar Abrahamsen,
Odd Gleditsch d.y. (Chairman), Camilla Hagen Sørli, Terje Andersen,
Nicolai A. Eger, Jannicke Nilsson and Per Kristian Aagaard.
It is a testament to the skill and dedication of our
workforce that Jotun was not only able to maintain
business continuity during a challenging year,
but grow the business in 2021.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Odd Gleditsch d.y.
8 I Jotun Annual Report 2021