Sustainability policy

Stockholm Innovation & Growth AB
Stockholm Innovation & Growth Holding AB
Propel Capital I, II, II and IV AB
March 2018

Background

Sting’s vision is to contribute to the construction of the future global growth companies by attracting the best innovators and entrepreneurs and offer them world-class business development support and networks. Sting is a non-profit company, which is owned by the Electrum Foundation – a collaboration between business, research and the City of Stockholm. Sting conducts incubator and accelerator activities in Stockholm. Sting’s main partners are KTH, Vinnova, SLL and the City of Stockholm.

Sting’s values

  • The equal value of all human beings
  • The freedom and dignity of the individual
  • Sustainable development

Our ambition is to create long-term financial, ethical, social and environmental sustainability at Sting and the companies that Sting supports. Our focus on sustainability is an important and business-critical part of Sting’s operations to create added value for partners, customers, employees and owners.

Purpose and scope

The purpose of this policy is to define a framework for Sting’s sustainability work and applies to every business, decision and business advice that are part of our business.

In addition to the financial analysis is included also environmental issues (Environmental) social issues (Social) and corporate governance (Governance) in the assessment of the companies that are admitted to Sting.

Sting must thus apply both negative screening (exclude) and positive screening (include) to contribute to increased sustainability in our work, in how we provide services and to whom we target. This policy complements other process and policy documents that exist within Sting.

Overall sustainability statement

Sting’s values are: the equal value of all human beings, the freedom and dignity of the individual, and sustainable development. The ambition is to create long-term financial, ethical, social and environmental sustainability for Sting and the companies Sting helps.

Focusing on sustainability is an important and business-critical part of Sting’s activities to create added value for partners, customers, employees and owners. Within Sting, there is a belief that decisions that always consider the environmental aspects, social equality and compliance with laws and regulations will render better and more qualitative decisions long-term.

For Sting, it is important that the entire business is permeated by good ethical principles and values. Good ethics is based on employee behavior. The requirements of good business ethics and compliance also apply to the companies that Sting accepts to its programs and which are invested in via Propel Capital.

Sting must therefore exclude companies from admission if they have a business in industries which do not meet the requirements. Sting accepts companies that are role models in their industries and work for a transition to a sustainable society. Sting will introduce and work to have companies admitted to the incubator or accelerator follow a corresponding sustainability policy in their companies.

Sting does not accept companies that are active in certain industries. This applies to companies that deal with the production or sale of weapons, pornography, drugs, tobacco companies or other companies that risk to adversely affect the environment, degrade human health, or unethical companies that exploit weak groups in society (e.g., certain gambling and lending activities).

Sting does not either accept companies or founders of companies that have been verified to violate international standards regarding human rights, the environment, corruption or labor law. Good tax ethics as well as an absolute Zero tolerance for corruption and money laundering are other cornerstones.

Sustainability and gender equality

Selection and advice. When selecting companies, Sting must add the environmental, social and gender equality, and diversity aspects in the decision-making processes and work together for gender equality and diversity in the companies that are admitted to Sting. When advising the growth companies, Sting must point out the risks of negative social and environmental impact and lack of compliance, and give advice on how they can act to avoid them. Sting must point out in its advice around recruitment activities, the positive effects of gender equality and diversity on the company’s development.

Investments. Sting must ensure responsible investment decisions by taking into account ESG analysis factors and ensure that environmental, social and governmental aspects are included in the decision-making processes. In the internal operations, Sting will work for:

  • A good climate for employees with equal, encouraging and sustainable working conditions.
  • A workplace with ethnic and gender diversity and that we see those factors as an organizational strength.
  • That when choosing transports, the environmental aspects must be considered.

Management and follow-up

Sting’s board is responsible for this policy and its compliance. The operational work is delegated to the CEO of Sting. In other respects, Sting follows the laws and regulations that apply to a “Swedish Aktiebolag”. A follow-up of this material as well as the existing actual processes should be carried out annually.