Inside Höganäs sustainability report: how CtrlPrint improved control and efficiency

Sustainability reporting is becoming increasingly complex, and companies like Höganäs AB are navigating new expectations, tighter regulations, and the need for clear, reliable data. To understand how this work comes together behind the scene, and how CtrlPrint supports the process, we spoke with Tess Andrén, one of the people at the heart of Höganäs reporting efforts.

In this article, we explore how Höganäs AB manages its sustainability reporting and how CtrlPrint supports that process.

Tess Andrén is an ESG Reporting Specialist at Höganäs, where she plays a key role in gathering sustainability data from sites around the world and ensuring the company reports in line with CSRD requirements. She compiles and analyses this data for presentations, KPI evaluations, and, most importantly, as the foundation of Höganäs annual sustainability report.

Tess has been with Höganäs for more than a year, and she says the role has been a continuous learning journey, one she finds both motivating and rewarding. Outside of work, she’s a dedicated horse enthusiast who spends much of her free time at the stables. 

Sustainability reporting at Höganäs

Höganäs has a strong focus on sustainability: you want to become a net-zero company by 2037, and you source products and components in a responsible manner. Could you share how sustainability reporting fits into your company’s broader communications and strategy, and how important it is for you?

"Sustainability reporting is our way of transparently demonstrating the progress we are making and the steps we are taking to reach our net-zero goal. At Höganäs, these reports are not just compliance documents; they are essential tools for communicating our achievements and challenges, both internally and externally. The reporting process allows us to clearly track how far we have come, identify areas for improvement, and outline our path forward.
Personally, I see sustainability reporting as an instrument for measuring progress, but also as a source of motivation for the entire organization. By sharing our results and progress, we make it visible that every step counts, no matter how small."

Complexity of the reporting process

Sustainability reports often involve many contributors and a wide range of data. What are some of the challenges you face in managing this process each year?

"Ensuring data quality, consistency, and completeness can be difficult, especially when definitions or calculation methods vary between sites. The reporting process is also time-consuming, as it often involves clarifying responsibilities, validating data, and addressing errors or missing information. Additionally, adapting to new regulatory requirements, such as CSRD and ESRS, requires us to stay continuously up to date. 
Despite these challenges, we are constantly working towards clearer routines, detailed and trackable documentation, and efficient data management to ensure reliable and transparent reporting. It’s a continuous learning process, and each reporting cycle helps us refine our methods and strengthen our processes." 

Collaboration across teams

These reports usually bring together colleagues from communications, finance, sustainability, and other departments. How do you ensure flawless collaboration when so many voices and details need to come together? Did CtrlPrint help you achieve a smoother collaboration?

"It requires clear coordination across teams to ensure a smooth process. However, one of the key ways we manage this is by establishing structured workflows early in the process and maintaining open communication across teams.
Using CtrlPrint has definitely helped us streamline this collaboration. The platform allows us to work in a shared environment where updates to both text and data are synchronised, reducing the risk of errors. I think CtrlPrint is a platform that makes it easy to synchronise teams and collaborate on a project."

Efficiency & accuracy in sustainable reporting

Reporting requires precision and tight deadlines. CtrlPrint mission is to help our clients by saving time, reducing errors, and increasing confidence in their final publication. How has our platform supported you in producing Höganäs sustainability reports? Are there specific features that made the difference for your team?

"One of my personal favorite features is CtrlPrint Review, where you can easily make comments in the text and tag specific people the feedback is intended for. CtrlPrint creates an open workspace where everyone can work together on the same project in a clear and structured way. 
The connection between CtrlPrint and Integrate has also saved us a lot of time. By using an Excel file as the base for all tables, it becomes smooth and easy to update tables simultaneously, allowing us to focus more on reviewing the text and figures in the report. However, if something needs to be changed, it can easily be tracked in the CtrlPrint review feature. Updating numbers manually is much more time-consuming and increases the risk of typing errors."

Shaping the final report

Beyond efficiency, sustainability reports need to be engaging and accessible to all their recipients. Has CtrlPrint helped your approach to design, structure, and storytelling in the final report?

"CtrlPrint Review has helped us go through the report in a synchronised way, allowing us to suggest improvements and comment on what needs to be changed. It has been a great way for us to read through the text and provide feedback to fine-tune the wording and overall quality. In other words, with the help of CtrlPrint Review, we were able to edit and adjust our report through the dialogue we had in the review feature. It gave us the possibility to look at the report with our own eyes, then comment and provide feedback on the structure and the text, which allowed us to make decisions about what needed to be changed."

The Future of Sustainability Reporting

As sustainability expectations grow, teams need to evolve with new regulations and company goals. What do you see as the next big challenges in reporting? How can CtrlPrint continue to help and support your team at Höganäs in the future?

"One of the key challenges in sustainability reporting today is navigating an increasingly uncertain landscape of regulatory requirements. As expectations evolve, it’s essential for us to make the most of the data we collect, ensuring it is accurate, complete, and used in a meaningful way. At the same time, we aim to manage the reporting process as efficiently as possible, making sure our efforts lead to clear insights and valuable outcomes.
To manage these challenges, it’s crucial for us to have clear processes and effective tools that help us structure our work and make collaboration smooth. This is where CtrlPrint plays a key role. The platform helps us manage version control, streamline collaboration, and ensure that everyone is working from the same source of truth.

Features like CtrlPrint Integrate, linking Excel data directly into Word, have already saved us time and reduced the risk of manual errors.
Looking ahead, I believe CtrlPrint can continue to support us by further enhancing its tools for structured review, traceability, and compliance alignment. Having a platform that supports both flexibility and control will be essential."