Swedish companies perform well, but lack career info

By leahschothorst

In the 19th Webranking by Comprend, Swedish companies performed well in many areas and received the second highest average score, after Finland. However, of the 100 Swedish companies included in the ranking, the average score was only 46%. This indicates there …

In the 19th Webranking by Comprend, Swedish companies performed well in many areas and received the second highest average score, after Finland. However, of the 100 Swedish companies included in the ranking, the average score was only 46%. This indicates there is a gap between the information stakeholders need and what is provided by Swedish companies.

According to the findings, Swedish companies are adequately fulfilling capital market demands regarding investor relations and governance. Most improvements should be made within the areas of career and sustainability – topics that are becoming important to a larger audience aside from just the capital market.

“Companies need to proactively communicate with all audiences – meaning the website shouldn’t only serve as an archive for the capital market. Enhanced content and communication in the areas of career and sustainability mean that companies will be more transparent, and thus more credible, in all respects,”

says Staffan Lindgren, Managing Partner Comprend.

Career

The career section is usually the most visited area on the corporate website. Job applicants of different ages and backgrounds want a deeper understanding about the company’s culture and understand what it is like to work there.

Functions to display job vacancies and browse are commonplace on Swedish websites. However, companies are less open to discussing policies and principles for remuneration and compensation.

CSR issues are becoming increasingly important even for jobseekers, which should be accounted for on the CSR section. A relatively large number of Swedish companies are good at presenting a diversity and equal opportunities policy, which is an example of commonly requested information from jobseekers.

Best among the Swedish companies within career information are, Skanska, Saab and Clas Ohlson.

CSR

The criterion of “responsible tax” was introduced last year, measuring how companies actively work against aggressive tax planning. Despite an increased request for this information, only 15 of Sweden’s 100 largest companies present it. Only one company, Stora Enso, reports where it pays tax.

Equally in demand is information about targets and data for environmental and social goals, which only 25% of Swedish companies fulfill.

Companies with strong performances in the CSR section include ABB, H&M and Husqvarna Group.

Skanska in 1st

Skanska has worked its way to the top, from third place last year. Swedish Match held onto second place, followed by Husqvarna group – which climbed from seventh place last year. SCA, which took first place the last two years, finished in fourth place this year.

New companies in the top ten are Cloetta and ICA Gruppen, while Swedbank and BillerudKorsnäs have dropped out of the top 10.

“We are very proud of winning Webranking 2015-2016. For us, it confirms that our website provides the content that the capital market and job applicants want. We are particularly pleased that our work with the career section paid off, since Skanska has large recruitment needs. With the rapidly increasing demands of the target group, we’ll need to continue this development,”

says Nina Björn, Head of Web Communications, Skanska

The results

The most improved this year is Avanza, with a gain of 28.8 points for a total score of 49.9 and 33rd place.

See the full Swedish Webranking results here.

More information

For more information about Webranking and the global findings, please download the 2015-2016 Webranking Highlight Magazine

Questions about Webranking by Comprend? Contact Helena Wennergren, Head of Marketing and Research
at 070-971 12 10 or helena.wennergren@comprend.com.