Scania has signed a declaration of transparency and anti-corruption with the government of Colombia as part of a new Swedish Corporate Social Responsibility Network.

The Swedish Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Network has been established by the Swedish Embassy in Colombia and developed with the South American country’s Secretariat of Transparency, part of the Presidency of the Republic. Sweden is the first country in Colombia to make this kind of pact, according to officials.

The vision of Sweden within the framework of sustainable business is that all companies should create value and perform operations that promote sustainable development within, for example, economic, social, and environmental areas.
“Scania has always had a focus on transparency in all its operations and that is why we immediately supported this declaration,” said Benoit Tanguy, managing director of Scania Colombia.

The Swedish Embassy in Colombia is supporting Swedish companies on these issues and leading a network of CSR with a particular focus on four areas: human rights, labor rights, environment, and anti-corruption.

The statement of transparency and anti-corruption has guidelines and standards for how companies operate. The guidelines include zero tolerance for corruption, anti-corruption initiatives supported by Swedish companies, and a commitment from them to strengthen and implement programs and tools against corruption.

Scania said it is becoming an increasingly global company and is developing business in new global markets. A key challenge is to ensure that the same high standards and processes are in place wherever the company operates.

“Scania needs to set a good example of corporate responsibility wherever we operate in the world. I think it is very positive that Scania works in partnership with the Embassy and others with urgent areas like these”, said Andreas Follér, sustainability manager at Scania.