On March 1, Bernadette Eriksson assumed the role of CFO for Swedish Hydro Solutions, and two months later, Margaretha Rhodin took on the position of CEO. The new management team has an equal gender balance, and the leadership style is described as modern and supportive.

– It’s about creating situational and individualized leadership. The company’s vision is driven forward by everyone together. We want a culture where all employees are equally engaged in building the company and its conditions, says Margaretha Rhodin.

– Leadership is about empowering employees in what they want to do, continues Bernadette Eriksson. When there’s a well-established, shared vision for the company, self-leadership can also be promoted. We can then adapt our leadership to what the organization needs.

Sustainability Is Extremely Important

Swedish Hydro Solutions has invested significantly in recruiting personnel with the right competencies. A clear focus on sustainability has been the key to making this possible.

Employees have a strong personal commitment to sustainability, which has made Swedish Hydro Solutions an attractive employer at a time when the industry had not yet started to transition.

– Our sustainable water treatment solutions and the advocacy work the company did to get regulatory authorities and decision-makers to prioritize environmental issues and water treatment were very appealing. We paved the way for how the sustainable transition could and should be done. The staff who joined us wanted to be part of making a difference, says Margaretha Rhodin.

– Now we want to show customers how the sustainable transition in the industry must continue through our leadership. We will naturally continue to work with our culture, values, vision, and mission, but it’s important that we as leaders are also culture bearers so that it’s not just a paper exercise, she continues.

Swedish Hydro Solutions is still a growing company. An ISO certification is underway to establish all the routines needed for expansion into Europe and to create clarity.

For the leadership, it’s about spreading the knowledge of why. Both Bernadette and Margaretha have extensive experience from various industries and leadership cultures. They believe this enables them to adapt the leadership to what the organization currently needs.

– It’s all about teamwork, sharing experiences and knowledge. Self-leadership is important – having both ideas and suggestions on how they can be implemented. Our role is to support and empower employees in what they want to do. That’s what modern leadership is about – not about dictating, says Bernadette.

– And balance is important, Margaretha adds. We consider sustainability in all matters, including personnel. There must be redundancy among our employees so that one can be absent without it being noticed.

– It’s about creating balance. Between workload, change management, and feeling like one is contributing. Our employees should have the space to grow in their roles, but they also need to handle ‘life outside of work,’ she continues.

– Sustainable leadership means that everyone in the organization feels they are sufficient, concludes Margaretha.

Driven by Sustainability

Many employees, both new and old, are driven by being part of the sustainable transition. They can and want to change the industry and bring water treatment issues to the forefront. Swedish Hydro Solutions invests heavily in research and development, which has also played a significant role in recruitment.

– We allocate almost three full-time positions to R&D. Jakob, Johan, and Oscar are among the top experts in Sweden. We are clearly driving the development – and we are making great strides, says Bernadette Eriksson.

– I joined this company because I saw the potential. And I want to be part of the journey, continues Bernadette.

– The environmental issue and water treatment need to be on the agenda everywhere, just like for the construction and civil engineering industry. Our water treatment is sustainable. The product itself is sustainable. Now it’s time for the water treatment industry to start working as environmentally safe as possible, instead of as inexpensively as possible, concludes Margaretha Rhodin