The most gratifying moments in my career have been when I could help others in their journey
They say curiosity killed the cat. That could not be further from the truth for Kati Pallasaho. Her curiosity has taken her on journeys through academia and research via consultancy, before landing in Lindström in 2020. “I have been curious for as long as I can remember. Over the years it has cultivated and shaped my approach to complex problem solving”.
Starting off as Director of Business Development, Kati Pallasaho quickly took on additional responsibilities as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Sustainability. “I am genuinely passionate about strategy and its execution! My personal purpose in Lindström is to ensure the successful implementation of our strategy. Additionally I want to contribute to the company’s long-term vision in a sustainable, fair, and inspiring way”.
She continues: “A clear strategy is crucial for the success of any company. It brings clarity to people’s roles, and it gives us common goals to work towards across business units, functions, and titles. In my role, I want to drive the company forward and help people connect their work to the future of the organization”.
Pallasaho finds joy and motivation in her work and prioritizes long-term goals. To stay on top of her game, it is crucial to make room for reflection and processing. “I try to set aside my Mondays for thinking and reading. Then I am able to plan the weeks ahead, and stay informed about industry trends and do benchmarking with other companies”.
Circular economy, net zero, and sustainability are just some of the recurring themes in Pallasaho’s readings. “Sustainability goes across our whole business. We do not have a sustainability function where we do all the sustainability-related things; the work needs to happen in various parts of the organization. In sales, operations, delivery services, account management, and communications, to mention a few. It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort”.
Getting more than 5000 employees in 23 countries on the same page requires targeted work. “One thing we have agreed on is to have trainings on sustainability in every region and country. In these sessions we go through relevant findings and facts. For example, how we are a circular forerunner and what the sustainability-related benefits of our work and services are. This is an internal push to create awareness. The external pull comes from our customers. They are more and more frequently are asking us to show our emissions and prove that we actually are sustainable”.
“We are a company with a long history, also when it comes to thinking and acting in a circular way. I trust that people are proud of that heritage, as well as how modern we are”.