Jana Nikolin was appointed Kinly's VP of Global Sustainability in April 2026. In her first Kinly blog, she reflects on what motivated her to join our organization, why sustainability is becoming an increasingly important driver of business success, and how a new Group-wide sustainability strategy will help shape our priorities for the years ahead.
I joined Kinly at an exciting point in the company's journey. Following the integration of Kinly and Yorktel into one global organization, we have an opportunity to build on the strong sustainability foundations already in place and start the next chapter of sustainability across the Group.
One thing that has stood out to me since joining is how closely sustainability is linked to business success at Kinly, with client expectations playing an increasingly important role across key regions.
It starts at the bid and tender stage, where clients ask for transparency on topics such as decarbonization, circularity, responsible sourcing, diversity and inclusion, and ethical business practices. They also want to understand how we can help make their projects more sustainable, whether through social value initiatives or environmental considerations, for example to support their building certifications. In some cases, these topics have become qualifying requirements for suppliers. In others, they help us differentiate ourselves.
The conversation does not end once a project has been awarded. Clients expect ongoing transparency and accountability. This can include sharing sustainability ratings, greenhouse gas emissions data, or project-specific information, such as providing visibility into the sustainability credentials of products used throughout a project.
While our clients are an important driver of our sustainability agenda, they are not the only stakeholder group we consider. As we develop our Group sustainability strategy, we are taking a broader view that includes employees, suppliers and investors.
Through our Group materiality assessment, we are seeking to better understand where we have the most significant impacts on people and the environment, and where sustainability-related risks and opportunities exist for the business. These insights will help shape a new Group sustainability strategy and roadmap, supported by clear priorities, objectives and governance structures that translate ambition into measurable action across the organization.
As we look toward 2027, the results of the materiality assessment and the development of the Group strategy will help guide our priorities. However, several areas of focus are already clear.
These include progressing our decarbonization journey, revalidating our Science Based Targets following the integration of Kinly and Yorktel, and strengthening sustainability reporting and disclosures at Group level. We also want to further embed sustainability considerations throughout the lifecycle of client projects through a structured Sustainability by Design approach, while continuing to strengthen responsible sourcing practices across our global operations.
As Kinly continues to evolve as a global organization, our focus is on developing an approach that supports our customers and partners, creates value for the business, and helps us make a positive contribution across the communities in which we operate.