”Purchasing advertising space the equivalent of last year’s exposure would have cost nearly four million Swedish kronor”
2019-05-02
Three quick questions to Mikael Salo, editor in chief of Aktuell Hållbarhet, about ranking Sweden’s most environmentally friendly municipalities and about the long-standing partnership with New Republic.
Every year Aktuell Hållbarhet, Scandinavia’s largest independent environmental and sustainability media company, crowns Sweden’s most environmentally friendly municipality. Ranking the 290 municipalities is based on your own questionnaire as well as data from government agencies and other external sources. What is the purpose of the award?
– The municipalities are responsible for, among other things, social and urban planning, energy and water and sanitation, procurement, compulsory education and environmental inspection. They play a key role in the sustainable development work. The award gives us an opportunity to both focus attention on the most important issues of the future and to spur on the municipalities by highlighting the best examples.
This year’s award of Sweden’s most environmentally friendly municipality is the eleventh in a row, and for the last eight years, New Republic has been entrusted with helping you with the launch. Is it important that the award also receives attention in other media?
– The more actors highlighting the municipalities’ environmental work and helping to push them in the right direction, the better. We were doing everything ourselves nine years ago; then it was fifty or so pieces in other media about Sweden’s most environmentally friendly municipality. Today the impact is seven times greater. Purchasing advertising space the equivalent of last year’s exposure would have cost nearly four million Swedish kronor. We would not have achieved this without New Republic’s strategic advice and practical support.
You have shown that the political complexion of the municipal council is not clearly reflected in the ranking. What is characteristic of the most successful municipalities?
– For the most environmentally friendly municipalities, the common denominator is trustful collaboration between politicians and municipal officials. This, in turn, is founded on a clear political will, long-term goals and priorities that are consistent over several terms of office.
Mikael Salo was interviewed by Olle Schubert, CEO of New Republic. ‘Three Quick Questions…’ is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.