Author: Tekirin Tiimi

Intera in 2024: strong growth, two new investments, and enhanced Nordic presence

Intera Partners had a successful year in 2024, marked by substantial growth within its portfolio, two new investments in the technology sector, and one exit. Intera’s portfolio companies recorded significant growth and continued strong development, with more than 40 add-on acquisitions and revenues increasing by 32%. Additionally, Intera continued to strengthen its presence in the Nordic region and placed increasing emphasis on its ESG initiatives.

Two new investments and one exit

A notable milestone of 2024 was the investment in Halon Security, which was Intera’s first investment in Sweden after opening an office in Stockholm last year. Halon Security provides leading email infrastructure software and has significant growth potential driven by increasing demand for reliable and secure email solutions. With Intera’s proven expertise in driving growth and helping businesses scale internationally, Halon can fast-track its ambitious plans.

In addition, Intera Fund III sold its majority share of Roima Intelligence to Corten Capital, an international private equity firm focused on B2B software and services. During Intera’s ownership, Roima experienced impressive growth – its revenues tripled and key strategic add-on acquisitions were completed in Denmark and Sweden. Intera is excited to continue its work with Roima through Intera Fund IV, collaborating with Corten Capital and Roima’s management team to unlock new opportunities and drive the next phase of Roima’s international expansion.

Significant growth and sustainable value creation in portfolio companies

Intera’s portfolio companies continued accelerating their growth strategies in 2024. Revenues increased by 32% across the portfolio, representing significant growth from last year. In addition, the number of employees within Intera’s portfolio companies grew by 30%, underscoring the companies’ dedication to scaling their operations and driving continued growth while creating long-lasting societal impact.

The year 2024 was Intera’s first full operating year in Sweden after opening an office in Stockholm in 2023. Intera’s well-established presence in the Nordic region has been instrumental in driving strong results. During the year, Intera’s portfolio companies completed over 40 add-on acquisitions – most of them in the Nordic region.

For example, Duunitori – the leading Finnish job board and digital recruitment marketing company – made two strategic acquisitions in Sweden: Keeparo, the country’s leading employer branding agency, and Allalöner.se, a platform for salary information. These acquisitions significantly strengthen Duunitori’s position in the Nordic market and expand its offering to employers and job seekers.

Additionally, Midagon, a consultancy specializing in business transformation, continued its international expansion by acquiring FiDo Consulting, a distinguished Swedish consultancy specializing in the financial sector. This acquisition aligns with Midagon’s strategy to become a leading Nordic player in business transformation services.

In addition to driving growth and new market entries, Intera is committed to embedding sustainability in its portfolio companies’ operations. In 2024, Intera took a significant step by publishing its first sustainability report, which outlines both its sustainability approach and sustainability performance. Another concrete example of Intera’s sustainability work with its portfolio companies is the annual ESG day, which this year covered important topics such as DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), double materiality, CO2 footprint calculations, and ESG reporting.

Looking ahead: focus on growth and new investments in 2025

As Intera celebrates its 18th anniversary in 2025, it looks back on an impressive track record of 34 platform investments, 24 completed exits and more than 400 add-ons since its founding in 2007. Looking forward, Managing Partner Juhana Kallio remains optimistic about the company’s prospects.

“We expect the market environment in Finland and Sweden to remain stable, with potential for slight improvement. We will continue to be active in seeking new investments, particularly in services and in technology, where we see numerous opportunities”, says Kallio.

He adds, “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all our portfolio companies and our stakeholders for their outstanding cooperation throughout the year. A special thank you goes to the Intera team for their hard work and dedication. Together, we look forward to another year of collaboration and new opportunities in 2025.”

Intera Partners invests in Halon, the global leader in email infrastructure software

Intera Partners invests in Halon Security, a global leader in email infrastructure software based in Sweden. This new investment will enable Halon to accelerate its global expansion and continue leading innovation in carrier-grade email solutions.

For over a decade, Halon has been at the forefront of providing leading email infrastructure software, relied on by service providers and enterprises that demand unparalleled security, scalability, and high-volume email handling. Halon is a trusted partner for mission-critical email services across industries, supporting blue-chip software platforms, communication service providers, hosting companies, and regulated enterprises such as KPN (The Netherlands), Zendesk (USA), one.com (Denmark), Constant Contact (USA), Netcore (India), and Rakuten (Japan).

As the market for next-generation email infrastructure experiences double-digit growth, driven by evolving business needs, heightened security requirements, and a shift toward cloud-based architecture, Halon continues to solidify its position as an industry leader providing solutions that meet the highest demands. With Intera’s proven expertise in driving growth and helping businesses scale internationally, this partnership will enable Halon to fast-track its ambitious plans.

“We’re very pleased to have Intera Partners onboard as we enter this new phase. Intera’s expertise and international network will enable Halon to drive even stronger innovation, helping us deliver enhanced solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients. Our commitment to providing world-class email infrastructure remains steadfast, and with Intera’s support, we are better equipped than ever to deliver the business value and cutting-edge solutions our clients expect”, says Halon CEO Anders Långsved and continues, “I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our original investors – founders Jonas and Peter Falck, Chalmers Ventures and Almi Invest – for their unwavering support and dedication throughout the years”.

Intera’s investment will fuel Halon’s continued development and market expansion. “We are beyond excited to join Halon on the next leg of their growth journey. We fully share Halon’s vision of upgrading the aging foundations of global electronic communications. Halon, led by Anders Långsved and the broader management team, have established themselves as clear thought- and technology-leaders within email infrastructure – the need to enable more robust, flexible, scalable, and secure electronic communications is more pressing today than ever. We look forward to working with Anders and his team in realizing the next phase of Halon’s growth journey. For Intera, the investment in Halon follows our strategy to support Nordic growth-centric businesses on their international growth journeys,” says Andreas Holmberg, Partner at Intera.

With this new partnership, Halon is set to advance its customer base, focusing on large-scale clients and further enhancing its solution offerings, including the launch of AI-powered solutions over the coming quarters. Halon remains committed to leading the future of email infrastructure, staying ahead of the ever-evolving business, technology, and security demands.

Media contacts:

Anders Långsved, CEO, Halon, tel. +46 707 878121

Andreas Holmberg, Partner, Intera Partners, tel. +358 44 786 5111

About Halon

Halon is on a mission to empower service providers to control and maximize email—the world’s most important means of digital communication. At Halon, we recognize the value email brings to your business and are committed to driving continuous innovation to ensure your success. Our goal is to set the industry standard, helping service providers achieve unparalleled results. With Halon, you get the leading email infrastructure and the best team in the email space. As we have expanded our reach globally, we maintain operations close to our clients worldwide. Halon supports over 100 clients in more than 30 countries and had revenues of SEK 49 million in 2023. For more information, visit halon.io.

About Intera Partners

Intera Partners is a private equity firm with a focus on growth and internationalization of Finnish and Swedish companies. Intera manages two active funds with a total capital of EUR 585 million. The funds are invested in a total of 12 portfolio companies with over 18,000 employees and combined revenues of EUR 1.6 billion. 

Intera’s year 2023 – strong growth in portfolio companies, expansion in Sweden, and strengthened technology sector capabilities

Private equity company Intera had a successful year despite the challenging market environment. During the year, Intera made one new investment and exited two companies. Intera’s portfolio companies grew strongly during the year, both organically and through several acquisitions. In addition, Intera opened an office in Sweden and strengthened its team, especially with technology sector expertise.

Sustainable growth in portfolio companies

Intera continued accelerating sustainable revenue growth and strengthening the strategic position of its portfolio companies. Despite the weak general market environment, the revenue of Intera’s portfolio companies grew by 17 percent on average during the year, and they made more than 50 acquisitions. Sustainability is a key topic for Intera in its work with portfolio companies. In 2023, a major part of the ESG work focused on social responsibility topics, such as competence development, equal treatment, and transparent decision-making.

About 70 percent of Intera’s portfolio companies in the two previous funds have expanded internationally during Intera’s ownership. International growth continued also this year, when Intera’s portfolio company Duunitori, which offers job search and recruitment marketing services, expanded its operations to Norway. Other portfolio companies also continued expanding in the Nordics and Europe, and 25 international acquisitions were completed during the year.

New investment in restaurant services and two exits as planned

In the summer of 2023, Intera and restaurant operator NoHo Partners established Better Burger Society, a company targeting a leading position in the growing premium hamburger market in Europe. The company’s strategy is to accelerate the growth of the restaurant concepts it owns and develop their operations by supporting local entrepreneurs and teams behind the concepts. In addition to the strong organic growth of local brands, the plan is to accelerate growth with selected acquisitions that support the strategy in new operating countries. Better Burger Society’s first restaurant concepts are Finnish company Friends & Brgrs and Swiss company Holy Cow!.

During the year, Intera exited two investments as planned: accounting services company Rantalainen and security company Avarn Security. During Intera’s ownership, Rantalainen achieved a leading position in its segment in Finland, more than doubled its revenue to more than 100 million euros, and made around 60 acquisitions. In addition, the company invested significantly in digitalization and HR management capabilities and expanded to Sweden. Avarn Security’s business also grew significantly during Intera’s minority ownership.

Expansion in Sweden and strengthened technology sector capabilities

Intera’s team grew by four members during the year, as two partners and two investment professionals were recruited to the investment team. In October, Intera expanded its operations in Sweden by opening an office in Stockholm and recruiting the first partner in Sweden, Cecilia Waldehorn. Several Intera’s portfolio companies have expanded their operations in the Nordic countries during Intera’s ownership, and opening an office in Stockholm was a natural next step for Intera. The new office further strengthens Intera’s ability to help its companies grow in the Nordics.

In October, Andreas Holmberg started as a partner in Intera’s team in Helsinki, strengthening Intera’s expertise in technology and service sector investments. Following the recruitments, Intera now has even better capabilities for finding Swedish and technology-driven investments, and for supporting the international growth of its portfolio companies.

Well-positioned for finding new investments and accelerating the sustainable growth of portfolio companies

“Even though the short-term market outlook is still weak, we have proven our ability to perform in different market situations. Following our expansion in Sweden and the strengthening of our technology capabilities, we have even better capabilities to actively look for new investments in 2024. In addition, we will continue supporting our portfolio companies towards growth and internationalization”, says Intera’s Managing Partner Juhana Kallio.

“I would like to thank our portfolio companies and our other partners for the excellent cooperation during the year. Special thanks also to the dedicated Intera team. Together, we are very well-positioned to continue creating Nordic growth stories in 2024 as well”, Juhana Kallio continues.

Intera Partners expands in Sweden and strengthens technology sector capabilities

Intera Partners, a private equity firm focused on the growth and internationalisation of small and medium sized companies, has started operations in Sweden by opening a branch in Stockholm. Cecilia Waldehorn has joined Intera as a Partner based in Intera’s Stockholm office. Additionally, Andreas Holmberg has joined Intera’s team in Helsinki as a Partner to further strengthen Intera’s expertise in the technology and service sector investments. 

Intera’s team has for more than a decade helped its portfolio companies grow in the Nordics, and most of Intera’s portfolio companies have expanded internationally during Intera’s ownership. For example, Kamux, Midagon, PHM, Rantalainen, Renta, Roima and Sitowise have successfully expanded their business to Sweden and beyond together with Intera. The office in Stockholm further strengthens Intera’s capabilities to help companies grow across the Nordics. 

“Recruiting a Sweden-based Partner and opening an office in Stockholm is a natural next step for Intera. With Cecilia joining the team, our ability to invest in Swedish companies and to support our portfolio companies grow in the Nordics is further strengthened”, says Intera’s Partner Christoffer Zilliacus. 

Cecilia Waldehorn has since 2015 worked in Nordic lower mid-market private equity, most recently at Procuritas. Cecilia works as an integral part of Intera’s team, focusing on both new investment opportunities and on supporting the internationalisation of Intera’s existing investments. 

”I am excited to start developing Intera’s new operations in Sweden together with the team. Intera’s growth-focused investment strategy and achievements have impressed me, and I look forward to building a strong presence in Sweden”, Cecilia says. 

Andreas Holmberg joins Intera’s team in Helsinki from Permira, a global private equity firm, where he spent the last ten years focusing on the Nordic region and the technology sector. 

“I am inspired by Intera’s team and track record, and by the opportunity to leverage this established platform to tap into the exciting technology-driven opportunities in the Nordics”, Andreas comments. 

”Cecilia and Andreas are highly valuable additions to our team and make us an even stronger partner to Nordic entrepreneurs looking to grow and develop their businesses”, says Intera’s Managing Partner Juhana Kallio. 

 

Additional information:  

Juhana Kallio
Managing Partner, Intera Partners
juhana.kallio@interapartners.com 

Christoffer Zilliacus
Partner, Intera Partners
christoffer.zilliacus@interapartners.com 

Cecilia Waldehorn
Partner, Intera Partners
cecilia.waldehorn@interapartners.com 

Andreas Holmberg
Partner, Intera Partners
andreas.holmberg@interapartners.com 

 

Intera Partners is a private equity firm focused on growing and internationalising Finnish and Swedish companies. Intera manages two active funds with a total capital of EUR 585 million. The funds currently hold a total of 11 portfolio companies with over 11,000 employees and combined revenues of EUR 1.1 billion. 

 

Intera to exit Avarn Security

Intera Partners announces its exit from security services company Avarn Security as the firm’s majority owner Norwegian Avarn Security Group acquires the minority ownership stake held by Intera. As a result of this transaction, the company will be wholly owned by Avarn Security Group. 

Avarn Security is a leading security company that provides comprehensive services to businesses and public sector organizations in Finland. Avarn Security’s comprehensive service offering includes security technology, alarm center services, and security services. 

In late 2016, Intera entered the security sector by acquiring the entire share capital of ISS Security Oy and the Security Services business from ISS Palvelut Oy. These entities were later merged to form Prevent 360. Avarn Security in its current form was established in 2018 when Prevent 360, owned by Intera, merged with Avarn Security. Intera acted as a minority owner in the new Avarn Security, with the other significant owner being the Norwegian security company Avarn Security Group, which is now acquiring Intera’s minority stake in the company. 

Intera has been involved in the security sector for seven years, so the divestment is occurring within a typical timeframe. During Intera’s ownership, Avarn Security’s business experienced significant growth, making it one of the leading players in the security industry in Finland. Avarn Security is now well-positioned to continue its growth as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nordic group. 

The parties involved have agreed that the financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed. 

 

Additional information: 

Juhana Kallio
Managing Partner, Intera Partners
juhana.kallio@interapartners.fi 

Niclas Sacklén
CEO, Avarn Security (Finland)
niclas.sacklen@avarnsecurity.fi 

 

Intera Partners is a Finnish private equity firm with a focus on growth and internationalisation. Intera manages two active funds with a total capital of EUR 585 million. The funds are invested in a total of 12 portfolio companies with approximately 14,000 employees and a combined revenues of EUR 1.2 billion. 

Avarn Security is a leading security company providing comprehensive security services for corporate customers and public sector organizations in Finland. In 2022, Avarn Security had a turnover of 114 million euros in Finland and a staff of 3,000 employees. 

Intera Partners strengthens its team – Robin Ahti has joined the team as Investment Professional

Intera’s autumn starts with recruitment news, as Robin Ahti has joined Intera’s investment team as an investment professional. Ahti has previously worked at Intera as an intern in 2020, whereafter he worked in investment banking and management consulting at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Ahti’s experience in private equity and strategy projects in Europe and the Middle East further complements Intera’s strong expertise. Ahti holds an M.Sc. in Finance from Aalto University.

“I am excited to return to Intera’s experienced and competent team that has the creativity and bravery to create new Northern European success stories. My previous work experience has focused on business and market analysis as well as growth company strategy development together with international private equity investors. I look forward to using this experience for the benefit of our companies and in cooperation with our entrepreneurs and the rest of Intera’s investment team”, Ahti states.

Intera focuses on accelerating growth and internationalization of its portfolio companies, working in close cooperation with the management and board of directors. Currently Intera employs 15 Investment Professionals, whose role as partners for entrepreneurs and company management is an important part of Intera’s approach.

Intera and NoHo Partners are establishing a Europe-wide premium burger company Better Burger Society

Intera Partners and the leading restaurant operator in Northern Europe, NoHo Partners, have established Better Burger Society, a company targeting a leading position in the growing premium burger market in Europe. As part of the transaction, NoHo Partners will transfer its holdings of Friends & Brgrs shares to the newly established entity. Concurrently, Intera will inject new capital into the company, facilitating the acquisition of a controlling interest in Holy Cow!, a distinguished Swiss-based company specializing in premium hamburgers.

 

Better Burger Society has been established as the parent company encompassing leading premium burger chains across Europe. The company’s strategy is to accelerate the growth of the restaurant concepts it owns and develop their operations by supporting local entrepreneurs and teams behind the concepts. Both Intera and NoHo acknowledge the substantial benefits associated with consolidating similar concepts within one company. Such benefits include, for example, the unification of operating models, the sharing of best practices, and certain advantages of scale and synergy. In addition to the strong organic growth of local brands, the plan is to accelerate growth with selected acquisitions that support the strategy in new operating countries. The Better Burger Society is also in a good position for promoting the principles of sustainable development in its companies as part of its core business.

“We are excited about the cooperation with NoHo Partners and the acquired companies. Better Burger Society wants to be the market leader in its target markets and to form a community for the most ambitious entrepreneurs in the industry. We believe that through the expertise that will be concentrated in the new company we will be in a good position for building a significant international player in a growing market,” says Intera’s partner Tomi Terho.

“We are looking forward to building Better Burger Society together with Intera. Based on our extensive research of the European restaurant market in the past years, we have found that local brand, high quality, and fresh ingredients are clear competitive advantages in a market that has been tough to enter for multinational brands. Our Friends & Brgrs acquisition in 2020 has confirmed this to be true also in Finland. We believe that by focusing our know-how on scalable brand business in one separate company, we can more efficiently expand our premium burger business into the large European markets”, says Aku Vikström, CEO of NoHo Partners.

Tuomas Piirtola, M.Sc. (Econ.), has been appointed Managing Director of Better Burger Society. Piirtola has previously been Director of the fast-food business at NoHo Partners. In his role, Piirtola reports to the Board of Directors of Better Burger Society, chaired by NoHo Partners’ CEO Aku Vikström.

First restaurant concepts of the new company are Friends & Brgrs and Holy Cow!

Better Burger Society’s first restaurant concepts are Finnish company Friends & Brgrs and Swiss company Holy Cow!. Both companies are leading providers of premium hamburgers in their respective markets and very similar in concept. Friends & Brgrs is Finland’s number one premium hamburger chain with 26 restaurants. The company’s turnover was 21 million euros in 2022. Holy Cow! is Switzerland’s number one premium hamburger chain with 16 restaurants. The company’s turnover is estimated to be around 40 million euros in 2023. As part of the transaction, the operational management of both companies will continue in their current roles and all owners involved in the day-to-day operations of the companies will continue as shareholders of the new company. Friends & Brgrs and Holy Cow! will continue to operate with their existing strong local brands.

“As the founders of Friends & Brgrs, we are happy that our company will join the Better Burger Society, which has a strong knowledge of burgers and a clear vision for the future. Our concept is successful, and we see that together with Better Burger Society, the conditions for our company’s growth will improve even further. There are many areas where we see opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other. The collective wealth of expertise in restaurant operations possessed by all owners establishes a good basis for the development of operations”, says Peter Fagerholm, partner of Friends & Brgrs and one of the founders.

The transaction is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2023, subject to approval from the Finnish competition authority.

 

Additional information:

Tomi Terho
Partner, Intera Partners
tomi.terho@interapartners.fi

 

Intera Partners is a Finnish private equity firm with a focus on growth and internationalisation. Intera manages three active funds with a total capital of EUR 785 million. The funds are invested in a total of 12 portfolio companies with approximately 13,000 employees and a combined revenues of EUR 1.1 billion. 

NoHo Partners Plc is a Finnish conglomerate specializing in restaurant industry services, founded in 1996. In 2013, it became the first Finnish restaurant operator to be listed on Nasdaq Helsinki as a publicly traded company. Throughout its history, the company has experienced strong growth. The conglomerate operates around 250 restaurants in Finland, Denmark, and Norway. Some of its well-known restaurant concepts include Elite, Savoy, Teatteri, Sea Horse, Stefan’s Steakhouse, Palace, Löyly, Hanko Aasia, Friends & Brgrs, Campingen, and Cock’s & Cows. Depending on the season, the conglomerate employs approximately 2,300 individuals in full-time equivalents. The company aims to achieve a turnover of 400 million euros by the end of 2024. Its vision is to become the leading restaurant company in Northern Europe.

Friends & Brgrs is Finland’s leading premium hamburger chain, founded in 2014. The company has 26 restaurants and the company’s turnover was 21 million euros in 2022.

Holy Cow! is Switzerland’s leading premium hamburger joint founded in 2009. The company has 16 restaurants and the company’s turnover is estimated to be around 40 million euros in 2023.

 

Social responsibility is at the core of Midagon’s business model

Midagon is an independent expert specialized in managing demanding business transformation projects. The company is a key partner for some of the largest companies in Finland and has led hundreds of business transformation projects, corporate reorganizations, ICT transformations, and digital business services development projects since its founding in 2006. Midagon has 190 employees and in 2022 its turnover was 30 million euros. In 2021, Intera joined Midagon as an owner to support the company’s growth journey. In 2022, Midagon expanded its operations to Sweden.

Employee well-being and motivation has been at the core of Midagon’s business since its foundation. In the field of traditional business management consulting, this has not always been the case. Alongside the significant growth of its business, Midagon has further strengthened its actions in social responsibility and kept people at the core of the business.

Vesa Sahlman, People & Culture Director at Midagon and Christoffer Zilliacus Partner at Intera and Board Member at Midagon describe the company’s work in corporate responsibility.

What has been the starting point for Midagon’s ESG work?
Vesa: Business management consulting has roots in large American consulting companies with a culture that has traditionally not counted employee hours or truly invested in employee well-being. Since its foundation, Midagon has operated with a completely different approach: we provide demanding business management consulting with a customer forward approach, without compromising the work-life balance of our experts. Within this approach, the aim is to always ensure good quality of life and individual well-being for the employee in every situation. Our leadership-as-a-service model further supports this thinking: we trust the ability of our experienced professionals to work independently, and we support each employee on their respective paths. Our approach has made it possible for us to recruit the best, experienced talent and is directly reflected in the quality of our work with clients.

What methods do you use to monitor the well-being of your employees?
Vesa: In addition to the annual employee survey, we interview every employee face-to-face once a year to get an idea of ​​what we can improve on and what already works. The interviews are highly valued, and our employees feel heard. Once compiled, the interview results are openly reviewed together with our employees, conclusions are drawn, and the necessary measures are planned for operational development. In addition, we invest in good leadership and team management as well as in creating a strong and inclusive culture.

What is your responsibility program like and what kind of goals does it include?
Vesa: While social responsibility has been the cornerstone of our business from the beginning, we have recently also invested in building a comprehensive and holistic responsibility program. The program is linked to UN principles of sustainable development and select GRI indicators. Regarding environmental issues, our goal is to be carbon neutral by 2025. Concerning social responsibility, we have set several concrete goals related to, for example, work-life balance, job satisfaction, learning, and equality.

In terms of responsibility topics, what does the cooperation between Midagon and Intera entail?
Vesa: Since Intera became one of our owners, the transparency of our operations has increased, and our management practices have been further professionalized. Thanks to Intera, we have also begun to more systematically plan and report on the progress of our ESG work every quarter. Good dialogue on responsibility issues is the cornerstone of our cooperation with Intera. Each year, Intera also organizes e.g., ESG, HR, and CFO days for its target companies, which provide the opportunity discuss and share current topics and best practices more widely among portfolio companies.

Christoffer: We have an active and open dialogue about corporate responsibility topics with the company management, investors, and other stakeholders. Possible ESG discrepancies are investigated immediately. Our goal is to further develop Intera’s responsibility concept so that it can be widely applied to all our portfolio companies. Our work starts already before the investment is made, as the assessment of ESG risks and opportunities in a potential portfolio company is an essential part of the transaction process.

How does Intera monitor the implementation of its portfolio companies’ responsibility goals?
Christoffer: At Intera, we monitor the implementation of ESG operating principles and guidelines in all our portfolio companies, and operations are gradually developed throughout Intera’s ownership period. We work together to ensure that during Intera’s ownership period, responsibility work becomes an integral part of the companies’ daily operations and strategic planning. Above all, our role in the responsibility work of our target companies is to ensure the actual implementation of the various responsibility-related initiatives, to share well-proven operating models across industry boundaries, and to monitor the development of responsibility work.

What have been the key achievements in Midagon’s responsibility work?
Vesa: We have received great results in social responsibility.  For example, in the last measurement our recommendation index figures were outstanding and well above the industry average: clients’ NPS (Net Promoter Score) result was 78, while the staff’s eNPS was 88. The average employee turnover from 2019 to 2022 was only 5.5%, while during the same period, we recruited an average of 30 people per year. We are proud that this figure is also significantly better than the industry average.

What kind of objectives does Midagon have in its responsibility work?
Vesa: Our goal is to further develop our ESG reporting and to communicate ESG matters more systematically. Our newly built responsibility program will continue to improve when we receive data and can measure our development as well as evaluate the KPIs we have set. We recently expanded our business to Sweden and will also integrate our Swedish operations into our responsibility reporting. Additionally, in our client work, we are going to invest in the ESG perspective by using a handprint responsibility model, which we are still developing for more precise measurement. It is also important to see how we can further promote our clients’ responsibility through our work. In addition, maintaining high employee satisfaction requires constant work and effort.

How does Intera see the importance of social responsibility in its portfolio companies?
Christoffer: Employee well-being and motivation is crucial for a healthy, growing and developing business – and thereby also has a signficant societal impact. In total, our portfolio companies have approximately 13,000 employees. Thanks to this, we have a genuine opportunity to achieve significant, long-term social impacts. Midagon is a perfect example of how a business model built on sustainable values ​​and taking care of employee well-being and motivation also drives growth and success in business.

Midagonilla sosiaalinen vastuu on liiketoimintamallin ytimessä

Midagon on vaativien liiketoiminnan muutoshankkeiden johtamiseen erikoistunut, riippumaton asiantuntija. Yhtiö on noussut monien Suomen suurimpien yritysten avainkumppaniksi johtamalla satoja liiketoiminnan muutoshankkeita, yritysjärjestelyjä, ICT-transformaatioita ja digitaalisten liiketoimintapalveluiden kehitysprojekteja perustamisvuodestaan 2006 lähtien. Midagonilla työskentelee 190 ammattilaista ja sen liikevaihto vuonna 2022 oli 30 miljoonaa euroa. Interasta tuli Midagonin omistajakumppani vuonna 2021. Vuonna 2022 yhtiö laajensi toimintaansa Ruotsiin.

Tyytyväinen ja hyvinvoiva henkilöstö on ollut Midagonin liiketoiminnan ytimessä perustamisesta lähtien. Tämä on perinteisessä liikkeenjohdon konsultoinnissa poikkeava lähtökohta. Kasvaessaan Midagon on entisestään vahvistanut ajatteluaan sosiaalisesta vastuusta ja pitänyt ihmiset liiketoiminnan keskiössä.

Midagonin HR- ja kulttuurijohtaja Vesa Sahlman ja Intera Partnersin osakas ja Midagonin hallituksen jäsen Christoffer Zilliacus kertovat yhtiön vastuullisuustyöstä.

Mikä on ollut lähtökohtana Midagonin ESG-työssä?
Vesa: Liikkeenjohdon konsultoinnin alalla juuret ovat suurissa amerikkalaisissa konsulttitaloissa, joiden työkulttuurissa työtunteja ei perinteisesti ole laskettu eikä aidosti panostettu työhyvinvointiin. Midagon on toiminut perustamisestaan lähtien täysin erilaisella lähestymistavalla: teemme vaativaa liikkeenjohdon konsultointia aina asiakkaan tarpeista lähtien, kuitenkaan tinkimättä asiantuntijoidemme työn ja vapaa-ajan tasapainosta. Tässä yhtälössä työntekijän elämänlaatu ja yksilön hyvinvointi pyritään varmistamaan aina ja joka tilanteessa. Myös palvelevan johtamisen mallimme tukee tätä ajattelua: luotamme kokeneiden ammattilaistemme kykyyn tehdä itsenäistä työtä ja tuemme heitä tällä polulla. Lähestymistapamme on mahdollistanut meille parhaiden, kokeneiden osaajien rekrytoinnin ja näkyy suoraan myös asiakkaillemme tekemämme työn laadussa.

Millaisilla keinoilla seuraatte henkilöstönne hyvinvointia ja tyytyväisyyttä?
Vesa: Vuosittaisen henkilöstökyselyn lisäksi haastattelemme kasvokkain jokaisen midagonilaisen kerran vuodessa, jotta saamme käsityksen siitä, missä asioissa voimme parantaa, ja mitkä asiat toisaalta toimivat. Haastattelut toimivat hyvin; niitä arvostetaan ja henkilöstömme kokee tulleensa kuulluksi. Haastattelut kootaan ja tulokset käydään yhdessä avoimesti läpi, tehdään johtopäätökset ja suunnitellaan tarvittavat toimenpiteet toiminnan kehittämiselle. Lisäksi panostamme vahvasti hyvään johtamiseen ja esihenkilötyöhön sekä yhteisen kulttuurin luomiseen.

Millainen on vastuullisuusohjelmanne ja millaisia tavoitteita se sisältää?
Vesa: Siinä missä liiketoimintamme kulmakivenä on alun alkaen ollut sosiaalinen vastuu, olemme hiljattain panostaneet myös kattavan ja kokonaisvaltaisen vastuullisuusohjelman rakentamiseen. Työskentelyn tuloksena syntynyt ohjelma on kytketty YK:n kestävän kehityksen periaatteisiin ja GRI-mittaristoon. Ympäristön osalta tavoitteenamme on olla hiilineutraali vuonna 2025. Sosiaaliseen vastuuseen liittyen olemme asettaneet useita konkreettisia tavoitteita, liittyen esimerkiksi työn ja vapaa-ajan tasapainoon, työtyytyväisyyteen, oppimiseen ja tasa-arvoon.

Millaista yhteistyötä Intera ja Midagon ovat tehneet vastuullisuuden osalta?
Vesa: Interan tullessa omistajaksi toimintamme läpinäkyvyys kasvoi ja johtamisemme peruselementit ammattimaistuivat entisestään.  Interan ansiosta olemme myös ryhtyneet systemaattisemmin suunnittelemaan ja raportoimaan ESG-työn edistymisestä kvartaaleittain. Yhteistyömme kulmakivi Interan kanssa on hyvä keskustelu ja vuoropuhelu vastuullisuusaiheissa. Intera järjestää vuosittain kohdeyhtiöilleen myös mm. ESG-, HR- ja CFO-päivät, joissa on mahdollisuus käydä vuoropuhelua ja jakaa ajankohtaisia aiheita ja käytäntöjä laajemmin eri kohdeyhtiöiden kesken.
Christoffer: Käymme aktiivista ja avointa vuoropuhelua yritysvastuuasioista yritysten johdon, sijoittajien sekä muiden sidosryhmiemme kanssa. Mahdolliset ESG-poikkeamat selvitetään välittömästi. Tavoitteenamme on kehittää Interan vastuullisuuskonseptia edelleen niin, että sitä voidaan soveltaa laajasti kaikkiin kohdeyhtiöihimme. Työmme alkaa jo ennen sijoituksen tekemistä, sillä kohdeyhtiön ESG-riskien ja -mahdollisuuksien arviointi on olennainen osa transaktioprosessia.

Miten Intera seuraa kohdeyhtiöiden vastuullisuustavoitteiden toteutumista?
Christoffer: Seuraamme Interalla ESG-toimintaperiaatteiden ja -ohjeiden toteutumista kaikissa kohdeyrityksissämme, ja toimintaa kehitetään asteittain koko Interan omistusjakson ajan. Teemme yhdessä töitä sen eteen, että Interan omistusjakson aikana vastuullisuustyöstä tulee kiinteä osa yritysten päivittäistä toimintaa ja strategista suunnittelua. Meidän roolimme kohdeyritysten vastuullisuustyössä on ennen kaikkea varmistaa yritystemme vastuullisuustyön toteutuminen käytännössä, jakaa hyväksi todettuja toimintamalleja yli toimialarajojen sekä seurata vastuullisuustyön kehitystä.

Millaisia tuloksia vastuullisuustyössä on saatu?
Vesa: Sosiaaliseen vastuuseen liittyen olemme saaneet hienoja tuloksia esimerkiksi suositteluindeksin osalta: viime mittauksessa asiakkaiden NPS (Net Promoter Score)-tulos oli 78 ja henkilöstön eNPS 88, molemmat huipputuloksia ja selvästi yli alan keskiarvon. Henkilöstön vaihtuvuuden keskiarvo oli vuosina 2019–2022 vain 5,5 %, kun samalla ajalla olemme rekrytoineet keskimäärin 30 henkilöä vuodessa. Olemme ylpeitä, että tämäkin luku on alan keskiarvoon nähden huomattavasti parempi.

Millaisia kehityskohteita Midagonilla on vastuullisuustyössä?
Vesa: Tavoitteenamme on kehittää ESG-raportointia edelleen ja viestiä ESG-asioista entistä systemaattisemmin. Hiljattain rakennettu vastuullisuusohjelma jalostuu eteenpäin, kun saamme dataa ja pääsemme mittaamaan kehitystämme ja arvioimaan asettamiamme KPI:tä. Laajensimme toimintaamme Ruotsiin hiljattain ja myös Ruotsin-toiminnot tullaan integroimaan kiinteästi mukaan vastuullisuusraportointiin. Myös asiakastyössä aiomme panostaa ESG-näkökulmaan vastuullisuuden kädenjälkimallilla, jonka tarkempaa mittaamista kehitämme edelleen. On tärkeää nähdä, miten voimme työllämme edistää entistä paremmin myös asiakkaidemme vastuullisuutta. Lisäksi korkean henkilöstötyytyväisyyden ylläpito vaatii jatkuvaa työtä ja panostusta.

Miten Interalla nähdään sosiaalisen vastuun merkitys kohdeyhtiöissä
Christoffer: Hyvinvoiva ja motivoitunut henkilöstö on edellytys hyvälle liiketoiminnalle ja yrityksen kasvulle ja kehitykselle – ja tätä kautta myös merkittävä tekijä yhteiskunnallisesti. Kohdeyhtiöissämme työskentelee yhteensä noin 13 000 työntekijää. Tämän ansiosta meillä on aito mahdollisuus saavuttaa merkittäviä ja pitkäaikaisia yhteiskunnallisia vaikutuksia. Midagon on oiva esimerkki siitä, miten kestäville arvoille rakennettu liiketoimintamalli ja henkilöstön hyvinvoinnista ja motivaatiosta huolta pitäminen rakentavat kasvua myös liiketoiminnassa.