Growth is not only about expanding into new markets or increasing sales. It also involves developing capabilities, strengthening networks and building skills that support long-term development. Swedish Miljögiraff now shares its story.
For Miljögiraff, a Swedish consultancy specializing in life cycle analysis and design, communication and collaboration have become key enablers of growth. They build networks and ecosystems around the company, where experts, organizations and partners can meet and create value together.
In uncertain times, companies can become more cautious about investments. However, development should not be put on hold when the surrounding world becomes unpredictable. Marcus Wendin, CEO of Miljögiraff, encourages companies to view growth as a fundamental question of business.
“For me, it comes back to why we do business at all. It’s a way of creating the resources we need to sustain ourselves and the society around us. Therefore, the question is not really whether we should invest in growth, but how we do it,” Wendin explains.
According to him, growth is built above all through collaboration. Companies do not operate in isolation but as part of broader ecosystems, where cooperation between businesses, experts and other stakeholders creates long-term value.
“Collaboration has always been essential of creating greater value. We need to build resilient networks of cooperation so that we can create value over time and make use of the expertise across the entire value chain,” Wendin adds.
Communication invites to collaborate
Building networks also requires the ability to tell a company’s story and make your expertise visible.
“Communication is essential. It allows us to tell our story, but at the same time we build it together with others. If you want to collaborate and reach new partners, you also need to market yourself. It’s really about being active in networks and continuously developing your message,” Wendin emphasizes.
Communication is not only about visibility. It is also an invitation to collaborate. When a company openly communicates its expertise, goals and work, it creates opportunities for new encounters, conversations and partnerships.
“Communication works in both directions. It’s both storytelling and creating the story together,” Wendin continues.
In Miljögiraff’s case, we at Mailand have acted as a communications partner precisely in this role. We have built a community consistently across different channels and touchpoints, strengthening the network and deepening shared understanding.
Networks create new perspectives
Effective communication lays the foundation for networks, which in turn support business growth and development. Through networks, companies can view their own ways of working from a broader perspective and discover new ideas. According to Wendin, being part of networks allows companies to see how others solve similar challenges.
Learning from others’ experiences can significantly accelerate development. Instead of each organization solving the same problems alone, networks enable the sharing of knowledge and insights. This helps companies develop their practices and identify new opportunities.
At the same time, trust is built. When companies meet and collaborate, understanding and credibility gradually develop, making it easier to form new partnerships.
“If another company has already worked with us, it creates trust. Being part of a network helps build that trust and opens access to new markets,” Wendin emphasizes.
However, the potential of collaboration is not always fully utilized. Daily work often takes focus, leading organizations to concentrate on their own projects and goals, even though many are facing similar challenges.
“There is huge potential for sharing knowledge within networks. It’s a shame we don’t make more use of them than we do today,” Wendin notes.
When experiences are shared openly, it creates opportunities for collective learning. This can help identify new solutions and build stronger relationships that benefit the entire industry. Especially when operating environments and working cultures are similar, collaboration and knowledge sharing can significantly accelerate development.
Nordic cooperation as a platform for l learning
Companies in the Nordic share many common values and ways of working, creating a natural foundation for collaboration. This provides a strong foundation for knowledge sharing, building networks and developing joint solutions. Wendin also sees strong potential in strengthening Nordic cooperation, having worked with Finnish companies for over 20 years.
“In the Nordic countries we share a similar narrative on many levels. There is a lot we can develop together, and we are much more connected to each other than we sometimes realize in our everyday work,” he says.
According to Wendin, the importance of Nordic cooperation becomes particularly clear when companies aim to remain relevant in the future.
“Business leaders who want to stay relevant in the coming decades need to understand this connection. If a company has markets or production in the Nordic countries, it’s important to understand the culture and operating environment that supports the business. Without that understanding, changes can take us by surprise,” Wendin explains.
Cooperation between the Nordic countries also provides an opportunity to learn from one another. Wendin points out that Finnish companies, for example, have strong expertise in production resilience. Learning from these experiences can help companies prepare for future changes elsewhere in the Nordic region as well.
“In Sweden we haven’t yet had to make changes on the same scale, but they will probably come to us sooner or later,” Wendin reflects.
When companies recognize these connections and begin to actively leverage them, networks can become a powerful driver of growth not only for individual businesses but for the entire region. Ultimately, growth does not happen alone, but through connections – communication, trust and collaboration.
Mailand has been Miljögiraff’s communications partner in Finland since 2023.