Embedding leadership development in a global organization

 

The personal and professional development of people is an essential part of Svanehoj’s ESG strategy. With the Svanehoj Leadership Program, we aim to equip our leaders with a common set of skills and language, grounded in our values and culture.

 

With Svanehoj’s rapid growth in recent years, strong leadership has become more important than ever to preserve and reinforce the company culture and core values.

 

Last year, we launched the Svanehoj Leadership Program, with the first module completed in the fall for all Svanehoj managers. Two additional modules will follow in the first half of 2026.

 

Some of our leaders have evolved from specialist roles, while others bring valuable outside experience. Together, this creates a strong mix of expertise and new perspective, but it also calls for clear direction and a shared approach to leadership.

The new global initiative builds a shared leadership language and defines clear expectations for everyone.

“As Svanehoj has become a global company, it’s important to have a common leadership framework that works everywhere in the world. Our goal is to strengthen leaders as we grow, build professional leadership grounded in our values and culture, and equip our leaders with a common set of skills and language”, says Stephanie Rysholdt Lind Andersen, HR Manager at Svanehoj.

 

Empowering our people

The leadership program is based on the Svanehoj Leadership Principles; “Lead by Example”, “Growth Mindset”, and “Professional Expertise”. Empowering our people is a fundamental part of Svanehoj’s ESG commitment. By supporting personal and professional growth, we want to create a stronger, more resilient, and attractive workplace.

 

The steps we have taken to empower our people are clearly visible in our ability to retain and attract talented colleagues. Our voluntary employee turnover is at a record low, and at the same time, the Svanehoj organization has expanded significantly,

 

Building a shared leadership language

The Svanehoj Leadership Program includes basic modules for all leaders and more focused training for different levels, making it suitable for both new and experienced managers. The program goes beyond classroom learning. Learning groups, mentoring, and a dedicated leadership platform help leaders use what they learn, share experiences across countries, and build strong teamwork throughout the company.

 

 

The first module turns the principles into clear leadership behaviors. At its core, leadership is about how leaders act, communicate, make decisions, and work with their teams every day.

 

From there, the program takes a step-by-step approach. Leaders learn about themselves in the “Leading Yourself” module, then move on to “Leading Others”. More experienced leaders and senior managers can take extra modules on strategic leadership and handle complex situations.

 

We also want leadership development to be impactful in everyday life. To support this, we continue to track the leadership program's impact through evaluations and ongoing feedback.

 

“We see the results in strong engagement from program participants. Feedback indicates greater clarity around leadership expectations, better alignment across the company, and more meaningful collaboration between teams and locations”, Stephanie Rysholdt Lind Andersen explains.

By supporting personal and professional growth, we want to create a stronger, more resilient, and attractive workplace where people want to join, stay, and grow. As our company continues to grow, our leaders and people grow with it.

 

Want to know more about how we empower people at Svanehoj?

🔗Visit our career site here