Find out how Skoogs, a large industrial group in northern Sweden, prepared for EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) – by upskilling a new key team member through Brights, in partnership with Academic Work.
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) represents one of the most far-reaching sustainability reporting reforms to date. For companies like Skoogs, a diversified industrial group operating across fuel, logistics, real estate, and hospitality, it has brought both urgency and complexity. Meeting CSRD’s demands requires entirely new competencies, especially in sustainability reporting, data analysis, and regulatory frameworks. But recruiting people with the right knowledge is hard. These skills are new and scarce, particularly outside major urban cities.
To meet the challenge, Skoogs brought in Annika Andersson as a junior sustainability coordinator on a consulting basis via Academic Work, the staffing and recruitment partner and sister company to Brights. A key part of her onboarding: formal training in CSRD through a tailored learning program led by Brights and subject partner Goodpoint.
The CSRD training program was designed to give participants a solid and actionable understanding of EU’s Green Deal, sustainability frameworks, and the full scope of CSRD reporting.
The program covered:
+ EU sustainability legislation and the Green Deal
+ Double materiality assessments (DMA)
+ Climate impact measurement and datasystems
+ Project management and self-leadership for sustainability roles
The participants were professionals from across Sweden, controllers, sustainability managers, and coordinators from various industries. Annika took part in the training while working on assignment at Skoogs, gaining both insight and practical tools she could apply directly in her consulting role.
The program was delivered as a blend of online modules and in-person training in Stockholm. Throughout, Brights handled all planning, learning design, logistics and participant support, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.
For Annika, the program came at the perfect time:
“CSRD is far more complex than anything I’ve worked with before. The training helped me connect the dots, from EU directives down to how we apply them across Skoogs’ subsidiaries.”
While CSRD implementation has been temporarily delayed for many companies, Skoogs has decided to stay the course, using the extra time to deepen internal capabilities and strengthen cross-functional collaboration.
“This kind of upskilling is crucial,” Annika says. “You can’t solve sustainability challenges without up-to-date knowledge. What’s great is that Brights offered a program that was not just technical, but also focused on leadership and collaboration, because sustainability is never just one person’s job.”
Martina Berg, Managing Director at Brights, emphasizes the broader context:
“The labor market is evolving at record speed. We need new skills to meet new demands, especially in areas like sustainability, data and tech. That’s why companies need to think long-term and find the courage to invest in innovative solutions. It’s not just about staying compliant; it’s about staying relevant.”
For Skoogs, the combination of strategic staffing through Academic Work and targeted training through Brights created a practical solution to a complex challenge. Instead of waiting for the perfect hire with impossible-to-find experience, they built the competence they needed from within.
As regulations continue to evolve and new demands emerge, this approach offers a template: bring in talented people with the right foundation, invest in developing their capabilities, and build organizational knowledge that stays with you over time.
The question isn't whether your organization will face similar challenges. It's whether you'll be ready to meet them when they arrive.
Brights specializes in designing learning solutions that build the capabilities you need, when you need them. Let's talk about how we can support your team's development.
Martina Berg
Managing Director