Sustera creates structure and clear reporting in a growing group with the support of Greenstep!

With seven companies in Sweden and operations in areas such as environmental certification, project management, and inspection, the need for coordination, effective reporting, and clear communication increased—especially in the dialogue with the Finnish parent company.

Previously, each company had its own finance function, which led to different working methods and a fragmented overview. As the group grew, these internal differences became a growing obstacle—especially in cross-border collaboration. To build a more unified and functional reporting structure, Sustera chose to bring in Greenstep as a partner.

Unclear Reporting and Lack of Resources

Malin Edling, CFO at Sustera in Sweden, says she has been with the company as CFO for over ten years.

As the company grew, challenges arose in keeping the finance functions cohesive. There was a lack of common routines, reporting requirements increased, and language barriers between Sweden and Finland created unnecessary friction.

"This primarily created a need for a clearer structure and to know what was expected," says Malin Edling, CFO at Sustera.

Greenstep Stepped in as a Bridge Between Countries

Greenstep assigned the task to Ludo, an experienced CFO consultant with both financial expertise and strong communication skills. Ludo worked closely with the Swedish team, both on-site in Stockholm and digitally from Finland. Ludo was tasked with mapping and improving the Swedish finance function.

The effort included:

• Mapping the finance function's workflows
• Clear division of responsibilities and reporting routines
• Development of a color-coded delivery document for monthly follow-ups
• Presentation of the results to the owners

"It was clear from the start that Ludo was the right person. He came in with humility, structure, and warmth, which made the collaboration both effective and pleasant," says Malin.

Results: Increased Clarity, Collaboration, and Continued Development

The impact of Greenstep's contribution was quickly noticeable:

• A clear internal reporting structure that's now used every month
• Improved communication between Swedish and Finnish units
• More efficient division of labor thanks to documented processes

Sustera is now in the process of implementing a shared financial system for all its companies, with the long-term goal of digitizing and automating the reporting that was previously done manually.

"We saw Greenstep as an asset from day one. Ludo helped us create clarity, build structure, and strengthen our collaboration with Finland. It's clear that Greenstep delivers high competence and quality." - Malin Edling, CFO at Sustera

A Partnership That Creates Real Change

I want to thank Sustera—and especially Malin and the Swedish team—for the warm welcome and trust. It was fantastic to work with the team; everyone involved genuinely wanted to move forward and succeed!

It's great to see how the improvement suggestions have now been implemented and anchored throughout the entire organization. As a result, both the financial processes, internal communication, and cross-border collaboration have improved.

- Ludo Thijssen, Senior Manager, CFO-services at Greenstep

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