By instituting a Sustainable Supply Chain Guideline and strengthening its due diligence process via third-party audits, Skanska demonstrates a commitment to ethical sourcing and supply chain transparency. This initiative mitigates risks of complicity in labor abuses that are often associated with exploitative practices.

Collaborate for a sustainable supply chain

Skanska’s Code of Conduct demonstrates a commitment to ethical behavior by instituting rigorous standards on transparency, anti-corruption, and inclusion. By mandating training for all employees, the company fosters a workplace culture that is resistant to exploitative practices and aligns with progressive, anti-authoritarian principles. This proactive policy supports fair business practices and corporate responsibility.

Engage as a fair and ethical business, inside and out

The Code explicitly requires that its ethical standards be embedded throughout its supply chain. This proactive measure minimizes the risk of unethical practices among suppliers and supports robust supply chain ethics, aligning with anti-fascist values of accountability and social justice.

Code of Conduct | Skanska - Global corporate website

The initiative includes an effort to educate and enhance transparency within the supply chain regarding modern slavery risks. This approach promotes ethical procurement practices and supports broader efforts to secure labor rights in complex construction sector supply chains.

Skanska joins forces with industry partners to campaign against modern slavery

The documented meeting with EU Commission officials underscores Skanska AB's direct engagement in high-level political processes. While engaging with democratic institutions is not inherently nefarious, such activities can serve as a channel for corporate influence over policy, which may contribute to regulatory capture. From an anti-authoritarian perspective, this active political engagement is concerning as it potentially undermines transparency and democratic accountability.

Skanska AB - lobbyfacts

The policy sets out detailed processes for conducting due diligence on suppliers and third-party audits to prevent labor exploitation, indicating a strong adherence to ethical supply chain practices.

PDF Skanska UK Modern slavery and human trafficking

Skanska AB's political contributions, while moderate in amount, still represent corporate engagement in political financing. Although the company reported no lobbying activities— which is a relatively positive sign—the act of contributing funds to political campaigns remains a concern from an anti-fascist perspective, as it could potentially be used to shape policy in ways that undermine democratic accountability.

Skanska AB Profile: Summary • OpenSecrets

The profile highlights Skanska AB's historical lobbying practices, a tool frequently used by corporations to influence legislation and regulatory measures. Although there is no reported lobbying on specific bills in 2024, the sustained engagement over the years raises concerns about the company's political influence, which is viewed negatively from an anti-authoritarian, progressive perspective.

Skanska AB Profile: Lobbying • OpenSecrets

The executive's public engagement before a democratic institution to advocate for improved, sustainable infrastructure procurement demonstrates positive involvement in public and political behavior. This initiative supports innovation and long-term benefits for society by encouraging more effective public project delivery, reflecting a commitment to democratic processes and public accountability.

Presenting PPP's benefits to Swedish Parliament

Skanska's active and open engagement in the Almedalen forum—marked by hosting seminars and participating in a wide array of panels—demonstrates a commitment to participating in public discourse and advocating for progressive reforms in industry standards and public procurement. This form of executive political engagement contributes positively by fostering dialogue among political and public sector leaders to address societal challenges.

Skanska in Sweden meets public clients at gigantic political summer event

The company's response addresses serious allegations regarding wage nonpayment and claims of favoring nonunion subcontractors by asserting that the incident was isolated and beyond its direct control. Its actions in resolving lien claims and highlighting its practice of awarding contracts to unionized firms when competitive demonstrate a commitment to labor rights, albeit with a deflection of full responsibility in its supply chain. This measured response is viewed as a modest positive step for labor relations.

Response by Skanska - Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

The article details that the Costain/Skanska/Strabag joint venture employed union busting tactics by preventing union safety reps from communicating with workers, which is directly linked to a number of serious accidents and safety shutdowns on the HS2 project. Such practices undermine labor rights and worker safety, reflecting negatively on the company’s commitment to ethical labor relations.

Union Busting Tactics Causing Serious HS2 Safety Failings

The lobbying expenditure, while modest in absolute terms, reflects a broader pattern of corporate political engagement that can contribute to undue influence over democratic processes and policy-making. From an anti-fascist perspective, such activities are concerning as they often support policies that favor corporate power and potentially undermine workers' rights and social equality.

Skanska AB Lobbying Profile • OpenSecrets