Mapping Boule's impact on sustainability

Boule sources input goods in Europe, Asia and the U.S. and conducts manufacturing in four factories in the U.S., Sweden and Russia, and markets instruments and consumables globally via a network of distributors.

Boule’s value chain provides us with analysis data for sustainability and risk analysis.

Governance of sustainability work

As a medical products company, Boule is governed to a high degree by laws and regulations concerning standards, safety and product quality. Blood diagnostic equipment is subject to detailed regulations worldwide. Boule’s vision, mission, values and code of conduct guide employees in the social and environmental responsibility for which the company strives. We manage Boule with our quality management system, and all manufacturing and selling companies within the Group are certified in accordance with ISO 13485.
In addition to the regulations that Boule follows, the company is governed by policies and guidelines.

Boule also shares the values set out in the 10 principles of the UN Global Compact Initiative on the protection of human rights, decent work conditions, environment responsibility and sound business ethics.

⊲ Code of conduct
⊲ Environmental policy
⊲ Quality policy
⊲ Diversity and gender equality policy

At Boule, we value our patients, users, distributors, employees, suppliers and owners as our main stakeholders. By maintaining an open and continuous dialog with them, we gather essential insights for business, product and sustainability improvements. We conduct surveys with distributors, employees and benchmark markets to better understand their perspectives and collect feedback.

Patients

There is concern and a risk that poor analytical results may cause significant harm to the patient. With the analysis from one of the 150+ million tests performed based on a Boule instrument, the patient can always feel confident that the clinical outcome is correct.

Distributors

Boule reaches customers in over 100 countries through a distributor network of 200 locally based distributors that market, sell and service Boule’s products.
In addition to the product safety requirement, it is important for distributors to help build an infrastructure that gives patients safe and accurate diagnostics.

Suppliers

Boules’ suppliers, mainly located in Europe, Asia and the US, act as key allies in delivering first-class solutions. They attach great importance to Boules’ commitment to maintaining the highest business ethics, protecting human rights and actively
reducing environmental risks.

Users and doctors

Boule’s solutions are important and essential for the diagnosis, planning and monitoring of patients in health centers, laboratories and hospitals. Users place demands in terms of product safety and accurate clinical results.

Employees

Boule strives to be an attractive employer and promote an environment where employees can thrive. With a vision of zero work-related accidents and illnesses, we put the health and safety of our employees first.

We are dedicated to ensuring fair treatment and equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability,
experience or family situation. Fair remuneration and equal opportunities are fundamental principles at Boule, integrated into our values of inclusion and diversity.
Transparency and accountability are central to our approach, ensuring that every voice is heard and every concern is taken seriously.

Shareholders

Shareholders expect us to create a long-term stable return. By ensuring that we have satisfied users, distributors and employees, we ensure that we also create shareholder value.

Based on expectations and requirements from the company’s stakeholders, Boule has established a materiality analysis that has identified opportunities and challenges. Sustainability aspects have been divided into four focus areas that form the basis of our sustainability work: value creation, environment, work environment, and ethics and governance.

Boule’s ability to produce reliable and high-quality blood diagnostic instruments is of great importance to customers’ operations and crucial to patients, which is why product quality and safety permeate Boule’s sustainability work.

Incorrect or inadequate diagnoses can cause significant harm to patients, lead to financial losses for the hospital or healthcare provider and, by extension, threaten Boule’s
business operations. For this very reason, product safety is one of the utmost priorities for Boule. As a serious market player, Boule takes responsibility throughout the entire process to create a sustainable supply chain.

Product development

It is very important to obtain reliable results and a high level of operating safety, and to maintain high quality in the user chain. Boule’s quality concept is based on quality and knowledge permeating the entire value chain, all the way to the end customer. Internal quality assurance processes are designed to assure high quality throughout the usable life of every instrument, from production and installation of the products to servicing and training in their use. The concept is called The Total Quality Concept and the ultimate goal is to offer high-quality instruments and consumables that provide patients with readily accessible, more effective and safer point-of-care treatment.

Closed systems for safer blood analysis

An important characteristic regarding the quality and safety of Boule products is that consumables are tied to proprietary Boule instruments. Boule’s closed systems enable blood analyses to be done more quickly, simply and safely. As the sealed test tubes do not need to be opened by laboratory personnel, the blood is never exposed to external contaminants. This is an important safety aspect for both patients and healthcare professionals.

Suppliers

Sustainability work takes place throughout the product supply chain, and Boule’s suppliers play a crucial role in providing high-quality systems. The components for Boule’s production are manufactured by leading suppliers worldwide, and
Boule has a direct impact on the choice of, e.g., materials, raw materials and packaging. Choosing suppliers is therefore done with great care, following a supplier evaluation. Boule only picks those suppliers that offer the best and most cost effective products and that guarantee the highest possible quality.
All Boule’s suppliers of production materials have quality management systems in place. Suppliers with documented environmental management systems and environmental targets are prioritized. Approved suppliers are regularly monitored. This is done to ensure that suppliers have lived up to their commitments and can continue to be considered an approved supplier.

Distributors

Boule imposes exacting demands on its distributors when it comes to product knowledge. To ensure a high level of knowledge, Boule organizes regular product training courses for all distributors. This training mixes theory with practice and covers areas such as basic hematology and the technical maintenance and servicing of instruments. Boule commissions an annual survey of distributors, where any shortcomings in hematology systems, support and service are identified and can then be rectified

Boule works systematically to prevent, minimize and eliminate environmental risks linked to the transport of products, which is Boule’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Boule also works proactively with other environmental aspects, such as choice of recyclable products in packaging.

Transportation

An efficient and CO2-minimizing goods flow is one of the most important factors in reducing the Company’s adverse environment impact. When procuring transportation services, Boule specifies environmental requirements for the freight companies it engages. All transportation companies have their own environmental policy and/or recognized systems for systematic environment work. Planning and optimization of inward deliveries (scheduled shipments) to increase load capacity utilization per transport reduces CO2 emissions and brings cost savings. Boule also reduces the
number of inward shipments by using a bag-in-box solution for packaging that is more space efficient than hard plastic packaging.

Chemicals and components

In order to ensure that no Boule product contains harmful, regulated or unnecessary chemicals, Boule complies with the rules and regulations that apply for the manufacture of electronics and the use of chemicals. Only components that are approved within the parameters of the EU regulations on the use of chemicals (REACH) and hazardous substances (RoHS), as well as electronic equipment (WEEE), are used in product development and production.

Environmental impact of real estate

The offices and instrument production facilities in Sweden are located in buildings with geoenergy installed, replacing district heating and cooling machines. The heaters are powered by eco-labelled electricity that is 100 percent produced from renewable energy sources.

Travel

Boule encourages you to always choose environmentally friendly business travel and commuting.
⊲ Continue to minimize printing and reduce waste
⊲ Advocate for environmentally friendly vehicles
⊲ Various measures to encourage employees to save electricity

At Boule, we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset. We prioritize a safe and positive working environment. Our goal is to provide a workplace where every employee can unlock their full potential and thrive.

Value driven culture

Boules’ values and corporate culture serve as guiding principles for our employees, shaping their behavior, interactions with each other, and engagement with
customers and other stakeholders. These values are the basis for a supportive working environment and are essential to achieving our goals and driving our
initiatives forward.

Employee satisfaction

Boules’ success is largely due to its ability to develop and retain employees and to attract talented people in various fields. In 2023, we implemented a new tool to measure employee satisfaction in an efficient and user-friendly way. The engagement survey has helped us gain great insights into employees’ perspectives on our working environment and leadership. All feedback and results were analyzed, and workshops were conducted based on individual needs and areas for improvement in each team. The survey results show that 84 percent of employees consider their manager to be a good leader. The overall impression of Boule as an employer is 7.2 on a scale from 0 to 10. The average number of employees during the year was 228. The average employee turnover rate was 11 percent in 2023.

Health and safety

Boule maintains ambitious health and safety standards and strives to promote a culture of safety awareness, positive attitudes and continuous improvement. Achieving this goal requires the commitment of management and every employee and partner. We prioritize proactive measures to prevent workplace injuries and conduct both scheduled and unannounced safety inspections to assess and improve our working environment. Given that the most significant health and safety risks are usually found in production and warehouses, we have an exceptionally strict focus on safety in these areas. Any incidents are immediately reported to our Health and Safety Committee for careful review and monitoring.

Diversity and equal opportunities

Boules’ workforce consists of individuals from many different nationalities and backgrounds, which not only enriches our organizational culture but also strengthens our collective capabilities. Therefore, Boule is committed to fostering an environment that makes optimal use of the diverse skills and talents of our employees.

Boule has set high standards on how we should act to be a good social player with a high level of business ethics.

Code of conduct

The Boule code of conduct contains the company’s binding guidelines and provides specific directions when new relationships are entered into with employees, suppliers, distributors, customers and other partners. The code of conduct contains the company’s requirements and positions on anti-corruption, human rights, labor law and environmental considerations, in accordance with the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. The code of conduct provides support and guidance for employees in their daily work and imposes business ethics demands on suppliers and distributors. All employees within the group receive training in the code of conduct and are informed of their personal responsibility to act in accordance with it. The manager of each function is responsible for ensuring compliance with the code in day-to-day business.

Whistle blower function

Employees are encouraged and expected to report violations of Boule’s code of conduct through the company’s whistle blower function. Reporting is anonymous and is only treated to the degree reasonably required for investigation. Individuals reporting such incidents face no reprisals or other negative consequences. Boule’s code of conduct includes directions on how employees should report suspected breaches within the organization. In 2023, there were no whistle blower reports concerning the Code of Conduct.