After the defections and the criticism - Svenska kraftnät calls for an extra board meeting

DN has been able to reveal that three key people at Svenska kraftnät have chosen to quit since the new director general Maja Lundbäck, former state secretary to energy minister Ebba Busch (KD), took office at the end of the summer. The reason, according to DN's sources, is dissatisfaction with Lundbäck's leadership style. Sources high up in the organization have testified about what is described as a culture of silence and that Lundbäck is said to have scolded senior managers on several occasions.

Lundbäck has told DN that she does not recognize herself in the descriptions.

- Not that I know of anyway. But it is also up to what the recipient says. I have to be sensitive to that, she told DN on Thursday, but at the same time pointed out that she "must make a decision".

- But it is the factual issues that are in focus and it has never been a bad tone in my opinion ever.

Now the board of the authority chooses to call an extra board meeting next week, due to the situation. The decision was made at a board meeting on Thursday, shortly after DN published news that two more people have chosen to leave the authority.

- We take the information that has come to us, both through the media and directly, very seriously, says board chairman Torbjörn Wahlborg to DN.

Svenska kraftnät has agreed that they will carry out an independent review of the work environment at the authority due to the reporting, something which the board will now follow up carefully according to Wahlborg.

- We had a discussion in the board yesterday about the work environment investigation that is to be carried out. There, we in the board were clear that we want to have an extra meeting about this next week to find out more about how the investigation is to be carried out, and above all to make sure that it gets started as quickly as possible.

How did you discuss the situation at the board meeting yesterday?

- I do not want to go into details in the discussions. But what I established in the meeting, and where I have the entire board with me, is that the type of leadership mentioned in the articles is not something we stand behind. We absolutely do not want to see anything resembling a culture of silence. It is unacceptable for employees to be scolded or accused of a lack of loyalty. The director general agrees with the board on this and states that she does not stand for such leadership either.

Does she have the trust of the board?

- This is special because it is not a company, and it is not the board that neither recruits nor dismisses a general manager. We have to analyze the situation and absorb the information that comes out. We listen to the director general and above all want to take part in the results of the work environment survey to get a better idea of ​​the scope.

Are there any other measures you are taking?

- Of course, we are talking to various parties in the matter, it is a work in progress. As chairman of the board, I also have an important role in supporting the director general and I have conversations with her about the situation.