6.11.2019

Prosperity and Responsibility – The New Age of Investing

Today’s investors are looking for more than just profit—responsibility and impact have become increasingly important considerations when making investment decisions. Green bonds are already commonplace, and have more recently been joined by social impact bonds.

The trailblazers in responsible investing have been the most demanding clients, such as institutional investors and family offices. For them, responsibility is a necessity, but it has also begun to catch the attention of the wider public. Younger generations—millennials and Generation Z—have a very different worldview and consumer habits than today’s middle-aged generations, and expect companies to have a positive impact on society.

Corporate impact reporting and supplementing financial figures with new performance indicators are also rising trends. Corporate responsibility reports provide a general picture, but comparing responsibility and impact between companies remains difficult. Measuring impact and communicating it to investors will require innovative solutions. Companies seeking investors need to create incentives that promote sustainable development and positive social impact. The best incentive is likely to be including impact in the valuation of companies in addition to financial performance.

The EU has included responsibility in its action plan, which ties financing to sustainability. With skilfully drafted conditions, it is already possible to incorporate impact into investments.

Responsible and impact investing is no longer a marginal phenomenon, but the new normal in investing.

Latest references

We advised G&W Electric with its acquisition of Safegrid Oy, a leading provider of intelligent grid monitoring solutions based in Finland. The acquisition accelerates G&W Electric’s long-term strategy to integrate intelligent monitoring and predictive analytics into its power distribution portfolio, strengthening its offering to utility customers worldwide. Founded in 1905 and headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois, G&W Electric is a global leader in innovative power grid solutions, with a presence in over 100 countries. The company is known for advanced load and fault interrupting switches, reclosers, sensors, system protection equipment, power grid automation, intelligent grid monitoring, and transmission and distribution cable accessories. Safegrid is a Finnish technology company headquartered in Espoo, Finland. The company develops the Intelligent Grid System®, a grid monitoring solution that combines instant-on wireless sensors with advanced analytics to deliver real-time insight into grid conditions, enabling utilities to identify emerging issues, anticipate failures, and reduce outage duration across medium and high voltage distribution and transmission networks.
Case published 8.5.2026
We advised Kiwa in its acquisition of Sertio Oy, a Finnish notified body designated by the authority in accordance with the EU Regulation on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDR). Sertio provides conformity assessment services in accordance with IVDR. Kiwa is one of the world’s leading testing, inspection, and certification companies, operating in over 35 countries. 
Case published 7.5.2026
We advised Metsäkonepalvelu Oy in its acquisition of the entire share capital of Junnonen Forest Oy, a Finnish timber harvesting services company, and the timber harvesting services business of Lamerit Oy. The acquisition supports Metsäkonepalvelu’s growth strategy and strengthens the company’s position, particularly in southeastern Finland. Metsäkonepalvelu is a portfolio company of A. Ahlström Oy, a Finnish family-owned industrial owner. The company provides mechanical timber harvesting services to forest companies, large private forest owners, and the public sector in Finland and Sweden. Metsäkonepalvelu Group employs nearly two hundred forestry professionals.
Case published 6.5.2026
We acted as Finnish counsel to Scanreco in its acquisition of CrossControl. Mannheimer Swartling (Sweden) acted as lead counsel for Scanreco. CrossControl, founded in Sweden, is a high-tech supplier of advanced display computers and central vehicle computing solutions for industrial vehicles and machines. Scanreco is a world leading supplier of professional radio remote control systems to international machinery, heavy equipment, and crane manufacturers. The combined group comprises approximately 600 employees and generates annual revenue of around SEK 1.4 billion.
Case published 5.5.2026