At CatalystOne, we’re proud to announce that we are now Miljøfyrtårn (Eco-Lighthouse) certified — a nationally recognised standard for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact in Norway. This isn’t just a badge for the wall. For us, it’s a meaningful milestone in our journey to work more sustainably and transparently.
And while this step marks an important milestone for us, it’s also a chance to share what we’ve learned along the way — in the hope that our experience might be useful to others exploring their own ESG initiatives.
Caption: Barbara (centre) with Oslo's Deputy Mayor Julianne Ofsted, and our Chief Human Resources Officer Hilde Nordal Johnsrud
When Barbara Acker joined CatalystOne as our Quality & Compliance Specialist, sustainability wasn’t a new conversation — but it needed direction.
“There had been initiatives in place already,” she explains, “but no one was formally responsible for driving it forward. Once I joined, it made sense that I got that ownership to give it structure.”
Then came the push: a customer, Oslo-based law firm Haavind, made Miljøfyrtårn certification a requirement for their supply chain.
“That demand really got our attention,” Barbara says.
“Haavind wanted their entire supply chain to be Miljøfyrtårn certified. And frankly, I admired it. It was bold. And it was the final nudge we needed.”
At first glance, Miljøfyrtårn might seem niche — it’s a Norwegian framework, not an international ISO standard. But Barbara did her research.
“It’s recognised by the EU just like anISO 14001 certification,” she says.
“And it aligns well with upcoming EU sustainability regulations like CSRD. That mattered to us as an international company. We didn’t want to invest in something that wouldn’t hold up across markets.”
In other words, we weren’t chasing a trend — we were setting a foundation.
Even though the EU’s CSRD directive (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) is currently seeing delays in implementation, we moved ahead. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. For us, sustainability is not just about compliance — it’s about responsibility. It’s also smart business.
“In recent tenders, we’ve seen ESG criteria carry more weight than price,” Barbara notes. “In one tender, environmental performance was weighted at 20–30%, while price counted for just 10–20%. That shift shows that companies who take sustainability seriously are more likely to win business.”
Barbara led the certification process from start to finish — and while she’s passionate about sustainability, she also approached it pragmatically.
We started with the head office in Oslo first, and the goal is to extend that to other offices in Norway and abroad.
“It took longer than I expected,” she says, “but I wanted to do it properly. The first step was to understand our impact — not just on the environment, but socially and organisationally too. From there, we set up processes to gather data, assign responsibility, so that eventually we can make decisions based on real numbers.”
Getting good data was a challenge. For example, because we rent our office, energy usage is estimated based on square metres rather than actual usage.
Another key learning from the process? Keep it simple.
“I tried to leverage the systems we already have to collect data that could be easily evaluated and turned into structured processes,” Barbara explains. “In my experience, if it gets too complicated, you won’t stick to it. But having that data in place is really important — it’s what enables informed, sustainable decisions over time.”
While Barbara led the process, it was far from a solo effort. Teams across HR, Product & Development, Security, and Platform played critical roles — from understanding data centre emissions to improving accessibility and well-being practices.
“I was really moved by how invested people were,” Barbara says. “Even small things, like improving our recycling setup in the Oslo office, were met with enthusiasm. People would stop by my desk and ask where to throw something away — joking, but genuinely wanting to do the right thing. That’s the kind of culture that makes change possible.”
Miljøfyrtårn certification isn’t a finish line — it’s a system for continuous improvement.
“Now we’re building on it,” Barbara explains. “We’re aligning this with our broader ESG strategy and developing internal sustainability reporting. The goal is to keep refining our processes and extending our impact.”
And with our move to a BREEAM In-Use certified office on the horizon — fully powered by renewable energy — we’re excited about what comes next.
We’re also focusing more on green software development, universal design, and Scope 3 emissions, particularly in our supply chain.
If your organisation is thinking about certification, Barbara’s advice is simple: start.
“You won’t have perfect data at first. That’s okay. Focus on building processes that help you improve over time. And don’t underestimate the power of small wins — like changing how you sort your waste. That can spark bigger change.”
For Barbara, this wasn’t just a professional milestone — it was personal too.
“I wrote my master’s thesis on CSRD and Miljøfyrtårn,” she says with a smile. “So getting to lead this process from beginning to end was incredibly rewarding. And passing the certification audit with no deviations? That was a proud moment.”
We’re proud too — of the work, the people behind it, and the culture that made it possible. Sustainability is a shared responsibility, and at CatalystOne, it’s a path we’re committed to walking together.