Ljung & Sjöberg want to save lives and business

Ljung & Sjöberg specializes in alcohol, drug and gambling addiction and codependency, and has been helping employers fight drug and alcohol abuse at the workplace for over a decade. Through employer-run policies and action plans, training, workplace drug testing, managerial support and rehabilitation efforts, the goal is to identify addiction and take action in time, thus leading to clear results for the individual and the business. The company has had a successful journey. By challenging prejudices and bringing nuance to the understanding of addiction, Ljung & Sjöberg has met a need in the industry. 

– We’ve shown that people who struggle with addiction can also graduate from business school and find themselves in positions with responsibility in the business world. By presenting a different image of what someone with a drug or alcohol addiction can be like, we’ve made headlines and challenged the major players. The high degree of commitment in the organization has made us relatively successful at each stage as a company. We’ve learned from our mistakes and built a solid core, so that now, we can consider acquisition opportunities, for example, says Sarah Linderoth, CEO of Ljung & Sjöberg.

Corporate Accelerator has given Sarah Linderoth new knowledge and the chance to view the company's operations from a fresh perspective. Exchanging experiences with the other participating companies has also been educational. 

– Our business involves human development, which means we’re interested in the psychological aspects of behavior and engagement. The program has improved my understanding of leadership and provided some distance from our work. It’s also been inspiring to meet the other companies and hear about their successes as well as how they’ve handled setbacks.

Ljung & Sjöberg works all over Sweden and is receiving more and more invitations to meet with management teams of major players. According to Sarah Linderoth, Sweden has seen a paradigm shift in how drugs are perceived. The kind of drug use that was socially unacceptable twenty years ago has now been normalized in many social groups. Not only does this development cause great harm at the individual level; it also presents safety risks and additional costs for employers. 

– Large employers in the business community have recognized that this is a huge problem that will quickly become worse if we don't do something about it now. Nine out of ten positive drug tests we see are from people who are not addicted yet. This means we have very good chances to stop the current trend. Through workplace drug testing and other preventive measures carried out by employers, we can prevent addiction from taking a toll on business, society and families.