Akkerman Solutions LLC is the first company in Ukraine to be certified in accordance with the UN 17 SDG - Sep. 13, 2021

To achieve a better, more sustainable future for all, the United Nations in 2015 set up the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which were published in a UN Resolution in 2017. Companies and organizations can be evaluated and certified, if they live up to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN 17 SDG).

UN 17 SDG include targets as No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Affordable and clean Energy, Decent work and economic growth etc. Bureau Veritas is one of the auditing companies that certifies companies in accordance with the UN 17 SDG. Generally, not many companies have been certified — just 20 in Denmark and none in Ukraine — until now. Danish-owned engineering and software company Akkerman Solutions LLC (former known as BIIR Ukraine) has just become the first company in Ukraine to be certified in accordance with the UN 17 SDG.

Company owner Thomas Sillesen explains “In reality, this was a no-brainer. Ever since I set foot in Ukraine in 2013, I saw Ukraines huge potential, but also knew, that it would be my obligation to try to combine the best of Denmark with the best of Ukraine, to really make a special company. During all the years, we have tried to live up to this, and the UN 17 SDG is a natural proof we have actually achieved this goal so far.”

When asked of some specific examples of how Akkerman has worked on the goals, Thomas Sillesen mentions a project started in 2019 in Severodonetsk together with DAI/USAID, where Akkerman/BIIR Ukraine has taught university courses in use of western software so Severodonetsk University could prepare students to be attractive for western companies.

Since 2016 Akkerman has organized and financed several aid shipments for the poor in Ukraine. The orphanage Way Home in Odessa, has also had Akkerman’s support over the years.

Maryna Stiahailo, CEO of Akkerman Solutions explain “Naturally it was a huge task, to get all our procedures in compliance with the UN 17 SDG. However, at the same time we did the UN 17 SDG, we also worked on getting our own ISO 9001:2015. So our internal certification team could to some extent, reach procedures that worked in compliance for both certificates. But it was a huge task, especially, because at the same time, we got lots of new clients, and naturally they needed to be helped to our usual high standards. We succeeded, and we have already seen even more customer interest, from potential customers, who place significance to both ISO 9001:2015 and UN 17 SDG”

Akkerman focus on Engineering and Software development for international customers, and have customers in Norway, Denmark, Germany and USA. Stiahailo explains “Traditionally, our customers have been in the Wind industry, but we see strong interest in our services from other industries. Lately, we got several customers in the robotics industry. It is interesting, because the robotics industry is also leading the way to a more sustainable future. But naturally we have all kind of customers. And we are proud of it, because we help them become more successful and efficient, while at the same time, we promote the huge potential not only in working with Akkerman, but the huge potential in Ukraine”

Akkerman (known as BIIR at that time) was the victim of a raiders attack in Odessa in 2017/2018. The company bought a building on Primorskaya on the harbor front of Odessa, only to find it being taken away in an absurd court case. Akkerman/BIIR lost the building and did not get its money back as the mortgage was not reinstalled. The company won an appeal in February 2018, becoming the first international investors ever, to win such a court case in Ukraine. Since then, the building has stood empty, while Sillesen considered what to do with it. First it was to be the headquarters for Akkerman/BIIR, but since then, Akkerman bought a new office in Odessa, which it just finished renovating and turning it into its new HQ, while Sillesen considers what to do with the old one. “We will develop it, however I have decided yet in what way. From time to time, I get offers on it, but for now, I am in no rush, especially since none of the offers has been really attractive” he said.

The story of the raid propelled it to third place in the Kyiv Post’s annual ranking of corruption cases in 2017. It also became a big story in Danish media. A story that only grew, when Sillesen raised a rune stone on the land of the building, to contemplate the Ukrainians who helped fight and win the case. Lately this Runestone became a chapter in the book “From Odessa with Love: Political And Literary Essays in Post-Soviet Ukraine” written by Vladislav Davidzon, former editor of the Odessa Review, who now spends his life between Paris and New York, as an international journalist. Sillesen laughs and tell that the stone for sure has gotten a kind of a life of it own, and for many Danes visiting Odessa is a “must see” and is “the worlds second largest Rune stone, only the Jelling Monument, raised by king Harald Bluetooth, who gave name to the Bluetooth technology, has raised a larger Runestone”.

Sillesen moved permanently to Odesa in 2019. Akkerman also has offices in Lviv, Kyiv and Kharkiv, and plans to open office in Rubizhne in 2021. Asked why an office in the ATO Zone, Thomas Sillesen answers: “we have already been in that area of Ukraine, when I established our first office in Luhansk in 2013, so it is natural for us to go back, especially, since we for 2 years have had the corporation with Severodonetsk University and DAI/USAID. So would be nice, to be able to offer good jobs to the students when they graduate from the university”

“In Akkerman we strive to be the best engineering and software company” Sillesen said. “As such, it is only natural, that we focus on being best in all parameters you can evaluate a company on. Both because of the leadership we show, but naturally also, because our customers like to work with competent, reliable partners with a strong corporate responsibility. We already had the first new customer, who directly mentioned to us, that Akkerman’s commitment to UN 17 SDG was one of the reason for choosing us deliver a software team to help them with their development”Sillesen added that Denmark has traditionally focused on sustainability and renewable energy, being among others the leader in wind energy worldwide.

However, even in Denmark, achieving certification in the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals is rare achievement. Around 20 companies are certified in Denmark so far but interest from others is massive, and many companies are rushing to get certified. It is a movement, that will start slow, and then grow. Sillesen explains “we have seen the same with ISO9001 certifications. In the beginning nobody cared, but over time it changed, and now it is often a must, if you want to establish a business relationship with another company. In a few years’ time, UN 17 SDGs will also be a competitive advantage for companies that wants to do business. And I think most companies wants to do that” Sillesen says with a smile.

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