Responsibility at the forefront – like ensign Koskela
KSBR’s head of industry cites novelist Väinö Linna, discusses the company’s sustainability policy and explains why work matters are not discussed at the coffee table.
Harri Kytökangas sits in an office located at Pilot Business Park in Oulunsalo, just a few hundred meters from Oulu airport. Opposite his office is a shared kitchen area, for which Kytökangas has established a rule: work-related topics are not discussed there.
– When we’re having coffee, we’re having coffee. We talk about work all the time otherwise. The brain needs micro-breaks from time to time, he explains.
The rule also has the benefit of helping colleagues get to know one another better, as conversations can flow more freely. Kytökangas speaks warmly about the work community, whose expertise and commitment he clearly values highly, and where formal titles play little role. He even downplays his own managerial status.
– It hardly matters what title anyone holds here. We simply work together as a team.
At present, his desk is filled with development projects and active bid preparation for industrial sites.
– A new aspect of my role has been participation in the management team. The atmosphere in the group is excellent. Discussions never turn into haggling, even when we tackle challenging topics.
Minimizing the carbon footprint
This spring, KSBR’s management team has significantly expanded its sustainability policy. In addition to an ethical code, it covers quality, safety, and environmental issues. Climate change mitigation and minimizing environmental impact are integral to the policy, and the initiatives go beyond documentation.
– We have cut our carbon footprint in half compared to a couple of years ago, calculated relative to revenue. For example, waste is now sorted and recycled very carefully, Kytökangas explains.
KSBR is also at the forefront of sustainability reporting. The company has already implemented a sustainability report, which until now has been mandatory only for publicly listed companies. For companies of KSBR’s size, reporting in accordance with the sustainability directive will become mandatory in 2027.
Building brand recognition from the highway
KSBR’s reputation as a responsible and reliable company led Harri Kytökangas to join the firm in 2021. Before that, he worked at VRJ Northern Finland, Lemminkäinen, and YIT in roles ranging from site engineer and site manager to development engineer.
While bridges were being built along the Kempele motorway, Kytökangas became acquainted with KSBR’s current CEO, Marko Leppänen, who at the time worked as a site manager on the same project.
– Later, Marko called me to ask about my situation. Soon after, I switched my career path to KSBR. The atmosphere was simply so positive, and trust in the company developed immediately, he recalls.
His first years at KSBR were spent as a site manager in Kemi, where the company built wood-processing and wastewater treatment facilities.
– What I particularly enjoy about industrial construction is how quickly large projects get underway once an investment decision has been made. The calculation period can be short – sometimes only a few weeks – before we are already fully engaged on site.
Kytökangas admits he can become “somewhat hooked on efficiency.”
– At this site, decisions can be made quickly. It’s rewarding to see immediate results. The same feeling applies on construction sites.
Industrial market gaining momentum
What is the current outlook for the industrial market?
– KSBR has a strong order backlog because we can deliver a wide range of projects. We are currently building, for example, wind farms, energy storage facilities, and parking structures. Major industrial investments are underway and planned in Sweden. There’s also a boom in data centers, generating many inquiries. In addition, we have expertise in projects for the defense industry, Kytökangas explains.
The head of Industry praises not only the team’s expertise but also their problem-solving ability and constant desire to improve.
– We never run out of solutions. Our work philosophy is somewhat like that of ensign Koskela: serious business is handled properly, and otherwise we remain easygoing. By that, I mean that we do our work thoroughly and correctly the first time and beyond that we can be relaxed, without rigid superior-subordinate dynamics.
Time to recharge also outside work
In his personal life, Kytökangas describes himself as living the busy years of family life. He engages in a variety of sports, from golf to basketball. On the tennis court, he says he plays closely contested matches with the CEO. Even in a demanding role, maintaining time for recovery during leisure is essential.
Finally, returning to the workplace coffee room where work topics are off-limits: what is the typical conversation starter in the morning break area?
– Last evening’s sports performances. Either my own or, for example, league matches.
In a development-oriented community, it is likely that discussions also delve into what teams could have done better.
