Elaine Weidman-grunewald

Biography

Elaine Weidman-Grunewald heads Ericsson’s Sustainability and Public Affairs and is also Head of Ericsson Response, the company's humanitarian and disaster response program. She has worked for Ericsson in the US and Sweden for over 18 years. During this time she has held various positions in the company ranging from Environmental Product Management to Sales and Marketing. Since 2005 her work has focused exclusively on driving Ericsson’s sustainability and CR initiatives. She has been reporting to the CEO since 2012, and a has been member of the Global Leadership Team since 2014. As of July 1, 2016 she is part of the Ericsson Executive Team. She is also a member of the Group Crisis Management Council. Weidman-Grunewald’s focus is on the impact that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can play in addressing global challenges in areas such as poverty, development, girls’ education, humanitarian response, peace building, and climate change. From a Corporate Responsibility perspective she ensures adequate company policies and proactive programs are in place to minimize and mitigate risks in areas like health and safety, environment and human rights. As the Ericsson spokesperson for Sustainability and CR, she is a frequent speaker at conferences including the World Economic Forum, SXSW, Mobile World Congress, and regularly interacts with media, customers, policy makers and the investment community. She is furthermore responsible for a number of public private partnerships which explore the use of Technology for Good, i.e. the use Ericsson’s core technology to solve some of the world’s most compelling sustainable development challenges. She has worked with both the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals for over a decade. Weidman-Grunewald is on the Board of SWECO AB, an environmental architecture and consulting firm that designs communities and cities of the future. She is also on the Board of the not-for-profit Millennium Promise. She is a member of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. She sits on the Advisory Board of the Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative supporting peace-building and inclusion efforts through innovative use of technology. Weidman-Grunewald works actively with advocacy and policy development and is responsible for the company’s engagement in the World Economic Forum. Weidman-Grunewald holds a double Master’s degree from Boston University’s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, in International Relations with a focus on Latin American social and economic development issues, and Resource and Environmental Management.

Research Interest

 Business Management & Public Affairs