ConCrete goals eaCh day

No. 44, Volume 12, March 2013
Concrete goals each day
Pavel Vepřek, of the Czech Republic: Customer promises
help us to remain more focused
On a buying trip in China
A visit to one of our garden furniture suppliers
Welcoming three “new” countries
It’s grand opening time!
JYSK’s partnership with
Save the Children Denmark
JYSK continues its work in Bangladesh
Here comes the sun
After a poor summer last year, there is a rumour that this years
will be fantastic.
Key focus areas for JUK during this season are:
Outdoor season
Lets look forward then to the outdoor season, and prepare for
great sales. We need to ensure that we give our customers what
they want, and in this year’s garden assortment we have over 180
articles. To be ready, you will need to complete your E-learning,
and have great focus on sales & service.
Furniture
Furniture will remain a massive part of our business, even during
the summer, and checking the assembly build quality of furniture,
will ensure that we showcase our reduced assortment, and help
optimise sales.
Experts in sleeping culture
Dont forget, you are the experts when it comes to helping our
customers select the right mattress, duvet, pillow or bed linen set this area is vital if we want to increase our business, and show our
competence to customers.
Mystery shopper
Visits will be increased. Once the re-arrangement of your store is
complete, during the following month, the mystery shopper will
make two visits. One of the main reasons for this increase is to
enhance focus on the brand new mattress studios, as well as follow
up on our gardening set up. The goal for the mystery shopping is
80%, but by always giving customer’s a great service and attitude
will ensure you achieve a much greater result.
Customer promises
A further focus for everyone is
following our promises, they have
been presented to you all, and I’m
sure you know what they are, why
we need them, and what our goal
is.
Ask your manager - ”what do I
need to do, to ensure the Promises
are always kept”?
Steve Stenhouse,
UK Country Manager
 [email protected]
GO JYSK is a staff magazine for JYSK
employees in Denmark, Sweden, Norway,
Finland, Poland, Holland, the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Great Britain
and China.
GO JYSK is published quarterly, usually in
the months of March, June, September and
December.
Jonas Schrøder
Managing Editor
2
Lea Sleimann
Editorial Assistant
Cover photo
Pavel Vepřek, District
Manager for North
Bohemia in the Czech
Republic.
GO JYSK is printed on reprint matt-coated
paper consisting of 50% recycled fibre and
50% FSC-certified fibre. The paper is FSCcertified. Contents: 130 g. Cover: 170 g.
Palatino and Myriad pro fonts. Printed by
Chronografisk in Aarhus, Denmark.
Laura Roesgaard
Communication
Coordinator
Janni Søgaard Dahl
Communication
Jacob H. Hansen
Graphic design and
layout
Circulation: around
8,800 copies
Maja Klonowska
DTP
Piotr Skuza
DTP
GO JYSK
Sødalsparken 18
DK - 8220 Brabrand,
Denmark
Tel: + 45 8939 7500
Fax: + 45 8939 7501
[email protected]
Marcin Dawicki
DTP
Marek Szczepański
DTP
Contents
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4 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Since our last issue
AFSC: Companies play a crucial role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
6 ��������������������� JYSK customer promises: an effective everyday tool
JYSK investment in Danish trainees pays dividends . . . . . . . 20
8 ������������������������������������������������ Meeting the supplier: we visit China
A high-tech warehouse evolves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
13 �������������� JYSK’s work with Save the Children Denmark continues
Controlling technology from great heights . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
14 ����������������������������������������������������������� From franchise to JYSK Nordic
13
22
Ukraine
Romania
Bulgaria
8
14
3
Since our last issue
By Janni Søgaard Dahl, Communications  [email protected]
Opening day record in
Finland
A true sales fest ensued when
JYSK’s store in Joensuu, Finland
moved to its new location in
November of last year. The store
broke the previous Finnish record
held by the store in Pori ringing up
about 134,200 euro over the opening
weekend. A great start, Joensuu
team!

More than 3,400 paying customers visited the
store in the Finnish town of Joensuu during
opening weekend.
JYSK sponsors arena in
Denmark
Through Lars Larsen’s involvement in the sporting and
cultural scene in his hometown of Silkeborg, Denmark, JYSK
recently became the official sponsor of JYSK Arena. The
previous Silkeborg Halls – now the ’JYSK Arena’ – have been
expanded by 600 square metres, which means there is now
room for around 2,600 spectators. Lars Larsen was on hand
to cut the opening day ribbon, along with mayor Hanne Bæk
Olsen. The newly expanded arena was inaugurated with a day
of entertainment, activities and a professional handball match.
 Lars Larsen gives an interview to TV2, a nationwide
Danish channel, on opening day.
Happy winners of the
TEMPRAKON contest
This lucky Danish family won the TEMPRAKON contest in JYSK
Denmark’s advertising circulars in June. JYSK organised the contest
in partnership with TEMPRAKON. The family correctly answered the
question of who originally developed the TRIPLE3 FUNCTION. The
answer was, of course, NASA.
 The winners took home duvets and pillows from
TEMPRAKON to the value of 1,300 euros.
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Since our last issue
JYSK nominated for diversity award
The JYSK store in Stenløse, Denmark has been nominated for Egedal’s award,
which is sponsored by the Employment Council in Egedal municipality. The
award is given to a company that promotes diversity and social involvement by
giving citizens the opportunity to participate in working life. JYSK in Stenløse
was nominated, but unfortunately did not take home the award this time.

Congratulations on the nomination to our great JYSK team in Stenløse!
JYSK supports
Danmarks Indsamling
On Friday, 8 February, JYSK Denmark pledged 134,200 euro
to Danmarks Indsamling, a television charity fundraiser. By
doing so, JYSK was able to lend a hand to some of the world’s
most impoverished people. The annual nationwide event
raises money for Africa and is organised by Denmark’s Radio
and twelve of the largest Danish humanitarian organisations.
 The group also met with JYSK owner Lars Larsen in his office.
International
introduction programme
 This year’s Danmarks Indsamling will support 12 specific projects in 11
countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
As part of the international introduction programme,
Retail Manager Fredrik Segreland and HR Manager
Patrik Larsen from Sweden participated in training
held at JYSK’s headquarters in Brabrand near Aarhus,
Denmark. Eight countries were represented, and the
introduction provided its participants with a clear
picture of how JYSK’s core values are uniformly
implemented in all JYSK countries. The group visited
the JYSK Museum, gained insight into the JYSK store
concept and participated in stimulating dialogue
through workshops.
Swedish team spirit at its best
When store manager Eva Dehlin became critically ill in the
autumn of 2012, only four employees remained at store
725, located in Sjöbo, Sweden, which is open seven days a
week. Sales Manager Dennis Meisner saw to the managerial
duties, and together with Anette (Administrative Manager),
Jonathan (Logistics Manager) and newly hired Robin, the
team came together to work through a difficult situation.
Great work, team 725, and welcome back, Eva!

Store Manager Eva Dehlin can be truly proud of her team, which reflects the
importance of maintaining a strong and functional organisation.
5
JYSK customer promises:
an effective everyday
tool
JYSK customer promises were launched in autumn of last year throughout the entire JYSK Nordic organisation,
and today the Czech Republic and other countries are working hard to implement the new concept.
By Laura Roesgaard, Communications Coordinator  [email protected]
The North Bohemia district in the
Czech Republic began its work with
JYSK customer promises by holding a
workshop in which District Manager
Pavel Vepřek and all store managers
participated. The participants decided
that North Bohemia would focus in
particular on ’We are trustworthy’, ’We
are experts in Sleeping Culture’, and ’We
are global with Scandinavian roots’. Since
then, each store manager has worked
with the store employees to develop a
plan of action in each of the three areas.
”Every day the employees must
consider what they will do to carry out
the plan of action. In this connection it’s
important to give them feedback so that
we can constantly develop and improve”,
Pavel explains.
Coming up with concrete tasks
The goal is to increase sales, and focusing
on quality customer service is therefore
nothing new.
”We’ve always focused a lot on
customer service, but JYSK customer
promises help us to become even more
focused. They help to us to come up with
concrete tasks, and this makes it easier
to set goals for improving. That’s why
JYSK customer promises are an effective
everyday tool”, Pavel says.
item the customer is looking for. If we
don’t have the specific item, then we’ll
find a comparable one”, says Pavel. He
continues:
”’We are experts in Sleeping
Culture’ means that we are
always focused on becoming more
knowledgeable in the area. We do this
through e-learning, but also through
internal training. The store managers
and sales leaders in a new store hold
monthly training sessions with the
staff.”
The district has found this type of
internal training to be positive: the index
figures for GOLD products, namely highquality duvets, pillows and mattresses,
illustrate this point. Increased
knowledge leads to increased sales.
According to Pavel, the
Scandinavian approach is
unique, and the district
therefore attaches importance
to being ’global with
Scandinavian roots’. This
uniqueness includes always
going to great lengths to find
a solution for the customer,
and that’s what makes the
Scandinavian approach a
proactive and helpful one.
The three focus areas
”’We are trustworthy’ means, among
other things, that we always have the
District Manager for North Bohemia
in the Czech Republic, Pavel Vepřek.
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This is how we put JYSK
customer promises into practice
Four JYSK employees tell us what they have chosen to emphasise in their daily work with JYSK customer
promises.
Przemysław Kamiński, Store
Manager in Gliwice, Poland
András Bálint, Store Manager
in Vác, Hungary
What is your store focusing on?
We’re working on becoming even
more customer-focused. We decided
to use our best experiences to focus on
comprehensive customer service, listen
closely to the customers’ needs and to
offer help in selecting the right items.
What is your store focusing on?
We’re focusing on three promises:
’You will experience a high level of
competence and service to meet your
needs’; ’You can trust our employees.
They are competent, helpful and
available in clarifying your needs’; and
’You will meet helpful and highly competent employees due to our
continuous employee training’.
Why?
We do sales-oriented work, as opposed to task-oriented. The daily
routines will be the same, but we’re now fully convinced that the
customers’ needs should be our foremost concern.
How does this affect your daily work?
Imagine a delivery day: it’s our priority to receive and unload the
products in the most efficient manner, but the moment the customer
flow increases, all employees must be there to offer their services
and make sales with a big smile. As a result it takes longer to unload
our goods, but knowing that we’ve done everything we can to satisfy
our customers makes it a good day for us – and it also means that
customers will most likely visit us again.
Ilkka Riskala, Store Manager
in Hämeenlinna, Finland
What is your store focusing on?
’You will always find great offers’.
Why?
We don’t feel that we’re using our
Sales Machine and campaign areas in
an optimal fashion. We’ve also found
that we too often don’t order enough
campaign products.
How does this affect your daily work?
Now we’re focusing on analysing the sales reports from previous
years to gain an overview of what we’ve sold and how much. We’re
also trying to display our campaign products in such a way that our
customers can’t miss them. Planning is the key to success.
Why?
I believe our greatest strength is our employees, and through
ongoing training and development we can set JYSK apart from our
competitors.
How does this affect your daily work?
JYSK customer promises help us to always remain focused on our
customers. It also helps us to see where our strengths lie and where
we need to work a bit harder.
Valen Zhang,
Sales Coordinator, China
What is your store focusing on?
I’m working with the new product range
in connection with the new strategy in
China, in which we’ll focus on ’We are
trustworthy’ and ’We offer quality for
less’.
Why?
At the moment, we discount a lot of items and this results in our
customers doubting the quality of our products. JYSK’s target group
in China is willing to pay the price for quality merchandise, as long as
they feel that they’re getting value for their money.
How does this affect your daily work?
We want to focus on products that help our customers have a good
night’s sleep in order to make clear that we are experts in Sleeping
Culture. In the future, our product range will primarily consist of PLUS
and GOLD products in order to uphold an image of quality.
7
Meeting the supplier:
We visit China
 Liu, a JYSK supplier, tells us how her company makes
employees aware of safety and quality issues.
Have you ever wondered where JYSK’s garden furniture is made: how it is manufactured, who inspects the
product and how a deal is made? GO JYSK paid a visit to one of our suppliers in China to experience the world
of garden furniture.
By Janni Søgaard Dahl, Communications  [email protected]
Each and every one of JYSK’s many
suppliers has its own speciality. Some are
good at manufacturing quality garden
tables, while others have perfected the
technique used in making plastic wicker
plant pot holders.
GO JYSK accompanied Hans
Christian Hansen, Product Manager
for garden furniture, on a visit to two
JYSK suppliers in China. Hans Christian
inspects garden furniture for the coming
outdoor season to ensure that our
customers find some great offers at JYSK.
”It’s important that the quality is
there, so we do everything we can to be
sure”, Hans Christian says.
Several suppliers in China produce
garden furniture and accessories for our
many customers worldwide. Quality
control is an important part of the
deal, enabling us to live up to the JYSK
customer promises. That is why we have
a Quality Control Department at JYSK,
which is chiefly responsible for quality
control matters and helping our buyers
ensure that the rules are followed.
Furthermore, quality controllers ensure
that products are inspected when they
arrive at our warehouses in Denmark,
Sweden and Poland.
A good approach to business
 Product Manager Hans Christian Hansen is
hard at work checking the quality of garden
accessories – trampolines, in this instance.
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Even though the two suppliers we are
visiting are different in terms of size,
number of employees and business
philosophy, both companies have
created a quality working environment
for their staff.
One of our Chinese suppliers, based
in the city of Hangzhou, manufactures
garden furniture. The company was
founded in 1995 and is owned by Li,
whose business philosophy is based
on the simple idea, ’Let’s always be
right’. This approach is reflected in
the company culture, which values
behaviour that is conscientious, steadfast,
cooperative and trustworthy.
Our Chinese garden furniture supplier
in the city of Wuhan specialises in plastic
wicker flower pots. The company, owned
by Liu, celebrated its 20th anniversary
last year and invited all employees to a
party featuring contests and karaoke.
Quality control
High quality is an expression of good
work. When we at JYSK say that our goal
is to provide everyone with a great offer,
we are referring to both price and quality.
We aim to raise standards and offer our
customers worldwide a wide array of
exciting merchandise. Or, as we always
say: We offer quality for less.
Espanyol – from
China to JYSK
From the time an order is placed to delivery to a store customer,
our products must pass through numerous stages – which
involves JYSK headquarters, the distribution centres and the
stores working closely together. In this segment, we track the
voyage of our Espanyol chair.
The Espanyol chair’s journey from factory to shop floor is long, but when the
goal is to offer customers a high-quality product at a great JYSK price, then
it’s all hands to the pump.
Workers at the factory in Hangzhou are weaving at full tilt. Thousands of
plastic strings hang from the ceiling so that they are always to hand when the
workers need to weave a new chair. The entire staff is perched atop wicker
stools, which provide the most comfortable and convenient working angle.
One hears the crack of plastic strings as they swing around the chair’s metal
frame at high speed. The factory is running at full steam, and yet there is time
for the occasional smile.
1,200 chairs in one day
It all begins at the factory where the chair is manufactured. The weaving work
comes first, and several hundred employees have been hired for this purpose.
One worker can usually weave three or four Espanyol chairs in a day, and
 This Espanyol chair has received its stamp of approval
with the number of workers employed at our Chinese supplier’s factory, this
and is now ready for its westward voyage.
works out at about 1,200 chairs per day. If all of the workers employed at the
factory were dedicated to weaving, production would jump to 3,000
chairs per day.
Our supplier tells us that weaving work is highly respected in
China. It is a craft that many consider to be highly professional
The Espanyol chair’s journey:
and a near testament to perfection. When a chair has been
• JYSK has placed an order for roughly 70,000 Espanyol chairs
completely woven the work must always be quality-controlled
for the 2013 season.
before being receiving a final approval.
Quality – first and foremost
When an Espanyol chair is complete, its quality is checked once
more to ensure that the product meets the applicable quality
requirements, such as its capacity to bear a certain number of
kilos. Once approved, the chair is given a quality control stamp
which includes the date and the name of the inspector, and then
it is wrapped and prepared for shipping. Shortly thereafter the
chair is transported from China to one of our distribution centres,
and from there it is finally sent to a JYSK store.
 First, the chair frame is prepared for
weaving in the plastic wicker material.
• T he supplier purchases the materials and comes up with a
prototype, which must then be approved.
• The supplier processes and ships the order.
• After five weeks at sea, the Espanyol chairs finally arrive at
the distribution centres, after which they are distributed to
the stores in the JYSK Nordic organisation.
 The chair back is woven, and the worker must
ensure that each string is properly positioned.
 The weavers queue up quality control of their
work. On the right we see the quality controller,
who’s wearing a green ’QC’ patch on his left
sleeve.
9
 Jørn Busch, Product Manager at HP Schou, attends the Canton Import
and Export Fair in China to find inspiration for new products.
A JYSK agent of 20 years
JYSK has worked with HP Schou (formerly known as just ’Schou’) since the 1990s, and the partnership has
intensified since Product Manager Jørn Busch first attended a trade fair to find inspiration for JYSK stores.
Jørn Busch, a Product Manager at HP
Schou, has been with the company for 36
years. For more than 20 years he has been
in charge of Schou innovation for the
JYSK range of garden furniture.
Partnership creates change
The partnership between JYSK and HP
Schou dates back more than 20 years,
and it has grown and intensified over
the years. Several things have changed
since the beginning of the partnership.
Since 2006, when JYSK joined a supplier
10
control network called the Business
Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Jørn
has felt the difference in his dealings with
the suppliers:
”It’s easier to get through to the
suppliers with BSCI when we have such
a big player like JYSK on board”, he
points out.
The quality element
As an agent for JYSK, Jørn’s job is to find
inspiration for developing our product
range for the garden furniture season.
There are a number of ways to get this
job done. As Jørn explains, inspiration
can be obtained from JYSK product
managers’ ideas often relating to the
current product range, or by keeping a
close eye on the general trends in the
area.
Another important factor is finding the
right price-quality relationship.
”The quality must be there to ensure
that the product meets the JYSK
customer’s expectations”, Jørn says.
One of the
world’s largest
trade fairs
Mongolia
China
India
China’s largest trade fair, the Canton Import and
Export Fair, was held for the 112th time last year, in
the city of Guangzhou. Trade, deals and top business
acumen are the order of the day.
People have come from all across the world. Some have come
to place this year’s big order, while others are simply taking
a peek at this season’s trends. Everyone, though, is on the
hunt for inspiration, and orders, prices and delivery times are
discussed throughout the hall.
With 1.16 million square metres of exhibition space, this is
China’s largest trade fair, held each October in the southern city
of Guangzhou. Last year there were 58,700 stands packed with
new models, exciting products and innovative items, as more
than 15,000 exhibitors tried to lure the hundreds of thousands
of international buyers who attended the fair.
 People fill every aisle, nook and cranny
on their hunt for new merchandise.
Inspiration for innovation
The fair is divided into three phases: the first is for electronics; phase two is for home
furnishings, both indoor and outdoor; and phase three is dedicated to textiles and
storage. Each phase lasts five days and is intended to inspire new trends.
”The Canton Fair is a Mecca for buyers. It’s an opportunity to take in the latest
trends and to make the product range even more enticing for our customers”,
comments JYSK Product Manager Hans Christian Hansen.
The fair is spread out through 15 exhibition halls, all of which are filled with
display stands, products and people. Many exhibitors display comparable products.
The buyers, in addition to keeping an eye out for the latest market trends, must also
think quality.
 The Canton Import and Export Fair is held in enormous
exhibition halls in one of China’s largest cities, Guangzhou,
which is also known as Canton.
11
www.bsci-eu.org
The Business Social Compliance Initiative
The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) was established in 2003 and is an international
supplier training and inspection system. The objective of the initiative is to improve working
conditions at factories and to ensure that workers’ rights are not violated. BSCI focuses on the
so-called ’risk countries’ and sets a number of requirements for factory owners concerning
safety, wages, environmental issues, child labour and corruption. Members have access to
a large database which they can use to track and influence the suppliers’ development. BSCI
members convene once a year at a general meeting in Brussels, which JYSK also attends. You can
read more about BSCI at www.bsci-intl.org.
JYSK partners up to promote
ethical requirements
JYSK is one of many companies that are highly involved in social responsibility initiatives, and this commitment
rubs off on the suppliers, who must meet ethical requirements when producing goods for customers from across
the world.
Many companies today set requirements
for their suppliers concerning ethical
matters and social responsibility. JYSK is
one such company, and our commitment
to social responsibility naturally comes
into play when we purchase from
increasing steadily.
Responsible supplier control
BSCI is based on companies promoting
social responsibility among their
suppliers. For example, JYSK suppliers
are required to register
with BSCI to initiate the
process from day one. The
process itself consists of a
number of requirements
that must be satisfied
and which independent
control companies review
in countries like China.
” I am proud to work for a company that
actually helps the suppliers, as opposed
to simply laying down a set of rules”
Pia Westergreen, Quality Coordinator.
our suppliers. For this reason and
others, JYSK joined the Business Social
Compliance Initiative (BSCI) in 2006.
As a matter of fact, JYSK was number
two on the list of Danish BSCI members,
and last year JYSK Denmark took the
initiative of forming a national contact
group which comprises 80 Danish
companies.
There are a total of 1,000 BSCI
members worldwide, all of whom work
with suppliers to ensure that ethical
requirements are met. Membership is
A broad partnership
The results of the independent review
are then used to categorise the supplier
on a BSCI scale which consists of three
ratings: good, improvement needed and
critical.
”As a socially responsible company,
we work to ensure that our suppliers
make improvements. We take time to
help them, and this in turn strengthens
our partnership”, explains Quality

Quality Coordinator Pia Westergreen (right) works with BSCI’s database, and along with
Logistics & Procurement Manager Niels Hother Madsen (left) from Dänisches Bettenlager,
JYSK Nordic’s sister company, the two participated at the Annual General Meeting in Brussels.
12
Coordinator Pia Westergreen.
All control systems can naturally
have gaps, and mistakes and
misunderstandings can sometimes
occur. So we cannot guarantee that all
requirements will always be met, though
we can guarantee that JYSK will work
conscientiously and systematically to
improve conditions and processes, in
collaboration with our suppliers.
JYSK’s work with Save the
Children Denmark continues
JYSK’s partnership with Save the Children Denmark enters its fourth year in supporting the Work2Learn Project
in Bangladesh – but now JYSK is set to assume the role of business partner.
By Janni Søgaard Dahl, Communications  [email protected], Photo: Ken Hermann
JYSK is dedicated to supporting lasting change. That is why we
will continue our partnership with Save the Children Denmark,
which, along with a number of other Scandinavian companies,
is leading the Work2Learn project in Bangladesh.
”JYSK has been actively involved in Work2Learn over the
last four years, and in a developing country like Bangladesh it
is part of our strategy of supporting Save the Children and the
project. That’s why we will continue to support Work2Learn
– and now we will be a business partner of Save the Children
Denmark”, explains JYSK’s Communications & CSR Director,
Jonas Schrøder.
A Work2Learn advocate
As a business partner, JYSK is pledging even more money to
Save the Children, and the funds will go to the Work2Learn
project and other areas.
”A big part of Work2Learn has to do with information
about human rights and the implications for child labour.
The more loudly we speak up, the more we will be heard by
 Young people acquire valuable professional
skills during the training course.
manufacturers and politicians – especially when we have the
support of large, international companies like JYSK. With the
companies’ involvement we have yet another advocate for the
project”, says Camilla Erika Lerberg, Head of CSR Partnerships
for Save the Children Denmark.
A sustainable model
As a single organisation, Save the Children would not be able
to carry out the Work2Learn project without the support and
involvement of companies.
”The support we’ve received from JYSK and others sends a
valuable message. We’ve also acquired a wealth of experience
through our four years of involvement with Work2Learn.
The framework is in place – a sustainable model has been
developed – and now we can begin to think long-term”,
Camilla explains.
Having more resources naturally means that more students
can become involved in the training and education programme.
 Education is the key to a brighter future for
Bangladeshi children and adolescents.
 Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik, who is a
patron of Save the Children Denmark, paid a
visit last year to Work2Learn in Bangladesh’s
capital city of Dhaka.
Work2Learn – a JYSK-sponsored project
The Work2Learn project aims to create a brighter future for underprivileged children and adolescents
in Bangladesh. Work2Learn provides young people with vocational training, consisting of nine months
of study and three months of practical experience at textile factories in the capital city of Dhaka. The
framework is based on a partnership between local authorities, Scandinavian companies and educational
institutions.
Read more about Work2Learn at: http://www.jysk.com/frontpage/responsibility/work2learn.htm.
13
Poland
Germany
Ukraine
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Austria
Hungary
Slovenia
Romania
Croatia
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Italy
Serbia
Kosovo
Bulgaria
Macedonia
From franchise to JYSK Nordic
Last autumn Ukraine became the first franchise country to join the JYSK Nordic organisation. Since then, both
Romania and Bulgaria have also made the transition from franchise to JYSK Nordic countries.
By Laura Roesgaard, Communications Coordinator  [email protected]
JYSK continues to expand – both to new lands, and in
countries where we are already present. As part of this ongoing
expansion, JYSK has high expectations for Ukraine, Romania
and Bulgaria.
”JYSK opens two to three stores a week, and the inclusion of
the three countries in the JYSK Nordic organisation will help
us to maintain our current rate of expansion”, says Mikael
Nielsen.
Geographically, the three countries also fit nicely with
the existing JYSK Nordic countries, and there will be plenty
of opportunities to draw from the experiences that JYSK
Nordic has already acquired in the region. Furthermore, all
14
three countries are ideally located in relation to the distribution
centre in Poland.
Even though Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania are now
officially part of JYSK Nordic, it will still take time before the
integration is complete in terms of IT and product range, for
instance.
What is a franchise?
Franchising is a contractual agreement between a franchisor, who
is the owner of a documented business concept and a franchisee,
who is an independent business owner who purchases the right to
implement the business concept.
A visit to Bulgaria and
Romania
On the occasion of Bulgaria and Romania joining the JYSK Nordic organisation, JYSK owner Lars Larsen,
Managing Director Jan Bøgh, Retail Director Mikael Nielsen and Finance & IT Director Henrik Naundrup visited
the two countries to welcome them to the fold.
The two-day trip took Larsen, Bøgh, Nielsen and Naundrup
on a tour of several stores in Bulgaria and Romania, and the
four men were greeted by an enthusiastic and dedicated staff
everywhere they went.
”The employees were proud to show off their stores. You
can see in the way their eyes light up that they’re incredibly
motivated. It’s obvious to me that they want to be part of our
future success”, Mikael Nielsen observed.
The ever-popular Lars Larsen
Romania has its own version of GO JYSK, and prior to his
visit the magazine had featured an article on Lars Larsen and
his life story. So when Lars dropped by to visit the stores, the
employees instantly recognised him. And not only did they
Facts about Bulgaria
• Sofia is the capital city.
• The total land area is 110,910 km2.
• Official population is approximately 7.3 million people.
recognise him – they treated him as something of a rock star.
”Several employees wanted Larsen’s autograph and had
pictures with him”, recalls Mikael with a smile.
New stores, new opportunities
Among the goals of the visit was to greet the many new
employees and to make it known that a wealth of new
opportunities would be opening up for them.
”Opening new stores means we will need many new
managers and employees”, Mikael notes.
There are currently 14 stores in Romania and three in
Bulgaria. JYSK Nordic believes there is plenty of potential for
expansion and for new stores in both countries.
Facts about Romania
• Bucharest is the capital city.
• The total land area of 238,400 km2.
• Official population is approximately 19 million people.
 Lars Larsen and two happy employees from Romania.
 Lars Larsen poses with a smiling group of employees in Bulgaria.
15
There is always room for improvement
Alexandru Bratu was named Country Manager for Romania and Bulgaria in connection with both countries
joining the JYSK Nordic organisation. Alexandru has been with JYSK Franchise for three years as a Country
Manager for Romania.
Now he is now looking forward to joining JYSK Nordic.
”As I told my colleagues in Romania and Bulgaria, this is the best thing that could happen to our
organisation”, Alexandru says.
Alexandru underlines the fact that the JYSK Nordic organisation has a wealth
of knowledge from which Bulgaria and Romania will benefit in the time
ahead. He also sees the coming encounter with colleagues from other cultures
as something to learn from, and he’s pleased by the prospect of
becoming part of an international and Scandinavian business
culture.
”There is always room for improvement, and JYSK Nordic will
naturally have much to offer in this regard”, Alexandru notes.
Alexandru
Bratu
Changes and
opportunities
Three franchise countries – Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania – recently joined the JYSK Nordic organisation. For
employees this move will lead to a number of changes and new ways of doing things, but above all it will bring
about new opportunities.
As members of the JYSK Nordic organisation, the employees
will become part of an international concern, which will lead
to a wealth of growth and career opportunities across national
borders. JYSK recruits a significant number of its managerial
staff internally, and our Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Romanian
employees will now be able to apply for these positions.
”The employees will be gaining many new opportunities,
and from now on only they will set their own limits”, says
Franchise Manager Frederik Kroun.
JYSK Nordic also has a great deal of experience and
knowhow that will serve to ease day-to-day operations for the
employees in all three countries.
Strong teams
As a Franchise Manager, Frederik has worked with all three
countries, and there is no doubt that he has had many positive
experiences with all three teams.
”They’re incredibly talented and hard-working, and I’m
proud to be bringing them to JYSK Nordic”, Frederik says with
a smile.
Looking forward to the days ahead
Levgenii
Ivanytsia
16
Levgenii Ivanytsia has been Country Manager for the JYSK franchise in Ukraine for several years, and his work will continue
as Ukraine’s Country Manager for JYSK Nordic.
Ievgenii is looking forward to joining the JYSK Nordic organisation.
”It’s something we’ve been working towards for quite a while now. I see joining JYSK Nordic as a great opportunity, and
we’ll now be able to learn and achieve even more. At the same time, this will of course be a radical change which
will take a lot of getting used to. Whereas we used set our own goals, we’re now part of something bigger.”
Ievgenii also underlines that the transition will bring about a great deal of new and exciting opportunities
for the employees.
Facts about Ukraine
• Kiev is the capital city.
• The total land area is 603,700 km2.
• Official population is 46 million people.
Champagne, balloons and 34 journalists
JYSK Nordic’s acquisition of the Ukrainian JYSK franchise organisation was officially announced at a press
conference last autumn held in a JYSK store in Kiev.
It is a hectic car ride through the streets
of Kiev: e-mails are sent, phone calls are
made and a lively to and fro takes place
in the tightly-packed vehicle. Country
Manager Ievgenii Ivanytsia, Franchise
Manager Frederik Kroun and a former
owner of the JYSK franchise in Ukraine,
Poul Jahn, are making their way to an
important press conference. Big changes
have been in the works, and today the
official announcement will be made:
the Ukrainian JYSK franchise is now
officially part of JYSK Nordic.
The JYSK franchise has operated
in Ukraine since 2004, but now the
organisation is set to join the 18 other
countries that make up JYSK Nordic.
A festively decorated store
The store in Kiev is decorated with flags
and balloons. The press conference area
has been set up along the length one of
the store’s walls, and before long the
first journalists begin to trickle in. The
cameras are set up, and the pens and
notepads are ready for the breaking
news. And so the show begins.
The 34 journalists listen intently as
Frederik, Ievgenii and Poul tell about
the future of JYSK’s Ukrainian franchise,
and JYSK’s plans are certainly big. Today
there are ten stores in Ukraine, but JYSK
expects an additional 15-20 stores to open
in the next couple of years. Similarly,
there are currently
about 140 employees
who work for JYSK
Ukraine, but this
number is expected
to rise sharply in the
years ahead.
non-stop clicking of the cameras. The
journalists are extremely interested in
JYSK’s plans for expanding in Ukraine,
and in how many new employees will be
needed.
The press conference ends with a
champagne toast and hors d’oeuvres, and
the many guests are given the chance to
take a closer look at the store.
Keen interest all
around
Following the
presentation there are
questions from the
press – a whole lot of
questions, actually,
accompanied by the
 Former franchise co-owner Poul Jahn (left), Franchise Manager
Frederik Kroun and Country Manager Ievgenii Ivanytsia field questions from the press.
17
FSC®:
Companies play a crucial
role
Every day, illegal and unsustainable logging threatens to wipe out the world’s forests, and with them, the
habitats of countless animal species. More than half of the world’s rain forests have already disappeared and
this unsettling trend is something the FSC® and its members are looking to reverse. JYSK is one of these member
companies.
By Laura Roesgaard, Communications Coordinator  [email protected]
The Forest Stewardship Council, or FSC®, is an association
based on a broad partnership between the members, all of
whom play a role in promoting sustainable forestry and the use
of FSC®-certified wood.
”FSC® is primarily focused on educating consumers and
working with various environmental organisations, but its
work isn’t worth much if shoppers are unable to find and buy
FSC®-certified products. That’s why companies like JYSK play
a crucial role in FSC®’s work – they are, so to speak, the final
link”, explains Ida Rehnström, Communication Director for
FSC® Denmark.
A long-term partnership
JYSK has worked for several years to promote more sustainable
forestry, and our partnership with FSC® Denmark also goes
back quite a while.
”JYSK has supported the FSC® since the time when the FSC®
label was relatively unknown. JYSK has also helped to increase
awareness, for example, by supporting the FSC® Design
Award”, Ida notes.
The FSC® Design Award is an innovative competition for
architecture and design students in Denmark, where the goal is
to creatively unite sustainability and aesthetic appeal.
A comprehensive responsibility
For many, the FSC® is synonymous with responsible forestry
and logging; these are indeed key aspects of its work, but
the organisation does much more. In addition to leading
environmental initiatives, the FSC® also works to promote social
and economic responsibility. Among other things, the FSC®’s
commitment to social responsibility includes protecting local
and indigenous populations who live in forest areas. At the
same time, the people who work in the forests are provided
with training, safety equipment and decent wages. Finally,
economic responsibility involves ensuring that owners of FSC®certified forests receive fair prices for their wood.
Internationally recognised labels
JYSK is an official partner of FSC® Denmark, which is part
of the international FSC® certifying organisation. FSC®’s
international headquarters are in Bonn, Germany: from
here, the council coordinates the various initiatives with
its national offices
around the world.

Ida Rehnström, Communication
Director for FSC Denmark.
18
FACTS
• FSC® is a certifying organisation that works to
promote sustainable forestry.
• FSC® is the fastest growing forest certification
system in the world.
• 14.7 per cent of the world’s production forests are
FSC®-certified.
• Read more at www.ic.fsc.org, www.tft-forests.org
or www.jysk.com/responsibility.
JYSK invests in FSC®
garden furniture
Since the 1990s, JYSK has steadily increased the percentage
of its garden furniture that is manufactured from sustainably
sourced wood. Today almost all of JYSK’s wooden garden
furniture pieces are FSC®-certified.
The days are growing longer and the sun is steadily gaining its summer
strength. We have all had that hopeful feeling in our bones: the feeling
that spring is around the corner, and that the summer sun and long,
warm evenings will not be far behind. This well known feeling bears
special significance at JYSK, as it means our garden furniture season
will soon be underway.
Garden furniture is one of JYSK’s key product groups, and we are
among Europe’s largest retailers of garden furniture. When the 2013
outdoor season kicks off, we will offer a garden furniture range in
which the majority of items are made from FSC®-certified wood. FSC®certified wood is harvested from forests in which no more trees are cut
down than the forest can naturally reproduce.
When consumers purchase FSC®-certified garden furniture, they are
helping to support forest owners who have opted for sustainable
forestry and to respect both people and nature.

The workers in an
FSC®-certified forest are
provided with training,
safety equipment and
decent wages.
More sustainable wood
JYSK is a member of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), and
both co-founder and member of The Forest Trust (TFT). Through
our TFT membership, JYSK is committed to continuously promote
sustainable forestry so that the percentage of FSC®-certified wood
sold worldwide will increase.
FSC®-certified wood fibre
Maintenance-free garden furniture continues to grow
in popularity, and the latest addition is Durawood,
a composite material consisting of FSC®-certified
hardwood fibre and recycled plastic.
19
JYSK investment in Danish
trainees pays dividends
Tina, Sanne and Frede have been with JYSK for over 25 years. They began as trainees, and today they have well
established careers at JYSK.
By Janni Søgaard Dahl, Communications  [email protected], Photo: Enkorn
JYSK is a company with plenty of room for growth; in
Denmark, there is a fight to recruit the top 120 trainees to
work in the company’s stores. When it comes to the trainees
themselves, the overriding focus is on showing them that they
are the future of JYSK. In that regard, Tina, Sanne and Frede are
undeniable proof that responsibility, hard work and will power
are the key to getting ahead at JYSK.
Opportunities abound
Tina works at a store in Silkeborg, a city in Central Jutland;
Sanne at the company headquarters in Brabrand, in Eastern
Jutland; and Frede at the distribution centre in Uldum, in
Trainee programme in Denmark
• JYSK accepts 120 trainees each year.
• The trainee campaign kicks off in January.
• JYSK’s trainee programme is now in its 28th year.
• The trainee school is located at Lars Larsen’s
Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort in Denmark.
Central Jutland. All three have their various everyday routines
in their respective towns in Denmark, but what they have in
common is having worked for JYSK for more than 25 years.
Tine, Sanne and Frede have carved out three different careers
for themselves, and today they can look back on and draw from
years of experience.
JYSK trainees
JYSK in Denmark and Norway recruits trainees and apprentices
every year. Trainees in Denmark go through a two-year programme
which combines schooling and an in-store internship. The
training ends with a written exam project and an oral
defence. Apprentices in Norway go through a similar two-year
programme, and to earn their diploma they must complete
a year-long, in-store project that must be presented in their
second year.
The store
Tina Kjærsgaard
Age: 43
Marital status: in a relationship with her boyfriend John
Current position: Store Manager
Previous positions: trainee, store manager, business development manager, assistant to district
manager
My JYSK story
”I began as a trainee in 1987, in a store where the merchandise was kept in a ceiling storage space.
They were brought down through a sort of chicken ladder and moved into the store by hand or on an
old trolley. The ceiling was a bit leaky, and there were a few strange things hiding there, but it’s fun to
think back on that time. After all, JYSK is a world-renowned company today.
I later moved to Sweden to work as a store manager for a couple of years, after which I became a
business development manager. All in all, I’ve been in Sweden for eight years and have helped open
nearly 100 stores. As a business development manager, I headed a team of six people who travelled
all around Sweden. Our goal was to open stores, and we opened two a month, which kept us very
busy. Everything had to be done from scratch. I made work plans, welcomed the personnel and
helped the store manager become familiar with the systems. After every store opening I had a couple
of days off, and then we started over. It was tough but fun. We got to learn about a different culture –
a completely different people – and we lived together almost like a little family.”
20
The main office
(Su)sanne Jørgensen
Age: 48
Marital status: married to Frede
Current position: replenishment planner
Previous positions: trainee, store assistant, store manager, store supporter, controller, area
manager for warehouse control
My JYSK story
”My career began in 1983 when I received a tip from brother-in-law, who is today a managing
director for Dänisches Bettenlager, telling me about an apprenticeship. The store in the Vesterbro
neighbourhood in Copenhagen was set to open when I began, and my colleagues and I were
there to help build it up from scratch. We had a night on the town after opening day and ended up
sleeping in the store, which is something that would never be allowed today. I can remember there
was a bed display in the basement, and one of our colleagues was still sleeping there when the
store opened the next morning.
I met Frede, my husband, while we were preparing for the store opening in the town of Grenå. Even
though we worked hard, we still managed to get to know new people – some more than others,
you might say. After years in the stores and warehouses, I wanted to seek out new challenges. I
actually didn’t go for the job I have today; I applied for a job in the Finance Department and got it.
Shortly thereafter, the person who held my current position quit, and it turned out being a better
fit for me so I applied for the job and got it. I actually never even started the first job I had applied
for, but that just goes to show that there are countless opportunities at JYSK.”
The warehouse
Frede Jørgensen
Age: 47
Marital status: married to Sanne
Current position: warehouse manager
Previous positions: trainee, store manager, delivery manager, head of administration in logistics
My JYSK story
”I began as a trainee in 1983 at the store in the town of Støvring, and after very short time I moved
to the store in Skalborg where they were in greater need of an extra hand. I was in an apprenticeship
– a three-year programme with in-store training whilst studying textiles – which didn’t have much
to do with duvets and pillows. I was the only one from JYSK – I was actually trainee number two
in JYSK’s history – and I almost always wanted to be in the store instead of the school. I later met
Sanne, who was a store manager while I was a trainee. That certainly gave everyone something to
talk about, and I even managed to trick Sanne to write out my signs for me. It was easy!
These days I make plenty of use of the experience I’ve picked up at JYSK over time. The JYSK
corporate spirit has changed over the years: going from four people per store back when I started,
to having a huge factory like the warehouse in Uldum, with 215 people working in three shifts, is
truly a challenge. But we’re working hard, and we’ve also started a trainee programme here at the
warehouse. It’s given a bit of life to the place – both with laughter and tears – and this August our
first team of trainees will graduate.”
21
Photo: J. W. Luftfoto
FACTS
• The road on which the distribution centre
is located is named after Lars Larsen.
• The warehouse encompasses an area of
64,000 m2.
• The robots in the high-rack warehouse
weigh 42 tonnes and run at 17 km per
hour.
• Uldum serves around 340 stores, and some
150 lorries are loaded and unloaded there
each day.
• In addition to Uldum, JYSK Nordic has
warehouses in Poland, Sweden and China.
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Germany
A high-tech warehouse evolves
In April of 2009, a new high-tech warehouse was officially inaugurated in Denmark: JYSK’s distribution centre in
Uldum. Since then, the warehouse’s technological development has continued.
By Laura Roesgaard, Communications Coordinator  [email protected]
Since its opening, the working environment of the Uldum
warehouse has undergone significant changes – both in terms
of tools that prevent employees from having to perform heavy
lifting, and general safety. Energy optimisation is another area
in which improvements have been made.
”Today we actually use less electricity than we did at the old
warehouse, and this in spite of the many new machines and
robots we have”, says chief technician Martin Rask.
Driverless forklifts
Three ’driverless’ forklifts
are the latest technological
development at the
warehouse. In an almost
ghostly fashion, the three
trucks cruise up and down
the enormous halls of the
warehouse. Suddenly, and
for no apparent reason,
one of the forklifts stops
and remains completely

Chief Technician Martin Rask.
22
motionless. The reason for the disruption soon becomes clear,
though, when another, fully loaded driverless forklift is seen
backing out from a bypath.
”Each forklift always knows where the other two are, so
they’re able to give way, allowing the others to pass. They
communicate with each other through a wireless network”,
Martin explains.
Uldum is a warehouse under constant development, and the
future will most certainly bring new robotic projects as well as
a heightened focus on energy optimisation.
 From a tiny cart with an online computer, warehouse manager Finn
Jepsen programmes the driverless forklifts and monitors where they are
in the facility.
Controlling technology from
great heights
The robots and machines in use at the Uldum warehouse are kept under close control – even when problems
arise way up high. The warehouse technicians are there to ensure things run smoothly, and safety is one thing
that must never be compromised.
In the middle of the enormous warehouse is an office that the
technicians refer to as ’The Almighty’. It is from here that the
entire warehouse is monitored, and the manager on duty is
notified as soon as a machine or a robot error is detected. A
row of bicycles is parked outside the office. These are the black,
classical men’s model – but with one rather unusual detail:
a computer is mounted on each set of handlebars. From the
computers, the technicians can immediately see where an error
has been registered. From there, it’s simply a matter of jumping
on the bicycle and riding off to fix the problem.
There are 15 employees in the Uldum technical department,
and there are always a minimum of three people on shift, both
day and night.
A long way up
”If you want to be a technician at the Uldum warehouse, you’d
better not be afraid of heights”, says chief technician Martin Rask.
He is not exaggerating: when the large robots in the high-rack
warehouse stop due to an incorrectly loaded pallet, for example,
it is the technicians’ jobs to go up and solve the problem.
Sometimes their work even takes them 40 metres up above the
ground.
”Sometimes we can go up with the crane, but if something
like loose film is preventing the crane from extending, then we’re
forced to crawl up a vertical ladder”, explains Vagn Bindesbøl.
While this might sound a tad frightening to some, Vagn is
unfazed: ”It’s my job, after all”, he says with a smile.
Top safety procedures
All technicians had to undergo training before being permitted
to work at heights. They are instructed in the proper use of fall
protection gear, and ongoing courses are held to ensure the
employees are always fully trained in safety matters.
”Safety is the most important issue for us, and that’s why there
are never any complaints about a job being performed at height
taking too long. It’s crucial that we don’t move too quickly when
working way up in the rafters”, Martin explains.
The team is also focused on height rescue training: ”If
somebody falls and is hanging in a safety harness, then we need
to move fast. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know
what to do”, Martin says. The team carries out its height rescue
training in partnership with the local fire department.
 Technician Vagn Bindesbøl surveys the warehouse.
 Technician Vagn Bindesbøl prepares for a trip up to the large robotic crane,
which lifts items up and down from shelving units in the high-rack warehouse.
 The storage units in the high rack warehouse are 40 metres high.
Trainees in Uldum
The distribution centre in Uldum started a trainee
programme in the spring of 2010. Upon completing the
programme the trainees can call themselves ’warehouse and
logistics technicians’. The programme lasts 2.5 years, and
Uldum takes in 12 trainees each year. The warehouse begins
recruiting in September, and after a brief schooling period
the trainees begin at the Uldum warehouse on 1 March.
23
All the best for
the garden
furniture season!