Diversity and inclusion are important objectives of our company and fundamental to our culture and core values - a vision for a company inspired by openness and empathy. A company that recognizes and values its diversity will thrive.
We regularly hold different activities to increase knowledge and awareness of everyone's unique background. In Autumn 2019 all employees had the opportunity to meet the company’s diversity group and our partners involved in supporting inclusion in our business.
The Diversity Group is a working group consisting of representatives from both the company and the local trade unions.
Inclusion reflected in our workforce
Samhall's core mission is to create suitable working environments for people with different disabilities. For more than 20 years we have enjoyed a collaboration with Samhall, and around 100 Samhall employees work within our production area.
Supporting the integration of newcomers
Öppet hus is a non-profit organization that supports young adults with a foreign background into the labor market and education. Since 2009, we have been a member of Öppet Hus and provide mentorship schemes and hold activities in support.
Our newest partner within diversity and inclusion is Jobbsprånget, a national internship program that offers four months of internship to newly arrived academics. The aim of the program is to utilize the skills and accelerate the introduction to the Swedish labor market. Through the internship, new contacts are created, and gives the employer the opportunity to fill the skills gap with resources that are currently outside the labor market. During autumn 2019 and spring 2020 the company will provide two different internships.
We are very proud of all these partnerships.
All different, all equal
To showcase the breadth of our diversity, we created a survey for all employees to fill in and we encouraged them to show their cultural experience on a visible map, On the map they could pinpoint their origin country, or countries they have been living in. Up to today more than 150 employees have answered the questionnaire and filled in the map and it is exciting to see all the global skills and cultural experience we have all together. This event also led to a moment to share stories and life situations with one another, which created understanding and compassion. We are all different but equal, with different backgrounds, experiences and conditions.
The value of difference
As a part of our work with diversity and inclusion we invited all employees to take part in a lecture with Milad Mohammadi, who fled Iran as a child refugee with his family, who shared his story of alienation and exclusion and how these experiences led him to become a notable speaker on diversity, realizing potential, and integration. Milad has also founded his own secondary school built on these principles. The lecture gave us accurate examples, insights and concrete tools for realizing results and lasting change, identifying challenges in reaching our goals regarding diversity, the opportunities we have as a company and how we can effectively achieve inclusion – together. Milad encouraged us to think about the value of difference.
Working with diversity and inclusion will always be an ongoing process. At Wellspect,
We make a real difference, we like different!
