NEW COMPREHENSIVE INITIATIVE FOR
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Diversity is not only desirable but also absolutely necessary for companies that want to continue to be relevant and successful in the years to come. Stena AB is now beginning a group-wide initiative for diversity issues that covers all aspects of diversity. The initiative is being led by the Stena AB Group's newly established Diversity & Inclusion Council with William Olsson as the sponsor.
There are several reasons why it is important to work with diversity and inclusion – not least that companies that succeed in this are also more innovative and profitable. An open and inclusive culture produces creative, dynamic environments, increases employer attractiveness and makes it easier to recruit. It is also motivational for those working at the company, strengthens relationships with customers and other business partners and leads to long-term strong profitability.
“This is an extremely important matter for Stena, which we will now emphasize further at Group level and will be working systematically with in the future,” says Annika Hult, Deputy CEO, Stena AB, and chairs Stena AB’s Diversity & Inclusion Council. “There is also a close connection to the White Book and our core values.”
The other participants in the council are William Olsson, board member, Stena AB; Maria Holmberg, Director, People & Organizational Excellence Stena AB; Ian Hampton, Chief, People, Communications & Fleet Operations Officer, Stena Line; and Vanessa Germain, Commercial Claims Stena Bulk. The Council may be further expanded in the future.
Participants in the council: from left, William Olsson, Annika Hult, Vanessa Germain, Ian Hampton and Maria Holmberg.
Diversity is about contributing with different perspectives and experiences, and when we talk about this, we’re referring to aspects such as age, religion, ethnicity, disability, gender and sexual orientation.
“Some aspects, such as gender equality, can receive an increased focus and be measured in a clear way, while others cannot,” says Maria Holmberg. “We therefore need to find several different ways of working with diversity and inclusion. Our various Stena companies are already actively working with these issues. The idea is not to replace the important work that takes place there, but to strengthen and supplement it.”
Diversity issues have previously been raised through Stena’s leadership program Ready 4 Anything, with the course Exploring the Golden Minds having a special focus on diversity and increased awareness of which behaviors contribute to inclusion.
On March 8 of this year, a new initiative was taken in the area, when Stena AB started a network for female leaders. The network – which already has around 100 members – will among other things, hold digital meetings twice a year. In the autumn, a series of open seminars on the theme of diversity and inclusion will also be started, which will be available to all employees at Stena.
“I want to do whatever I can to support diversity and inclusion at Stena,” says William Olsson. “We are all different, but we are also the same. At Stena, there must naturally be room for everyone. That we have different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds is an asset. Maybe it makes our joint efforts more difficult in some ways, but it makes them more rewarding in others, and ever more important and stronger.”
