In Sweden, ‘fika’ is the most important meal of the day. Once a week, our colleagues from our Swedish office in Gothenburg gather to enjoy some cake and coffee together and this week’s fika was Pride-themed. Not only that, but in expectation of Pride Month, the office is now decorated in rainbow colors, and so was the delicious cake!
In Gothenburg, there is something called West Pride Festival. It’s an art and culture festival that creates safe spaces for LGBTQI+ people and emphasizes norm-criticism and LGBTQI person’s lives. This year, the festival has been held between 5-11 June. To recognize West Pride and Pride Month, Bertling Sweden arranged many activities during West Pride week in which the Pride-themed fika was the first. Cheers to Pride Month!
Later on, our Swedish team visited our neighbor, Renova, and got the unique opportunity to learn about Renova’s work on equal treatment. They shared their efforts to be an attractive and inclusive workplace for everyone. This year, their focus is on LGBTQI+. All employees wear the rainbow-colored button “Be yourself”, and their vehicles are adorned with decals carrying the same message. Now, they are preparing for Saturday’s Pride Parade. Renova is an inspiration for how organizations can strive for equal treatment and inclusion.
On Friday they had this year’s last West Pride Festival celebration. It was sunny, so they went outside for a game of “Kubb” and a barbecue in the backyard. After the lecture with Renova, they gained inspiration on how at Bertling Sweden it can be worked more on inclusion in our operations, not just during West Pride Week but every week and every day.
We believe that by creating a work environment that encourages open communication, embraces different perspectives, and promotes inclusion, every team and company can reach its full potential.
