Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1219206
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 MARCH 2020 iGAMING 14 Betsson Group puts the spotlight on diversity Diversity and inclusion are on everybody's lips on a day like this. But why does it really matter and what can be done in practice? MaltaToday visited Betsson Group to get their take on the issue "TO us, diversity is good business and creates an interesting and fun work en- vironment," says Betsson Group's Chief HR Officer, Lena Nordin. "We know that a diverse workforce is more innovative and looks at solutions and challenges from multiple angles. In an industry such as ours, ever changing and ever evolving, this is the key to suc- cess." And Betsson has the numbers to prove it. With 57 nationalities from five different continents, 60% men and 40% women, spread across four generations, the company is indeed a melting pot of different experiences, backgrounds and ideas. "We're a mix of talented people from all over the world and from all walks of life. But there is more that unites us than divides us. What binds us all to- gether is our common goals, our com- pany values One Betsson, Passion, and Fair Play, and our strong company cul- ture," Lena states. Welcoming workplace During 2020, Betsson is putting ex- tra focus on diversity and has already launched the DIB initiative, which stands for Diversity, Inclusion and Be- longing. "Each individual is unique, and Di- versity is to understand and recognise those individual traits, whilst Inclusion is about embracing that everybody's different. At Betsson we focus on in- clusion by ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and respected and this cre- ates a sense of Belonging to the Betsson family," says Lena. Belonging is exactly what Betssonites feel. In the latest employee survey, 87% said that they are proud of working at Betsson, whilst 86% would recommend Betsson as an employer to their family and friends. Inspiring women in Betsson In the Malta offices, Betsson employs some 337 female Betssonites. Global- ly, 40% of the workforce is female and whilst Betsson is proud of this, it strives for more. "We know that our excellent benefits, our work-life balance initiatives and the career development possibilities are some of the reasons women chose to come work with us," Lena said. "Indeed, all female employees at Bets- son are entitled to up to 18 weeks' maternity leave on full salary plus ad- ditional optional four weeks paid by the government. In terms of paternity leave, Betsson offers 10 days on full sal- ary. "We want more talented women to join Betsson, especially amongst devel- opers and on management level." To support this goal, Betsson has in- troduced a new network for women in Betsson. "It's called WiBE (Women in Betsson) and the aim is for women to network, inspire each other and support the in- dustry to hire and retain more wom- en," Lena explains. We've held the first WiBE session just last week and the feedback was great. Diversity is, of course, not only about women in the workforce. With a mul- titude of different cultures and back- grounds, to Betsson the scope is larger than that. "In our continuous support towards LGBTIQ+ rights, we celebrate Pride internally and externally. This year we are also focusing on multi-culturism and have some exciting initiatives in the pipeline," says Lena. Partnering up to make a difference To achieve greater diversity within the company and the industry, Betsson seeks out like-minded partners. "For example, as part of our focus on diversity and inclusion, Betsson is now a Founding Member of the All-in Di- versity Project," Lena states. Launched in 2017, this initiative cre- ates tools for the gaming industry to progress in terms of diversity, inclusion and workplace equality. "For the second year, we are also a supporting partner at this years' Wom- en in Tech conference in Stockholm, and we're participating in the Women in Gaming Awards in London," Lena says. "These partnerships give us a platform to convey our message and inspire us to reach for new heights. "We believe that by pulling together, towards a common goal, we can achieve greater results. That's the core of our company value, One Betsson, which stands for how we treat each other and work together. But there's more to it than that. It also stands for how we join forces with other engaged people and organisations. Together we can make a difference." Betsson Group at the 2019 Malta Pride march in Valletta A panel discussion at the first Women in Betsson with (from left to right) Sofia Madsen, Corinne Valletta, and Christina Goggi