Lerøy Norway Seafoods’ factory in Melbu was awarded the Diversity Award 2021 (Mangfoldsprisen 2021) in Nordland. Chief Executive Officer Henning Beltestad is delighted with this achievement and sends his warm congratulations to all in Melbu.
– This award illustrates that both the planned and instinctive work we do to include and use the strengths of our diversity, gets noticed, says factory manager in Melbu, Jørn-Åge Stikholmen.
The Diversity Award is the Norwegian state’s own award for outstanding use of immigrants' skills in working life. Jørn-Åge is very proud to win this award, and he is not the only one.
– I am incredibly proud of what Lerøy Norway Seafoods Melbu have achieved with goal-oriented focus over many years, says Chief Executive Officer in Lerøy Seafood Group, Henning Beltestad.
It is the Directorate of Integration and Diversity that hands out the price. It is awarded to businesses that understand the value of ethnical diversity in the workplace, just like the employees in Lerøy Norway Seafoods in Melbu have shown to do.
Including measures
The employees come from different cultural backgrounds and consists of more than 20 nationalities. To include everyone in the best possible way, the factory has employed several measures. Among these is competence mapping, promoting leaders with immigrant backgrounds and offering Norwegian language teaching. Employees without a Norwegian-language background who wants to take a trade certificate, will also be offered extra Norwegian language schooling. The factory manager looks at cultural diversity as a strength for the company.
– We are so lucky to have all this diversity with all the competence and experience it brings, he says.
Jørn-Åge concludes that the measures have been noticed and are partly the reason the factory was nominated and won the esteemed price.
The jury, who consists of different representatives from the region, explained the victory as such:
Over half of the employees have immigrant backgrounds, and half of the middle managers as well. The jury is both surprised and impressed of the way the business works with among other things competence mapping and restructuring according to the LEAN principle.
The result of the employee survey was translated to 12 languages in all, so as to include every employee. The company has facilitated several rounds of language training and vocational training. The management extend far and achieves good results through the investment in the employees. The business is a shining star in the region, and can serve as a source of inspiration for others.
Celebration
The employees will all celebrate the win with cake and coffee to be served on site. The Directorate of Integration and Diversity marked the award with a digital ceremony and sent a diploma and flowers to the Melbu-factory. With the win, they also qualify for “This year's Diversity business 2021” (Årets Mangfoldhetsvirksomhet 2021), in a national award ceremony that will be held 19th of November.
On behalf of everyone at Lerøy Seafood Group, we wish to congratulate Jørn-Åge and the employees at the factory, you are a huge inspiration, and we are so proud to be on the same team as you!
Read more about our employees in Lerøy Seafood Group's Sustainability library: