Three immigrants will soon complete Danica Pension’s integration programme, which has been a success for all involved.
Corporate responsibility is not only about doing good to others – it is also about doing good business. An excellent example is the Danske Bank Group’s integration project: By actively integrating immigrants in our organisation, we have managed to attract new employees and enhance contact with customers from other ethnic backgrounds.
Since 2005, Danske Bank in Denmark has employed immigrant staff on special terms. In 2007, Danica joined the programme, and everybody has benefited from the project.
“We have learned a lot about cultural diversity and have a quite different impression of our new countrymen compared with the one we get from the media,” says Vibeke Dyrelund, HR Partner at Danske Bank. “In addition, we have found a new recruitment source.”
Danica’s new faces
At Danica Pension, the project of integrating three new faces will soon end. The process has been very rewarding, and we are ready to do it again, says Marianne Birch, HR Consultant at Danica Pension.
“The purpose is to make people with other ethnic backgrounds familiar with Danish culture and to help social integration,” she says. “Another good thing is that Danica Pension’s staff will be able to better understand people with a different culture and background.”
Danica plans to start the next integration project as early as in 2009, but first it must decide whether to offer the participants permanent employment once the project ends.
One of the candidates is Natalia Landar, who comes from Russia with a finance degree. She has been with Danica Pension since August 2007, and so far she has enjoyed every moment.
“What really surprised me was Danica Pension’s excellent management and all the very helpful colleagues,” Natalia Landar says. “I owe much of my success to them, and they have made it easier for me to learn as much as possible.”
Focus on language skills
A major challenge to people coming to Denmark is the Danish language, and the three people from Russia, Selibaby (in northern Africa) and Thailand in the project are no exception.
“Excellent Danish language skills are the key to success for our project participants, so we work very hard to improve their language proficiency,” says Marianne Birch. “And we will focus on this aspect even more when we start the next project in 2009.”
Last updated/revised on August 7, 2008