Hello CEO: Sofia Gerstenfeld, Visma Enterprises
What do you think the industry could do better to attract more women?
- It has been - and continues to be - a male-dominated industry. I think the whole industry needs to work broadly on all parts of a career - from the moment you get interested in technology and choose a job in it, to when you eventually retire. The industry can collaborate more and better on these issues, inspire and learn from each other to have a greater collective impact on the issue," says Sofia Gerstenfeld.
Do you have any advice for women who want to join the tech industry?
- Regardless of which industry you apply to, you should apply to a workplace where you share the company's values with a leader you want to work with. Then you have the conditions to thrive and develop. I think you should definitely apply to the industry because this is an industry of the future with very good development opportunities
How do you work at Visma to attract, retain and develop women in the industry?
- Through our core values, we strive for an inclusive approach in all aspects, incl. that we want a gender balance among our employees, all with the aim of achieving a successful business. The value base work is done through the development of policies (e.g. Diversity & Inclusion, equal treatment policy), workshops on our values, awareness training, inspirational lectures, D&I discipline within Visma Group.
- We set targets and measure the Inclusion Index on an ongoing basis and we report the gender balance in our Sustainability work. We also strive for gender balance in general in talent programs such as trainee programs and summer internship programs. We sponsor initiatives that draw attention to the need for more women in the tech industry (Women in Tech), we form
opinion through me as CEO. I am very involved in these issues, not least through my involvement in Almega, TechSverige and Helloworld!
- As an employer, we ensure that we offer good and relevant conditions for both genders, both in terms of financial remuneration and the possibilities for a hybrid workplace with a focus on results instead of a focus on where the work is done from. Going forward, we can work much more on branding Visma as an employer, focusing, for example, on our mission and vision so that we become better at getting women to realize, understand and be attracted to our mission and our contribution to the development of society. And also show that we are a company that stands for warmth, well-being and forward thinking.