DEI Policy

This is a guide available to all employees at Evidi. The guide is a descriptive document that outlines how we aim to create a workplace that embraces a diversity of perspectives, and fosters an inclusive culture where employees thrive.  

All employees are important ambassadors in creating a culture that supports our common ambition for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The purpose of this guide is to create a workplace where all employees thrive, are motivated to come to work, and strive to do their best.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are closely related concepts. Together, they have the most significant impact (McKinsey, 2022). They involve recognizing, accepting, and including differences in the organization and in society in a fair manner. Organizations actively working on these concepts are better equipped to meet challenges, become more attractive to talent, and better meet diverse customer needs. The aim is to value people (McKinsey, 2022).

Diversity is defined as who is represented in the workplace​ (McKinsey, 2022)​. It's about the inequalities we bring. Diversity can be both visible and invisible. It goes beyond gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation. Diversity is about seeing the world in different ways. Throughout life, you have accumulated unique life lessons, skills and experiences that have shaped you to be who you are today.

Equity means fair treatment for all people (McKinsey, 2000). Regardless of who you are and your circumstances, the same outcome should be achievable. All employees should feel seen, heard, and valued. Sometimes, this requires us to adjust our policies, career paths, or development opportunities, and remove any barriers for success.

Inclusion is about how well a workplace can support employees and enable them to make meaningful contributions to the organization (McKinsey, 2022). It is essential for employees to feel part of a community, be listened to, and respected. Inclusion should be part of the values and culture among employees; only then will diversity bring value.

We want a proactive approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This means actively working to promote what makes us different. A diversity of perspectives should enable us to develop the best technological solutions for our customers.  

"We strive to actively promote and leverage the diverse range of perspectives to develop the best technological solutions for our customers." 

We believe that it is the people who make it all possible. Working on diversity, equity, and inclusion should cultivate an inclusive culture that values a diversity of perspectives. Employees should be respected for who they are, be heard, and have space to be themselves at work. For us, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just a strategy but something we are and believe in. 

A specialist who cares. We are driven by curiosity. We are motivated by teamwork. We build trust. This is the DNA of Evidi’s employees. Our values should be present in everything we do.

Evidi is a workplace where all employees should feel welcome and included. This is achieved by prioritizing values such as respect, openness, and equality. At work, employees should feel heard and respected, regardless of any differences. Our offices should be a safe place where employees feel a sense of belonging. We aim to identify and minimize challenges and barriers that individual employees may face so that everyone can perform their best. 

An inclusive culture is created by people. We want employees to be curious about their colleagues and contribute to creating an inclusive environment, both at work and outside. Therefore, it is important for Evidi to promote these values among employees. By building such a value foundation, a flat structure and a recognizable culture are established across the company. 

At Evidi, we want a workplace where all employees feel that they belong and can be themselves. This requires Evidi, as a company, to accommodate the needs employees may have to perform their jobs.  

Evidi's offices should cater to the needs of employees in their daily work. This involves ensuring that the office is accessible to those with physical challenges, both in terms of access and equipment. At least one private room should be available, which can be used as a resting area, a nursing room, a prayer room, or similar. 
 
Evidi’s offices should visually support diversity. The decor in our offices should represent various groups, both majorities and minorities, so that employees who identify with these groups feel seen. This can be achieved through wall decorations, pictures, figures, signs, etc. 
 
Social gatherings should facilitate diversity wherever possible. During after-work events or similar social gatherings, there should be non-alcoholic alternatives. When food is served at events, individual needs, such as vegetarian options, allergies, and halal meat, should be considered. We also aim to acknowledge various significant or smaller holidays and events, with relevant content. 

We can always improve. If you, as an employee, feel that something is missing or have suggestions regarding these points, please share them with us. 

As employees, we also share a collective responsibility to contribute to an inclusive culture in our daily work. This can look very different from person to person. Therefore, we have some key points we encourage colleagues to be aware of. 

Greet your colleagues when you or they arrive at the office. Something as simple as saying hello to your colleagues when you see them can brighten both of your days and make you feel seen. Take some time at the office to talk to colleagues, such as having lunch together or having a chat at the coffee machine. 
 
Is there someone in the conversation who has not spoken for a while? Is there someone who has not expressed their opinion or has tried to say something but has not been heard? Help them create space in the conversation so that they can share their thoughts and perspectives. 
 
Share knowledge and experiences that you think your colleagues can benefit from. This can happen in everyday conversations with colleagues who may be experiencing a problem you can relate to, as well as in organized gatherings such as seminars or presentations. 
 
Be open to and actively seek feedback, input, and help. No one knows everything, but most people want to help their colleagues improve, both in terms of skills and interpersonal relationships. Be curious and open to constructive input. 
 
When you feel comfortable, share about yourself with your colleagues. The more views, opinions, cultures, religions, ages, and other variations of people we gain insight into, the more open and less prejudiced we become. Is there an upcoming happening that is important to you? Maybe you have read a book or watched a TV series recently that you like? Please share and invite others to take part in, or learn more about this, together with you.  

At Evidi we will build our teams with diversity as a prominent factor. Diverse teams bring different perspectives. By being conscious of taking advantage of the diversity of the company, our solutions will be of better quality and developed faster. 

To facilitate working in this way, Evidi must have a sharing culture that encourages employees to provide input on what roles they want to fill in a team. Here it is especially important for us to be aware of "invisible diversity", such as experiences, interests, education, and internal values. By mapping diversity when we put together a team, we will be able to identify which groups are represented and ensure variation in the team. 

When you see how Evidi defines diversity and inclusion, leadership plays a central role in implementation. Leadership at Evidi should be about taking care of each other and making others better, and our values Curiosity, Trust and Team Player should shine through.  

Leading diversity is a process that requires knowledge and awareness. Leaders at Evidi will be role models for inclusion, and work with both conscious and unconscious attitudes.  

Psychological safety is a concept that is about giving people the security to dare to share. To dare to be yourself fully, it is important to create an environment and culture where there is room to be who you are. This is about not facing negativity or being looked down upon when sharing your input, ideas or asking questions.  

In a culture with a high degree of psychological safety, employees want to share more of themselves. This causes an increase in the opportunities to drive innovation, and employees become more motivated and will thrive better. Input and ideas should live and abound at Evidi to bring out the diversity of perspectives. When we bring out diversity, we become a better partner for our customers. 

Psychological safety in the workplace contributes to better cooperation and interaction between employees. We learn more because we can spend our energy asking good questions and being curious. At Evidi there are no stupid questions. We see curiosity as the introduction to good discussions and opportunities for improvement.   

Our goal is for you as an employee of Evidi to feel that you can be yourself and feel safe, both professionally and socially, in the workplace. The next time you hear a "stupid question," give praise for asking questions, and remember to answer with an open mind.  

Our recruitment process is characterized by good planning and structure. The assessment in hiring processes should be about the right skills, personal qualities, and attitudes. We do not quota, but always select the most suitable candidate for each role. We will never compromise on that. We place emphasis on creating an appropriate atmosphere, having an inclusive company profile, the right language, exciting roles, and opportunities. This way, we get diversity in the applicant base. These are processes that start long before the actual recruitment and require continuous focus.

Job advertisements are important for meeting potential employees. It is central to us that we use language that does not exclude potential candidates but attracts a diverse group. There is a broad and diverse team working on the ads, both hiring managers, other employees, HR, and marketing. We work interdisciplinary to meet the employment rate, departmental needs, culture, and language.

We always prepare well for interviews. It is critical for us to create a soft atmosphere so that the candidate feels as they can be themself. This is how we discover suitability for the position. We will always be curious and open to different people and interests. We always conduct getting-to-know-you meetings as the first meeting point with candidates. This is to establish relationships and reduce stress in prior to more formal processes.

In formal processes, we always want to clarify whether personal interests, ambitions and commitment fit with the opportunities at Evidi. It is important to us that the "match" is perceived correctly both ways, and we always have an open dialogue about this throughout the process. Both parties shall choose each other. We also practice reversed interviewing, where the candidate gets to interview us back.

The candidates get to meet managers and other key people in the organization to get a better understanding of the working environment. We make a broad effort to give the candidate a good impression of Evidi and the opportunity to meet several future colleagues before any start-up.

We base hiring decisions on who we think meets the criteria best. The criteria we assess are relational competence, professional competence, and role competence. HR and managers have a central role in the process and are trained in "unconscious discrimination" to prevent us from not making decisions based on wrong judgments. We place emphasis on good planning and facilitation to even out differences and prioritize diversity. All candidates in the process with Evidi should feel heard and leave the process with a good experience.

When we make an offer and bring on a new colleague, we want them to feel part of Evidi right away. This is why we have a structured approach to the onboarding process.

The visible onboarding: We have established processes for welcoming new colleagues throughout the onboarding process, including mentoring and training. Our new colleague will receive all the necessary information and an introduction to Evidi. The onboarding ensures that you are introduced to relevant resources as quickly as possible and have access and an introduction to the necessary tools when you start. This is how we facilitate a good beginning of your career at Evidi.

The invisible onboarding: At Evidi we want all new employees to continue to feel confident in their new career choice. All employees should contribute to the invisible onboarding of new hires by following these principles;

- As an employee of Evidi you contribute to new colleagues looking forward to coming to work

- As an employee of Evidi you contribute to new colleagues feeling professional and social safety

- As an employee of Evidi you contribute by sharing your knowledge and involve yourself with new colleagues

- As an employee of Evidi we are curious about our new colleagues, and we create an arena for inclusion

- As an employee of Evidi you help new employees get to know their colleagues

All employees should have equal opportunities to develop their career and experience promotion, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, or other factors. As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that there is an open and fair culture of career development within the company.

While managers have a key role in creating an environment that fosters career development, all employees should have the opportunity to take on more responsibility if they wish to develop further. This can be in the form of taking on new projects, learning new skills, or searching for promotion.

To ensure fair and transparent career development at Evidi, employees should be informed about internal positions and given the opportunity to apply. It is essential to involve employees in the process to ensure as many applicants as possible and to find the most suitable candidate.

Another factor to be aware of is unconscious discrimination. We all have our own prejudices, and this can influence what decisions we make when evaluating candidates for a position. As a leader, it is important to have this awareness and work to ensure a fair review process for all candidates. As an employee, one must also work to not limit oneself. One should not be afraid to take on new challenges and search for more responsibility and promotion. It is important to have faith in yourself and not underestimate your own abilities.

We work in a structured manner with career development. There should always exist a development plan which a manager and employee commits to. The more specific, the easier it is to work towards your goals and have a good and continuous development with your Evidi-career.

When employees choose to leave Evidi, it is important to have a positive offboarding experience. Just as we aim to make candidates feel valued during recruitment, we also aim to make departing employees feel valued and appreciated. 

Evidi should conduct exit interviews, where employees can share their experiences and feedback. The feedback provided should be used to improve the organization and make Evidi an even better place to work. Additionally, departing employees should be treated with respect and gratitude for their contributions to Evidi.

- Be caring and make everyone feel included and welcome 

- Say hello in the office 

- Speak up if you see something that is not appropriate 

- Be aware of whether you have any preconceptions and try to challenge them 

- Have relevant and unbiased criteria when evaluating someone for a position 

- Discuss D&I in your team and think about how to implement the principles in your daily work 

- Come up with suggestions on how we can improve the work with DEI at Evidi 

Forsking:  

- What is diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I)? | McKinsey 

- 2023 DEI initiatives report: Inside the lighthouses | McKinsey 

- How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation (bcg.com) 

- Women @ Work 2023: A Global Outlook (deloitte.com) 

Articles:  

- How Diversity Can Drive Innovation (hbr.org) 

- – There is far too little diversity in the technology industry – Dagsavisen 

Podcast:  

- Banebrytere – Claudia Antwi-Adjei Hedegaard 

Youtube:  

- What does my headscarf mean to you? | Yassmin Abdel-Magied - YouTube 

- How to get serious about diversity and inclusion in the workplace | Janet Stovall | TED - YouTube 

Initiators:  

- ODA Network (odanettverk.no) 

- SHE Community – Social Human Equity