Stand up and Be Counted
On World Refugee Day, a Call for Companies to Do the Right Thing
Have you ever employed a person simply to give them a chance?
Have you ever looked at your organisation and recognised you could add another person for ethical, rather than basic business, reasons?
Have you ever felt you are not doing enough for the refugees fleeing something you will never experience, who are looking to start a new life despite the obvious barriers in their way?
Have you ever thought that giving someone else an opportunity may not only benefit them but will also create a sense of fulfillment and more commitment within your organisation?
It’s easier to ignore these feelings than act on them.
“It wouldn’t work at our place … we have other priorities … we can’t afford it right now … I’m sure there are other companies more suitable … there’s a pandemic going on … I don’t have the time.”
That’s why job opportunities are limited for refugees in Europe.
That’s why there are thousands of employable people waiting in transit camps hidden in the European countryside.
And why it takes years before the average refugee is considered integrated. (And that’s after their often extended, perilous journey to get here.)
At Skandinavisk, we celebrate Scandinavia through fragrance and design and export to 50 countries, so employing refugees has nothing to do with our business model. It just has to do with our responsibility as a global citizen, and as a Danish company that tries to live up to the Scandinavian ideals of leaving no one behind.
Since the refugee crisis, our small company has given a chance to one new refugee per year. Two of them are now regular employees. That’s two out of 20 staff in Denmark.
They have contributed to our business success: Three consecutive growth awards, B Corporation Certification, and high employee loyalty are testament to this.
So, if you’ve read this far and something inside you has woken up, then act on it.
Make an effort, just like they have.
June 20 is World Refugee Day. Here are employment resources for Danish companies.
B The Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.
