People

Diversity and equal opportunities

Handicare’s diversity efforts are based on the grounds for discrimination described in Swedish law. Our organization must be an inclusive workplace where diversity provides enrichment. We provide equal conditions for all employees regardless of age, ethnicity, national origin, skin color, language, religion or lifestyle.

As a Group, we actively strive to support preventive efforts to counteract and eliminate discrimination and to support gender parity and diversity. It is possible to report improper actions through the Group’s whistleblower system. Handicare’s staff policy is based on equal pay for equal work, which means that men and women receive the same pay, all things otherwise being equal.

Handicare works actively to achieve an even gender distribution in the Group. At the end of the year, Group staff comprised 28% women and 72% men. The proportion of women in senior management and their direct reports was 42%. Group management comprised 60% women as of 31 December 2020, and the Board comprised 29% women.

Employees

Handicare must be an attractive employer, and it is important that our workers can be actively involved and that they enjoy their work and are able to grow professionally in the workplace. All Handicare employees have performance coaching reviews (PCR), where the employee and their manager set goals for the year. These reviews are followed up after six months and at the end of the year.

Group-wide employee surveys are conducted on a regular basis. The most recent survey was conducted in 2019. The various action items, based on the results of the 2019 survey, were followed up in 2020. A new employee survey is planned for 2021. These surveys allow the operations to build an understanding of how employees are feeling, their attitudes towards their work and management as well as how well they are integrating the company’s values into their everyday work.

Our employees are invaluable to us. Their engagement is the key to how well Handicare lives up to its business concept “Making everyday life easier.” The 2021 employee survey will include a focus on the variables that indicate engagement.

Employees’ working terms and conditions

Handicare must offer a safe and healthy workplace. We work continually to improve the working environment. Obviously, we have zero tolerance for workplace accidents and are therefore focusing on preventive measures. Our production units have local goals based on their top three health and safety issues. 14 (9) workplace-related accidents in production resulting in at least one day of absence were reported in 2020. Preventive measures aimed at avoiding similar accidents have been introduced and the relevant employees have received appropriate training. Handicare’s Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) Committee evaluates the physical working environment to identify potential hazards in the produc- tion environment. We are planning to develop a new training program on workplace safety and sustainability.