As Diversity Charter Sweden celebrates 15 years, we are highlighting some of the people who helped shape the early development of the network. One of them is Louise Ring, former HR Director at Axfood and Chairman between 2013 and 2015. These were years of building something new, when interest in diversity issues was still limited.
Establishing direction and inspiring
During Louise's time as Chair, many successes were achieved. But the most important success for her was to establish an initiative with others that clearly demonstrated the importance of diversity and inclusion, both for society and for business.
- The greatest success during my time as chairman was to be one of the initiators of an endeavour that, with shared conviction and determination, clearly demonstrated the business and societal benefits of active engagement in diversity and inclusive practices. It has been particularly significant to see how these values have been translated into concrete strategies and laid an important foundation for what is now Diversity Charter Sweden.
Her experience at Axfood also gave a clear picture of what it means to integrate diversity in practice. In the organisation, people talk about 30 different languages, 22 per cent of employees have a foreign background and 57 per cent of the board are women. Diversity work is part of everyday life there and this perspective also characterised her work within the Charter.
A time of great challenges
The time as chairman also presented significant challenges, particularly related to building something from scratch.
- When the Diversity Charter Sweden initiative was established, we faced a number of challenges, not least of a financial nature. The first years were largely characterised by convincing both our own organisations and the business community at large of the value and benefits of the Charter. During this period, considerable time was devoted to building a sustainable structure, organising and developing a brand identity and a brand label, a profile that is still alive today.
The work on structure, identity and credibility laid the foundations for further development.
Questions to carry with you into the future
Looking ahead, Louise emphasises the importance of sticking to the core principles of the Charter, even as the discussion on diversity changes.
- At a time when the social debate on diversity, inclusion and belonging is constantly changing, it is more important than ever to hold on to the fundamental values that have been at the heart of the Charter's work since its inception. This requires the courage to look beyond short-term opinions and act on long-term convictions.
This article is based on an interview with Louise Ring, conducted in April 2025.
About us
The Diversity Charter is the world's largest network for diversity and inclusion in the world of work, with initiatives in all 27 EU countries. Diversity Charter Sweden is the Swedish part of the network. At a time like this, it has never been more important to raise the visibility of the EU and Europe - especially in the promotion of diversity.
Curious about how we continue to drive change? Read more about our work within Diversity Charter Sweden - and how you can get involved.
