How come you started to work for Essity?

– It all started about ten years ago. After a year of a long-distance relationship, I decided to join my partner in Sweden and started to look for job positions that matched my qualifications. However, I immediately got the feeling that smaller Swedish companies were only interested in hiring Swedes. But luckily, through a friend, I came in contact with Essity and got to join. I love the workplace and my role as a leader in this company.

Can you describe how Essity works with diversity and inclusion?

– One of the reasons I love working for Essity is because they take these issues seriously. When I started here eight years ago, I directly felt that my perspective as a foreigner was seen as a valuable asset to the company. And now, after knowing the organization much better, I can truly say that inclusion and diversity are essential cornerstones of the company’s work culture. When we are hiring, we always think about how we can create as diverse teams as possible. And employees are encouraged to join development activities to promote diversity. For example, I have been a part of starting a group called ‘Women in IT’, where female employees at Essity can learn and develop their soft skills, share experiences and help each other in their careers. It has been an extremely valuable experience for me.

What does a normal workday look like for you?

– There is really no such thing as a normal workday for me. My team is in charge of Essity’s collaboration and communication tools, so the tasks are very varying and there are always different and important decisions to take. It can be everything from education, adoption, service and activities related to the digital experience of the employees. On top of that, my role is also very strategic. It requires planning together with all the other departments at the company. Currently, we are looking into how we can improve the work efficiency at the factory environment by adopting and adapting collaboration tools that we are already using in the offices. Every step forward is made in close collaboration with the IT security department. There are always different perspectives to take into account when dealing with digital communication within a large organization.

In your role as a leader, why are diversity and inclusion so important?

– Building a work team with people who are precisely alike can be tempting, but it will never get the best results. Over my career, I have concluded that the best decisions are taken when many different perspectives have been taken into account. So, the differences are a real strength and an advantage. And the importance of an inclusive workplace simply follows from that. When everyone feels secure and is given equal opportunity to succeed, no matter where they come from, what gender they identify with, their contribution will increase. We deliver services to our employees around the globe, who are very diverse themselves. Their engagement is crucial for us. One of the main factors that influence this engagement is building our solutions with the input of diverse opinions.

Last question: What do you look forward to now?

– In terms of work, I am planning to continue my career at Essity. And I also want to continue developing my activities relating to diversity and inclusion at the company. But mostly, I look forward to March when me and my partner Katarina are getting married. Really big day for me as you can imagine

Name: Elena Tabares
Title: IT Director Internal Digital Experience
Education: MBA at IESE Business School (Barcelona) and Tuck School of Business (Hanover, New Hampshire). Business Administration degree at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, finishing my degree in Florence (Università degli Studi di Firenze), with an Erasmus scholarship.