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Unexpected opportunity became sustainable success story

There are many ways to grow in Schibsted and sometimes an unexpected opportunity can lead to a career change. This is what happened for Kari Eline Strandjord, Sustainability Manager at Schibsted. 

Coming from a broad background filled with both music, programming, product development and building a start-up, Kari Eline Strandjord joined Schibsted back in 2019 as a software engineer. For many years prior, sustainability had become a passion of hers and through the large impact Schibsted as a Nordic family of digital consumer brands has, Kari Eline Strandjord saw her new position as a way forward in making an important impact on both society and the environment. 

– I wanted to work with something that has an impact. News media is a very important part of society and I wanted to help develop our digital products in-house, delivering world class journalism, she says. 

Unexpected opportunity
Two years down the road, in January 2022, a vacancy opened up in the Sustainability team due to a colleague going on parental leave. Kari Eline Strandjord had just taken part of the yearly Sustainability Changemaker Program in Schibsted and was offered the position as Sustainability Manager at the end of the program. 

– I have for a long time wanted to work in the interface of tech and sustainability, and when this role was offered to me I was very excited. To have an environmental perspective is fundamental, and combating the climate crisis is one of the largest challenges of humanity. Schibsted with our digital products and services really has the opportunity to empower people in this transition, Kari Eline Strandjord says. 

Creating a strong foundation
Since then Kari Eline Strandjord and the sustainability team have been looking into many different ways for Schibsted to become more sustainable. One of the most important tasks is to see where the different products and services can have the highest impact on society and the environment. 

–  There are still a lot of unknowns in the field of quantifying societal and environmental impact. In Schibsted we try to take a data-driven and collaborative approach to create more insightful actions. A simple example can be that using a laptop to read our newspapers takes up far more energy than using our smartphone apps, which means that a mobile first methodology is also better for the environment. To build our actions on data is key to knowing if we make a real impact, Kari Eline Strandjord says.  

Full disclosure for a better future
To help both end users and co-workers understand Schibsted’s environmental impact, transparency is key. A yearly sustainability report is released, showing hard numbers and clear facts on what is being done for the environment and society and what the ambitions and targets are going forward. 

– During the four months I have worked in the Sustainability team I have learned a lot about what we already do and where we want to go. I was lucky to have the opportunity to contribute to this year’s sustainability report. This work really makes me proud of how transparent we are on our impact on society and the environment, making it easily accessible for everyone. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with these topics, Kari Eline Strandjord says. 

The key to corporate success lies in diversity and belonging

Diversity. A powerful word with a lot of impact behind it – if used correctly. Schibsted is now redefining what diversity really means in the corporate world. And on the frontline to find new talents and take out the full potential in existing talents stands Head of Diversity, Inclusive and Belonging Sumeet Singh Patpatia. 

For Schibsted, working with diversity started with the insight that a change in mindset needed to happen from the top. The first goal on the diversity journey was to even out the gender distribution within top management. By reaching that goal, and creating a strong internal ambition to become leading in diversity work, the change is now trickling down from top three management levels to all underlying companies. 

“Schibsted is ambitious regarding diversity, inclusion and belonging. It is rationally anchored throughout the organisation, which is quite uncommon. We aim to put a lot of effort in being both inclusive and making people feel they belong. To include means inviting someone to sit by the table, but to make them belong means actually hearing what they have to say. That is how we aim to unlock that valuable potential in all talents and make all thrive,” Sumeet says. 

More than the CV
Schibsted aims to be a company where every employee can be themself and see their unique story as a strength. Norwegian newspaper VG opened up a recruitment process for a journalist where it was not a requirement to have editorial background. VGs need is to build diversity competence. Thus, finding someone with this competence is valuable. The journalistic background was less important because how to write an article can be taught.

“The CV only says that much about a person. To find the greatest talents we have to go beyond that and see strengths that come from other experiences than work. It is important to extend the span in each team with perspectives, backgrounds, languages – verbal and non-verbal, abilities, generations etc. By mirroring what society looks like, we create strong teams and make our products more relevant because we understand the customer needs better,” Sumeet says. 

Diversity is default
To make sure Schibsted is keeping up on the diversity work, Sumeet Singh Patpatia and his team run studies and evaluations cross-company. 

“We have to understand our maturity and what we already have done to be able to take action forward. We want diversity to be the default, and Schibsted is the right place for exactly that,” Sumeet says. 

Sumeet’s three simple tips to a more inclusive workplace:
1. Hack the pipeline: if you can´t find the talents, see the potential and develop the talents.
2. Be curious and learn more from other perspectives.
3. Rewire processes to have as little room as possible for people biases

Kids Coding Camp: digital knowledge at an early age

Schibsted’s seventh iteration of Kids Coding Camp, where children between 9–12 get the opportunity to learn code and programming, was a great success, according to Sofia Friberg, Project Lead at Schibsted.

“We have seen great engagement from both children and parents in this year’s Kids Coding Camp, and one of the most common questions we get is ‘When do we sign up for the next camp?’ To see the children’s progress, and their pride when presenting their work and learnings, is the best reward,” Sofia Friberg says.

With Kids Coding Camp, Schibsted wants to give more young people access to tools and knowledge they will benefit from in order to influence the future – and to inspire them to learn more and maybe even work with tech in the future. 

“Tech is a part of almost everything we do today and even will be even more so in the future. Through Kids Coding Camp we want to open doors to digital knowledge and to create a genuine interest in tech, at an early age,” says Friberg.

“It has been fun to learn something new and to learn to code. It seems good to know,” says 9-year-old Frida who participated in the camp.

During the two day camp, kids joined sessions of 1,5 hours to focus on game development in the programming tool Scratch. To facilitate Kids Coding Camp, Schibsted teamed up with Kodcentrum in Sweden and Lær Kidsa Koding in Norway.

Learn more about Kids Coding Camp here

Endless opportunities for women within the tech field

On a – for some – daunting path, Schibsted paves the way forward for women within
tech. The opportunities are endless for those who simply follow Engineering Manager
Réka Gazda’s advice “don’t limit your ambitions”.

Finding the perfect job to match your skill set is rarely a simple task. Especially when your
experiences and likings are split into two opposite sides of the spectrum. Réka Gazda
started off in Hungary with a degree in International Relations. By being a yay-sayer and
grasping opportunities all over Europe, she ended up as one of Schibsted’s most recently
hired Engineering Managers.

– I took a very non-traditional path into the tech field. Thanks to my English skills I was
introduced to a job as a technical writer for Ericsson. From there I progressed to Project
Manager for smaller teams, and later was transferred to Madrid as Project Lead to take on
responsibility for new software releases and coordinating multiple sites, she says.

No matter where you come from or what you strive to do, a strong support system can help
you take the next step. That is why Schibsted started Shetech – a community made to
empower women within the tech industry. The initiative sprouted from a company internal
idea, but has now branched out and welcomes all women with an interest or the urge to
continue to revolutionise the tech field.

When an old friend reached out to Réka about a job opportunity as an Engineering Manager
in Stockholm, Sweden, her interest was caught. The deal was set after her dual needs were
met: to coach and develop her team as well as being able to make and implement decisions.
Starting in August 2021, she became one of the newest members and pioneers within
Shetech.

– I was able to bring my talent to the company and to be my full self. We all care about each
other, dare to question things and really live the company value of “being the fearless force
for change”, Réka says.

The tech industry is largely male dominated and sometimes filled with prejudice that might
hinder women from taking a chance within it. As one of the largest media houses, and home
of digital consumer brands and marketplaces in Scandinavia, Schibsted wants to change
that and encourage women to a new way of thinking.

– There are many opportunities within tech at Schibsted. We are constantly looking for new
talents, and we offer special internships for curious minds. There is no specific mould you
need to fit into. We always focus on your strengths and are never afraid to question things. If
you see a job that speaks to you, but where you feel the requirements are too high – apply
for it anyways. Don’t limit your ambitions, Réka says.

Schibsted awarded one of the most attractive trainee program

The Career Companies ambassador network has voted for the 10 most attractive Trainee programs among all of Sweden’s Career Companies (Karriärföretagen) and Schibsted is one of them! Respondents have chosen three trainee programs that they find most attractive of all potential programs. The career companies ambassador network consists of active students at all of Sweden’s universities.


Motivation from Karriärföretagen: Schibsted is a company with high ambitions that wants to make an impact. At Schibsted,you can develop competence and get the skills needed to achieve your goals. They are experts when it comes to engaging with the younger audience. Their presence at universities is high and we can see that they are well trusted amongst young talents. Here you will be a part of a company that is driven by good values and great leadership

The two year long “Schibsted Trainee Programme” consists of four placements in any of Schibsted locations and six training modules.

– Schibsted Trainee Programme is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. And this award is a great “birthday present” for us as this is the first time we have been voted one of the most attractive trainee programmes in Sweden. 

Schibsted Trainee Programme is recognised as an excellent development and growth opportunity by our current trainees and is seen as a strategic priority in our talent management by our leaders. It’s exciting to see former trainees taking high leadership roles in different Schibsted brands. So, this award gives us an external confirmation that we are doing things right in Schibsted! says Kristina Gribaleva, Talent Program Lead.

Enabling a diverse tech industry

Shetech is our own community for data and tech enthusiasts at Schibsted, established to promote and empower women working in tech. The community brings us together with inspiring tech talks, important discussions and learnings. To learn more about Shetech we have talked to one of the many great women who is engaged in the community, Anna Cobdal, our Director CIO Office & Business Services in E-tech. 

-What does it mean for Schibsted that we have a community like Shetech? Why is it so important?
It is important to improve diversity to achieve better results in Schibsted and to develop better products. We should have teams representing our user base in a more fair way – and also because research has shown that diverse teams are better at solving complex problems. I believe Schibsted can be a front runner in an important shift in society to improve gender balance in tech. An important shift since technology is becoming more important in our daily lives. We need visible role models for our girls to choose a career in tech and participate in the development. Shetech can be a place to develop yourself and be part of a force for change to a brighter future.

-What is the purpose of Shetech, and what do we want to achieve for the future?
We strive to empower and promote women in tech, and we do this by organizing events on different topics that the community finds interesting. It can be anything from a tech talk to management, career advice, or how to improve diversity and belonging.

-Can you name some of the advantages of working in tech in Schibsted as a woman?
What you do matters! We are developing technology that is used by a lot of people every day, impacting our society in a positive way. Working with great people in well-known brands, with interesting challenges to solve and using new technology, is a fantastic opportunity. The atmosphere in Schibsted is super friendly and it is great place to grow and develop professionally.

Join us in empowering people in their daily lives, take a look at all our open positions here.  

The importance of learning technology at a young age

We are moving towards an increasingly digital future. But how should children get the knowledge they need? Schibsted has been working with these questions for a longer time, among other things, by sponsoring Kodcentrum and Lær Kidsa Koding – associations that teach children programming and arranging code courses such as Kids Coding Camp.

 – Knowledge of data and technology is crucial for today’s society and the society of the future. More people need to learn technology in order for us to be competitive. To achieve this, we must arouse young people’s curiosity at an early age, says Sven Størmer Thaulow, Chief Data & Technology Officer at Schibsted.

The language of the future
He believes that the requirements for understanding technology will only increase and highlights one example.

– Hospitals are some of the most advanced workplaces in the world where the use of advanced technology is crucial. Therefore, nurses and doctors who are good at using technology and who have insight into technology will gain an advantage in that industry.

Schibsted will continue to educate children and support these issues. The goal? That all children have the right to learn the language of the future.

– Technology is like mathematics, like Lego pieces. If you do not learn the basics early, it is difficult to learn more advanced areas, says Sven Størmer Thaulow.

 

Facts about Schibsted

Schibsted is a family of digital brands with a strong Nordic position, and almost 6.000 employees. Our mission is to empower people in their daily lives. We do this by providing leading online marketplaces, building world-class media houses, and helping great companies scale.

Schibsted is an international company with a Scandinavian core. Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki are home to our largest offices. Our reach also stretches to Poland, Austria, Portugal and Spain. We are listed on Oslo Stock Exchange and have a sizable investment in Adevinta, a company that was spun off and publicly listed as a separate company on Oslo Stock Exchange in 2019.

At Schibsted you will find:

  • More than 55 different brands
  • Almost 6.000 employees
  • Over 1 billion monthly visits
  • A NOK 2,126 million EBITDA in 2020

Schibsted’s products and services help people make informed choices, live more sustainable lives, and trust each other. The way we see it, trust and transparency are defining qualities of a society where people can thrive and be happy on a healthy planet.

The core businesses of the Schibsted family lies in online marketplaces with a strong focus on sustainability, media houses promoting trust and transparency, financial services helping to empower people in their daily lives and Financial Services and ventures making real impact in society. Some of our brands include FINN, DBA, Blocket and Oikotie; Aftenposten, VG, Aftonbladet and SvD; Lendo, Kundkraft and Tibber; and Helthjem, Prisjakt and PodMe. 

We are inspired by our common mission  are supported by a shared foundation, shared goals and shared principles that unite us. While each of the Schibsted brands and businesses independently pursues opportunities to create value, it is as a family working together we flourish at a scale and in ways that really make a difference. Schibsted’s real impact comes from people finding our products and services valuable, and making them a part of their lives in ways that change how they act, consume and understand the world. 

At Schibsted we are never content with the way things are. We believe in letting new opportunities develop, never allowing yesterday’s successes to stand in the way of the next. At our best, we are a fearless force for change in a society built on trust and transparency.

Lear more about us 

Hackathons brought major impact

When backend developer Veronica Gidén starts her workday at Blocket, it is with the purpose of enabling and visualising sustainable consumption of goods. She is motivated by her diverse team, the important purpose of her job – and last, but not least by making a difference for millions of people every day.

“Contributing to sustainability – especially saving mankind from a climate disaster – is one of the reasons I joined Blocket, and I am extra proud of my hackathon group’s work on sustainability features on our marketplace,” says Veronica Gidén.

In her everyday work life, Veronica spends most of her time working on Blocket’s safe shipping service. But, during 2021 an idea emerged from the Blocket Climate and Environment Advisory Board: What if we visualized all the climate savings?

“All of a sudden it’s the end of 2021 and we have been hacking away for five consecutive hackathons, in various fun constellations of all kinds of developers, UX and product designers,” says Veronica.

“ So far, we have created a new profile page where our users can see how they have contributed to saved CO2 equivalents by selling stuff at Blocket, and we have added climate savings data to our ad pages. And we are far from done!”

The team has been a mixed group of people, from various teams and with different competences. Veronica shares that the important purpose is highly motivating for her and the team:

“ I believe that most people get extra motivated by an important purpose. And of course, it goes without saying that the biggest motivation is having your creations used by actual, real users!”

Aside from the projects Veronica is working on herself, she is very enthusiastic about several of Schibsted’s initiatives. Blocket is a part of the Schibsted family, and in addition to her own projects she lists a few that she believes potential colleagues should know about.

“There is a lot of world-improving fun going on at Schibsted, and great special interest groups to join. One of my favourites is Shetech, whose vision is to promote and empower women in the tech industry. And both Blocket and other companies across Schibsted have Advisory Boards for several purposes, as well as fantastic people working on Diversity & Inclusion,” says Veronica Gidén.

A journey of knowledge sharing

In Schibsted we have over 5000 brilliant employees who each have a unique competence and valuable experience. In order to become better, we need to share this knowledge across units and experience levels! One way we do this is through our internal mentor program. We have asked two previous participants, Ida Kristine Norddal, Senior Product Manager, and her mentor Christian Printzell Halvorsen, EVP Nordic Marketplaces, to share their experiences with us. 

Christian finds it really rewarding to see other people grow and develop, therefore he did not hesitate to sign up as a mentor when the timing was right. 

“I had high hopes, but didn’t know what to expect. I have been part of both good and not so good mentor programs in the past. Luckily this one turned out to be really good! As you grow as a leader, I think it’s important to learn from several others, not just your direct manager. A mentor program like this gives you fresh perspectives and an opportunity to reflect”, Christan says.

Ida, on the other hand, was looking for a senior “sparring partner” that she could have interesting conversations and share knowledge with. She hoped to learn more about both herself and her mentor, with the aim of getting a clearer view and understanding of her continued career development. 

The program started with a kick-off meeting with all mentors and mentees, where they got an introduction to mentorship by Charlotta Wikström and the Learning Lab team, Schibsted’s global Learning and Development department. Then it was up to them! Ida and Christian met for a 1-hour meeting approximately every month that Ida (as the mentee) was responsible for setting up and preparing some agenda points.

“In our meetings, we discussed the topics of strategy, leadership, communication, and being able to navigate a complex organization like Schibsted. We’ve also touched upon how to handle stressful work life and very concrete topics like the one-touch email rule.” Ida says.  

They both agree that the learnings definitely went both ways. Even though their roles are very different, they found many similarities in how they managed and led their different parts of Schibsted. The different topics they discussed made Christian reflect on his own leadership and what he has learned over the years. He also got to see other leadership challenges in other parts of the organization. 

“I found it interesting to reflect on how leadership is contextual, but also how some principles work equally well when leading Nordic Marketplaces with more than 1000 employees as when leading a much smaller team.” says Christian. 

One fundamental learning Ida is left with is that the key to new career opportunities is in your own ability to “raise your hand”, and the patience to collect the experiences and results that will help you take the next step.

“Being “forced” to reflect on your own work and development on a continuous basis, and having the opportunity to discuss that and get input from an experienced leader, have both helped in giving me a better understanding of my strengths and what it is that energizes me, as well as a broader, Schibsted perspective to my daily work.” Ida says.

In Schibsted we are always looking for new knowledge and new talents. Right now we have over 170 open positions in 5 countries. Take a look at our career page here.