WeCare
Diversity in Strawberry
Strawberry is home to more than 18,000 team members from 170 different countries. No matter your experience, stage of life, background, or who you love – there’s a place for you at Strawberry.
A community where everyone belongs
Diversity and inclusion are core values at Strawberry. We believe that a company reflecting the diversity of society is smarter, more effective, and more creative. That’s why we strive to create environments where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued – regardless of background, identity, or orientation. With us, there are also great opportunities to grow and develop your career within the company.
Zero tolerance for discrimination
Our work for diversity continues all year round – not just during Pride Month. It’s anchored in concrete actions such as fair recruitment processes, employee training, and a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination. In addition, we are proud sponsors of the largest Pride celebrations in the Nordics and actively support the fight for equal rights for all.
Strawberry for UNICEF
Key to the Future
Strawberry has been in various partnerships with UNICEF for nearly 20 years, serving as both a signature and emergency partner. Through this collaboration, Strawberry has provided emergency aid to areas affected by crises, war, and conflict, and the partnership has engaged employees and guests throughout the Nordics.
With the Key to the Future initiative, Strawberry aims to build on this commitment and further expand the collaboration. The goal is for Strawberry to actively contribute to supporting children and young people fleeing areas affected by war and conflict. The company’s own employees helped choose this new core cause.
“At Strawberry, we have colleagues from all over the world. Some were born and raised in the Nordics, while others have fled conflict-torn areas and been given the opportunity for a new start here. We will support where we can, and our doors will be open to people who need a second chance,” says Torgeir Silseth, CEO of Strawberry.
Photo: Malik/UNICEF
Proud main sponsor of Pride in the Nordics
For Strawberry, equal worth for all is a given – and one issue especially close to our hearts is LGBTQIA+ rights. That’s why we’ve proudly been a main sponsor of Pride in the Nordics since 2015. Celebrate Pride with us in Oslo, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, and Helsinki, as well as in many of the other cities where we’re present.
Explore the Pride festivals, parades, key events, and read Petter Stordalen’s reflections on why Strawberry sponsors Pride across the Nordics.
Diversity is our super power
Strawberry is dedicated to fostering a culture that values and respects every individual. We know that diversity is our superpower. Through our integrated initiatives for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), we strive to create a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. With more than 175 nationalities represented, DEI is at the heart of our organisation, driving outstanding business results by embracing different perspectives and experiences.
To ensure that our DEI efforts are effective and reflective of our employees and communities, we established the DEI Advisory Board in 2023. Comprising eight dedicated members from across departments and backgrounds, this board brings a range of perspectives and experiences to support Strawberry’s commitment to inclusivity. The DEI Advisory Board’s purpose is to shape policies and initiatives that create a sense of belonging for everyone – employees and guests alike.
– Not a PR stunt
– When big companies like Google, Meta and Amazon choose to sideline diversity and scrap their DEI programmes, they’re really saying one thing: “Diversity and inclusion don’t matter.” But let me make one thing crystal clear: diversity is not a PR stunt. It’s one of the smartest business strategies you can have.
At Strawberry, we don’t care where you come from or what you look like. Whether your name is Ali or Ola, or whether you fall in love with women or men. We hire those who bring energy, take responsibility, challenge the status quo, and lift the team.
Diversity is not a cost – it’s a competitive advantage. We know that the future belongs to companies that understand one thing: talent has no nationality, no gender, and no sexual orientation.
Petter A. Stordalen, LinkedIn, 2025
Inclusive workplace
Strawberry is committed to creating a more inclusive workplace. Through our partners, we help people who, for various reasons, have fallen outside the job market find their way back to work. In Oslo, we collaborate with OsloKollega, and together we’ve created “The World’s Most Important Hotel” at Comfort Hotel™ Børsparken. Here, work training is part of a structured system: OsloKollega provides the professional framework and follow-up, while the hotel offers hands-on training. With strong expertise and clear guidance, participants are given a safe path back into employment.
Through OsloKollega’s network, we’ve established a similar hub at Quality Hotel™ Waterfront in Ålesund. In collaboration with Brisk, the hotel offers work training and a secure route back into working life. The initiatives in Oslo and Ålesund are based on the same model, making it possible for Strawberry to scale and expand this concept to more cities. Our ambition is to establish work and inclusion hubs in all major cities across Norway.
We’re also engaged at a national level and have signed the Norwegian government’s Ungdomsløfte, which aims to get 30,000 more people under 30 into work by 2030. Our dedication to inclusion and employment has earned us several awards – most recently the “Ringer i Vannet” Award 2024 and the IMDi Diversity Award 2023.
Vocational education
In collaboration with Realgymnasiet in Sweden – with schools in Stockholm, Linköping, Malmö, Gothenburg, and Sundsvall – Strawberry has developed an educational programme focused on hospitality and tourism. The programme aims to increase interest in the hotel and travel industry, providing students with specialist knowledge and hands-on experience across various areas of hotel operations. As part of the partnership, Strawberry offers students internships at its hotels – and a job guarantee within the company if they wish to continue afterwards.
Strawberry’s collaboration with Realgymnasiet has become a highly sought-after opportunity, with record numbers of applicants in recent years.
What it’s like to work at Strawberry
At Strawberry, we believe in building an inclusive workplace where every voice matters and diversity is celebrated. We’re always looking for passionate individuals who want to make a difference and contribute to a culture of belonging and equality.
Local initiatives in your neighbourhood
Every year, Strawberry supports local communities around our hotels.
Mental health among our employees
At Strawberry, it’s important to us that all employees feel good at work, can be open about their mental health, and find balance between work and private life. We don’t just want our people to cope with everyday challenges – we want them to have the space to truly thrive.
In this article, you can read the powerful story of Marius, one of our employees, who found new hope after an honest conversation with his manager – following a stay at a psychiatric hospital.
Partnership with Samhall
Strawberry has had a national partnership with Samhall in Sweden since 2015. Samhall’s mission is to create meaningful work for people with different disabilities. Their employees are often individuals who have been excluded from the job market, but through Samhall their skills and abilities are matched with the right opportunities. Strawberry supports this by offering internships and recruiting new team members via Samhall.
In 2017, we also took part in Samhall’s “Recruitment Challenge”, aimed at hiring a larger number of new employees.
