Introduction to Top 10 - Nordics

The Leadership Foundation, owners of Top 10, intend to extend the scope of Top 10 to the Nordics in 2010. The aim is to implement the Top 10 project in Sweden and Denmark in 2009 and in Finland and Iceland in 2011. The Top 10 Nordics will establish a Nordic research project, yearly award and media profiling project event aimed at promoting successful immigrants in the Nordic region. Thus enabling the sharing of best practice on an integration and diversity project in Norway with Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

Why Nordic?

Keeping with the Nordic tradition of best practice sharing, this project aims to enhance the transfer of knowledge on a project that was developed in Norway. After 5 years of successful implementation, the Top 10 project is well established in its context to provide benefits with regard to integration and to foster the development of a positive working environment in the Nordics.

The Nordics share a common history with regard to migration, integration with relatively new experience as diverse and “multicultural societies”.  All of the Nordic countries have experienced a significant increase in the number of immigrants and particularly non-western immigrants in the last decade and this trend is expected to continue. As indicated in the Nordic Globalization Barometer 2008 the inflow of high-skilled foreigners is relatively low and the integration of immigrants into the labor market is problematic in the Nordics.  To maintain its competitive stance, the region has to make a concerted effort to attract global human capital. The Nordic Globalization Barometer 2008 further underlines that while this is national in nature, Nordic collaboration can provide support.

There is a general need for greater understanding of the barriers to integration and promoting role models in local and national context.

Representation and portrayal of immigrants in the media forms society’s ability to cope, learn and embrace diversity.  In 2005, a study in Denmark revealed that nearly 85% of the Danish population formed their opinions on immigration and immigrants through the media (Hervik 1999). The top 10 enhances an enables a positive portrayal of immigrants in the media, successfully men and women are profiled, locally and at a Nordic level. 

To summarize, this project will enhance and strengthen integration and inclusion at national and Nordic levels and further highlight the resources that international global talent possesses. Key components to improving the working environment within the Nordic region. The project enhances equality from a gender and ethnicity perspective and will positively impact the attractiveness of the Nordics. The project also provides a new and unique focus on issues of contemporary concern in the workforce in the Nordic region.

How Nordic?

A Nordic Top 10 project team will be established in 2009 where the Leadership Foundation takes roles of project manager, research manager and network manager. In Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland candidates will be recruited will fill the research coordinator and network coordinator positions.
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