Make the world fair – Start at schyst.se

By project DEBUTING

Published on 18 December 2024

Sweden

Norra Mellansverige

About this good practice

Värmland is a region characterized by unequal structures. Young people make gender-stereotypical educational choices, leading to a gender-segregated labour market with e.g. several male-dominated industries and a women-dominated health care sector. Equality, and diversity are important to achieve social sustainability. These issues are necessary for the attractiveness of Värmland and our industries, to be competitive and successful.

The digital knowledge bank schyst.se is a tool for achieving social sustainability and increasing the attractiveness of a region and its organisations/companies. It takes starting point from the high demands employees place on their employers linked to social sustainability. Schyst, the word means fair/nice, is a method, a concept, and a collection of tools. Free and accessible for all.

The Schyst method is a part of making the connections between sustainable growth, equality and diversity comprehensible. At schyst.se everyone can discover the benefits of being equal, inclusive and future-ready, to become a better colleague, strengthen competitiveness, increase profitability, and recruit smarter. Schyst.se is owned by Region Värmland and has been developed in collaboration with clusters and companies in Värmland. Schyst.se is also available in English.

On schyst.se you can learn more about:
- The advantages of being equal
- Diversity and inclusion
- Norm-critical thinking
- Conscious communication
- Fair recruiting
- What does the law say

Expert opinion

This practice is particularly interesting for regional policymakers as it directly addresses the challenges of social sustainability, gender equality, and workforce diversity—key factors in ensuring regional competitiveness and long-term growth. Värmland’s initiative, through the digital knowledge bank schyst.se, provides an accessible and practical tool for fostering inclusive workplaces and reducing gender segregation in the labor market. By linking equality and diversity to economic success, the platform helps organizations understand that fair and inclusive work environments not only attract talent but also enhance innovation and profitability. For regional policymakers, this initiative offers a scalable and transferable model that aligns with EU priorities on social cohesion and economic resilience. Its success in engaging businesses, clusters, and public institutions demonstrates the potential for widespread adoption, while its availability in English makes it accessible beyond Sweden. The strong demand for such tools highlights the need for structured support in achieving workplace equality, making schyst.se a valuable resource for any region seeking to enhance social sustainability and economic competitiveness.

Luc Schmerber

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

The knowledge bank, schyst.se, is both regional and national funded and had a budget of SEK 1,5 M for graphic and design made by an external communication company. Staff costs for Region Värmland, three clusters (Compare, IUC Värmland, Paper Province) and participating companies are not included.

Evidence of success

Schyst.se was launched in Swedish at a national conference on 8 February 2024 and has since then been presented and demonstrated at more than 50 occasions, both regionally, nationally and internationally. There has been a demand for also having the site in English, and since October 2024 the English site is up running.
The project has yielded excellent results already. The region, the clusters and companies in Värmland have the goal to educate all staff regularly with support from schyst.se.

Potential for learning or transfer

Both employers and employees have obligations and rights according to Swedish and EU laws and regulations. All organisations in Europe could discover the benefits of being equal, inclusive, and future-ready. An equal workplace is not just an attractive workplace, a fair working environment also increases profitability and innovative power.

There is a strong demand for tools to work with equality in Värmland. Managers in Värmland have included parts of shyst.se in their operations. We know that other regions in Sweden also use schyst.se. Since the site also is available in English, it can be used by other regions in Europe.

Schyst is a method based on continuous learning and on schyst.se you can find inspiration and tools for change. As with much else, the commitment gives the best results when everyone works in the same direction. By helping each other, keeping our eyes open, and reminding each other to be fair, the understanding increases and a change for a fair world has begun.