Our Team

Don’t hesitate to contact us at NIR. Our head office is based in Stockholm and regional coordinators in Nairobi, Johannesburg, Hanoi and Bogota. Scroll down to meet our team .

Christine Bäckström

CEO
christine.backstrom@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 65

Annie Ross

Programme Director
Sustainability Impact Accelerator
annie.ross@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 78

Lauren McIntosh

Senior Compliance Officer
lauren.mcintosh@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 25

Petter Sjöblom

Programme Design and Evaluation
petter.sjoblom@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-999 03 85

Binta Mutale

Team Lead Africa
Swedish Workplace Programme
binta.mutale@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 80

Mimmi Bergström

Head of Secretariat
mimmi.bergstrom@nir.se
Tel: 46(0)70-791 93 75

Kaveh Hagi

Team Lead Latin America
Swedish Workplace Programme
kaveh.hagi@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 76

Evalena Persson

Team Lead Asia
Swedish Workplace Programme evalena.persson@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 73

Alessandra Cornale

Programme Director
Swedish Workplace Programme
alessandra.cornale@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 93 81

Henrik Hallgren

Programme Director
Sustainability in Mining (MARS)
henrik.hallgren@nir.se
Tel: +46 (0)70-791 99 96

Perpetua Watheira

Programme Coordinator Kenya Swedish Workplace Programme perpetua.watheira@swpglobal.org Tel +254 769 255 280

Irene Ryynänen

CFO
irene.ryynanen@nir.se
Tel +46 707 91 93 77

Maria Castilla

Regional Programme Coordinator Latin America - Swedish Workplace Programme maria.castilla@swpglobal.org
Tel +57 310 667 02 15

Andres Hernandez

Regional Programme Manager Latin America - MARS andres.hernandez@nir.se
Tel +57 321 451 6926

Thu Hien Nguyen

Programme Coordinator Vietnam
Swedish Workplace Programme thuhien.nguyen@swpglobal.org
Tel +84 396 846 321

Kajsa Wimmerström

Programme Manager
Sustainability Impact Accelerator kajsa.wimmerstrom@nir.se
+46 707 91 93 16

Office

Näringslivets Internationella Råd (NIR)
International Council of Swedish Industry

Box 130 09
103 01 STOCKHOLM

Visiting Address:
World Trade Center
Klarabergsviadukten 70
111 64 Stockholm

E-mail

info@nir.se

Phone

+46 8 783 00 50

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This executive summary presents the findings from the study “Workplace Cooperation: Finding Practical Solutions in the Colombian Context,” conducted by the Fundación Ideas para la Paz (FIP). The study evaluates the added value of the Swedish Workplace Programme (SWP) dialogue and cooperation model within the Colombian labor market.

Throughout 2022, FIP dedicated efforts to thoroughly understand the SWP model, including its concept, foundations, implementation process, and contributions to the labor market. In 2023, FIP documented the experiences of three companies—SKF Latin Trade, Securitas, and Epiroc—that implemented the SWP model in practice. The study also included face-to-face workshops to gather feedback from various stakeholders including civil society, businesses, government, academia, and international cooperation. The findings suggest that the SWP model has the potential to strengthen labor relations, contribute to decent work, and resolve workplace conflicts in Colombia.

The case studies highlight the importance of collaboration between employers and workers to promote decent work and sustainable development in Colombia. They demonstrate that social dialogue facilitates worker participation in labor decision-making, enhances their representativeness, and promotes cooperation between employers and employees, thus improving labor relations and contributing to the well-being of both employees and companies.

The SWP model is particularly noted for improving workplace relationships and commitment to jointly finding solutions to challenges faced by workers and the company. It empowers workers, enhances leadership, and helps integrate business policies into daily practices, reducing the initial disconnect between management objectives and the day-to-day realities of workers. The study also highlights the model’s capacity to manage conflicts constructively, transforming the perception of conflict as an opportunity for improvement. Structured dialogues deepen understanding of the underlying causes of conflicts, fostering empathy and facilitating effective resolution. This promotes a culture of collaboration and a democratic approach to decision-making, building trust.

Additionally, the model is recognized for enabling workers to make decisions, identify challenges, and propose solutions that impact their well-being, and bridging gender gaps in the workplace. Its inclusive approach adapts to the unique needs and characteristics of each company, promoting a stronger and more diverse organizational culture. It also drives good work performance and productivity by involving workers in problem identification and resolution, as well as in implementing improvements and efficiently identifying ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) risks for companies.

The document identifies the SWP model’s added value in empowering direct interaction among labor stakeholders in Colombia, overcoming historical or cultural reservations, and contributing to the development of stronger labor relations and improved workplace environments in the country.

Challenges and opportunities of the model are also discussed. The study points out the importance of addressing value chain risks, particularly in a global context where corporate clients demand decent work processes and due diligence. It emphasizes the need to integrate SMEs into this process and use anchor companies as drivers of social dialogue throughout the value chain. The role of the state in social dialogue and the importance of highlighting the benefits of the model for adoption across various business sectors are discussed.

The opportunities of the model include raising awareness of human rights in the workplace in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP), to strengthen due diligence, manage risks, promote long-term sustainability, and improve organizational culture. The document also underscores the importance of involving workers in change processes, leveraging their insights for continuous improvement of processes, and fostering innovation opportunities. Lastly, it suggests replicating the model in value chains to address work environment risks and gender biases, involving suppliers and contractors, and integrating the model into corporate policies to strengthen existing programs and transform organizational culture towards resource efficiency and effective participation of employers and workers.