Summary of the Nordic Project

In 2004, The Center for Corporate Diversity presented the first overview of the largest 500 Nordic companies and the number of women board directors and executive directors in each of the companies. This was also the first benchmarking of diversity in the largest Nordic companies, based on the same principles used to analyze the 500 largest corporations in the US, Canada, Australia and South Africa.
The international attention that the Nordic 500 Report attracts is due to the interest and respect for characteristics of the Nordic social profile: Gender equality, inclusiveness, and proximity to power.

• The 2004 Nordic 500 established a reference for the Nordic countries, in line with similar listings used to analyze the top corporations in other countries. The Nordic 500 was the only existing registration of board directors and executive management in the 500 largest Nordic companies.
• In 2007 the Diversity Council decided to include measures of ethical practice and transparency in the future Nordic 500 studies. The Council organized a conference on corporate ethics on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
• The 2008 Nordic 500 brought to light the progress of the top 500 Nordic companies and their challenges for improved diversity.  
• How companies recruit and retain diversity in their board of directors. If companies recruit people with international and multicultural skills to their boards.
• If more women board directors have been recruited in the Nordic 500 boards compared to 2004 numbers.
• The differences between the Nordic countries.
• The wider analysis examined whether and how the 500 companies had included ethical guidelines and procedures to secure transparent behavior. The 2008 Nordic 500 was released at an international conference in the National Library in Oslo.
• The 2010 Nordic study. Ethical behavior starts at the top: The study will carry out the first comparative approach to corporate ethics and innovation in the 500 top companies in the Nordic countries.

The CCD studies are supported by governmental institutions and major companies. This is the manner of partnership we create for the Nordic 500. In the Nordic 500 we intend to profile “best practice diversity companies” in the Nordic region.