Meet our CEO
When I first heard about Blindes Arbejde, I actually didn't know the company. But the more I learned about it, the clearer it became to me that this was a company that combines several of the things I myself find meaningful: good craftsmanship, a real business, and a strong social purpose.
Today I am the director of Blindes Arbejde, and I have had the opportunity to get to know a company with almost 100 years of history, proud craftsmanship traditions, and highly skilled employees.
Business and social responsibility must go hand in hand
Social economy has interested me for many years. About 15 years ago, I helped establish Gadens Stemmer as a social economy enterprise, and since then I have missed working in a field where business also has a clear human purpose.
I found that at Blindes Arbejde.
Our most important task is to create good and meaningful jobs for blind and visually impaired people. We do this through a business that must function and develop. For me, these two things are not opposites. On the contrary, they are closely linked. The stronger a business we can create, the better opportunities we have to create and retain jobs.
It is an approach to management and business that motivates me greatly.
A craft with potential
One of the things that quickly impressed me was the quality of the craftsmanship that takes place every single day. Our brushes, brooms, textiles and chair caning are based on expertise and techniques that the employees have extensive experience with.
At the same time, I feel that our products are a very good fit for the way many people prefer to shop today. More and more people are looking for products made from quality materials, that are properly made, can be used for a long time and have a story and a person behind them.
This is where Blindes Arbejde has something truly special to offer.
That is why I also see great potential in introducing even more people to our products and the stories behind them. We don't necessarily need to be anything other than what we are. We need to get even better at showing what we can already do.
We must develop thoughtfully
Blindes Arbejde is approaching its centenary, and although we have a long history behind us, we must always look ahead.
I would like to help develop our sales and make Blindes Arbejde visible to more people. But this development must happen at a pace that our craftsmanship and production can keep up with. The most important thing is not to grow as quickly as possible, but to create healthy development where quality, our employees, and our social purpose keep pace.
An important part of this is our working community. Blindes Arbejde consists of many different people with different circumstances, experiences, and skills. This places demands on us as an employer, but it is also one of our great strengths.
I want Blindes Arbejde to be a place where people experience that their work matters, and where diversity can be a strength in our collective work.
The next chapters in a long story
I am still relatively new to Blindes Arbejde, and there is still much for me to learn. Some of the most important things for me have therefore been to listen to the employees and understand the expertise, history, and culture that already exist in the organization.
Of course, Blindes Arbejde must evolve, but we must do so with respect for the foundation that has been built up over nearly 100 years.
I look forward to helping write the next chapters. To bring our craft to even more people, develop a strong business, and not least create more opportunities for blind and visually impaired people to become part of a good working community.
Torben Svendsen
Director, Blindes Arbejde
