An attractive employer and partner
The Group’s employees are Synsam’s most important asset. Being able to attract, develop and retain employees is a critical success factor. Motivated employees with the right qualifications and insight into the needs of our customers are crucial to Synsam’s continued development as the leading optical retail chain in the Nordic region. Synsam aims be the most attractive company in the optical retail sector. The Group strives to offer a safe, inspiring and inclusive workplace.
Motivated and skilled employees
Synsam takes an active approach to designing and refining its work approach in order to achieve a good work environment for its employees, with skills development, health, diversity and equal treatment receiving priority. Synsam has a zero tolerance policy for harassment.
Supply and development of skills
Due to a growing, ageing population and increased use of screens from an early age, the demand for optical expertise is growing. Today, just over 1,000 licensed opticians work within the Group. There is a shortage of opticians, and they perform an important social function. Synsam is working actively to encourage more people to train as opticians.
Synsam regularly engages with optometry students through lectures and presentations to promote Synsam as an attractive employer. As part of its efforts to provide the Group’s opticians with opportunities for continued professional development, a wide range of training courses is offered through the internal learning platform, Synsam Academy. These include opportunities to specialize in various optical fields, such as the treatment of myopia. Other employees also have the opportunity to develop their skills through Synsam Academy. Along with knowledge certification, courses in subjects ranging from optics to contact lens webinars, driver’s licence checks and product knowledge are provided on an ongoing basis as part of the training programme.
Flexible ways of working thanks to technology
Synsam is also working to retain the opticians that the Group has. Ensuring that our opticians are motivated and have a good work environment is an important part of this effort. In order to provide more flexibility, Synsam offers various work opportunities. Aside from being physically present in the examination room, opticians are also able to work in locum shifts or as a remote examination optician. Modern technology allows opticians to carry out eye examinations digitally. This essentially means that the optician participates via a screen in the examination room at the store. On site in the room and physically present throughout the session is a trained optometric assistant with some clinical expertise who assists the customer in the examination room as well as the optician remotely. The quality is just as high as a traditional eye examination and tests show that customers are equally satisfied with this process as with traditional eye examinations.
Safe workplaces throughout the value chain
Synsam strives to be a responsible producer and retailer, enabling customers to feel confident that its products are manufactured under conditions that respect human rights, labour rights, and environmental standards.
Synsam is a member of amfori and applies the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct for suppliers. The Group requires all suppliers to commit to complying with the BSCI Code of Conduct and only engages production units that can demonstrate an approved BSCI audit.
Anti-corruption
Synsam has a strict zero tolerance policy against corruption. There is zero tolerance for bribery, corruption and other forms of unethical behaviour in business relationships. The Group’s anti-corruption policy governs, among other things, the giving and receiving of benefits or gifts, and the rules governing agents and other intermediaries. Synsam informs its employees about the policy.
Whistleblower policy
Synsam has a whistleblower policy that is available both internally and externally. The policy was developed in line with Synsam’s core values and Code of Conduct. Synsam believes it is important that any wrongdoing or suspicion of wrongdoing that takes place within the organisation is reported, investigated and addressed as quickly as possible.
Read our whistleblower policy (Swedish)
Equal and inclusive
Synsam’s ambition is to offer an equal and inclusive workplace. Synsam strives for an even gender distribution at all levels of the company. All management groups and boards of the Group’s companies should have an even gender balance. The proportion of women or men should not fall below 40 percent and not exceed 60 percent.