Right now the enrollment to the new generation of SEB's mentoring program is ongoing. One of this year's participants, is Ingrid Engström, head of HR & Organizational Development. "It feels exciting and a bit daunting. I look forward to meet the person I'm going to mentor," she says.
In March this year's mentoring program will begin, where employees at SEB each will be mentor during one year for a youth between 14 and 16 years old. This is a way to make an effort for a young person, while at the same time getting the chance for own development.
Since 1997, SEB has worked with the Mentor Foundation and the cooperation has expanded gradually. This year it is being introduced in Estonia and Latvia, but it is also added as a natural step to SEB's post-graduate management training.
We met with Ingrid Engström, the day before her mentor training. Although the days are hectic and fully booked with other meetings, she looks forward to the training and to get started with her mentorship.
“I've been doing interviews and the work to match me and the person I am going to mentor is now ongoing. I still do not know which school the student will come from, but where I work we have good subway connections in all directions,” she says.
Why have you chosen to participate?
“It is from both personal and professional reasons. I have three grown up children and I know how important and difficult the period of youth can be. During all times children have always needed an adult conversation partner outside of the family. I hope that I, base on my personal experience, have something to contribute with. It also feels very good to do something practical to support a young person.”
“For us as a bank, it is natural to take an active role in developing the society in which we operate. The cooperation with Mentor is one of the forms where we do that. That is one way of demonstrating openness and sharing our values and what we stand for.”
In addition to SEB making a community effort, the mentor program also gives a lot in return. The vast majority of the more than 200 employees who, since the start in 1997, have been mentors say that mentoring has been very stimulating for them.
”This is something that we want to establish and therefore we will now integrate the mentoring program as a natural step in our management training. We believe it is very rewarding from a leadership perspective to leave the usual environment, the usual meeting rooms and meet a young person in a completely different context," she says.