Who is Alexander?
I grew up in Sollefteå, a small town up north in Sweden. Right after graduation, I moved to Stockholm, as I felt a need to get away from my small hometown. Today, I try to find every opportunity I can to come back and visit and spend time in nature. It’s funny how that can switch, 18-year-old Alex would’ve laughed at 31-year-old Alex.
I am the youngest of four siblings, and with me being the last one to leave the nest, I had the privilege of having my mother moving to Stockholm to her – new husband – at the same time as I moved here 12 years ago. It is nice to have her close-by. My spare time is spent with family and friends, and on various DIY projects, always with the mindset ‘I can make that!’.
What inspired you to take on the responsibility to lead Telia’s LGBTQIA+ ERG?
Since May 1st 2024, I have been employed by Telia working as an Online Channel Manager for teliacompany.com. Besides that, I’ve got the opportunity to head the LGBTQIA+ ERG at Telia which is very exciting!
Growing up in a small town when accessibility to information wasn’t easy, I relied on the societal contexts around me to tell me what was ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. With me being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, I have sometimes felt the need to ‘mask’ parts of myself to either ‘fit in’ or perhaps a better phrasing would be ‘not stand out’. Coming out as gay at 18 was liberating and super scary, not really knowing what would happen next.
We have come a long way, but we can always do more and better by supporting others struggling with the same thing as I did – ‘not standing out’. I want to be a part of the ERG work at Telia since I know what it feels like to be anxious about your identity at work and to not feel represented in certain environments. If I can be a part of the change to create a more inclusive workplace – sign me up!
How do you think Telia is progressing in terms of fostering inclusion, and what specific changes do you expect?
I think Telia is doing great when it comes to inclusion, setting the bar quite high. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are set up to create safe spaces for dialogue, advocate for inclusivity, and support through sharing best practices. This gives us a great advantage in that sense that we can focus on the details and talk about the small changes that will have a large impact.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
At Telia, DEI is at the heart of who we are. It’s not just a part of our culture—it’s how we bring our Purpose and Values to life. We believe in creating strong, meaningful connections, not just with our customers but also with each other as colleagues and as people.
We’re proud to be recognized for these efforts. In 2020, Telia Sweden was honored as the most LGBTQI-friendly workplace by Unionen, Sweden’s largest trade union, and in 2021, Telia Estonia was named the most LGBT-friendly company.
Read more here about Estonia’s reward!
