News from Central Denmark

When COVID -19 announced its arrival to Europe, Denmark was among the first European countries to implement a widespread lockdown and to close its borders.

These measures quickly paid off, and Denmark could already in mid-April announce a gradual and controlled reopening of its society.

On April 15, Denmark is the first country to reopen some of its schools. Five days later, small stores and small businesses reopen to the public - the first steps in a scheduled plan for a gradual reopening of the country where life is today re-approaching normal. 

Trust is key

A high level of trust in government, authorities and each other has been key to Denmark’s ability to effectively manage the crisis.

From the start, Danes have by-and-large supported the government’s plan to slow the spread of the virus and have done what was asked of them by staying at home and maintaining social distance.

This type of reaction is not unusual in Denmark. In fact, Danes’ trust in authorities and one another is generally high.

Corporate social responsibility at its best 

Throughout the past three months, one of the most frequently used words in Denmark has been ‘samfundssind’, which roughly translates to “public spirit”. It’s the sense that “we are all in this together” and that, in the words of the prime minister, to get through the crisis “we should stand together by staying apart”.

But it’s not only citizens who have displayed high commitment to society. So have many Danish companies. There are numerous examples of organizations that set company interest aside and offered their assistance in different ways.

For instance, more than 170 companies signed up for a task force to support the healthcare system, shifting their production from e.g. orange juice to hand sanitizer in order to meet the high demand from healthcare workers.

A career move to the land of public commitment?

Within HEADSTART, we also experienced how some of the companies we partner with in Central Denmark quickly adapted their business to the new situation.

Grundfos, for instance, shifted its production from water pumps to face shields. And when the Danish government asked citizens with relevant health and military backgrounds to volunteer where needed, Danske Bank offered all employees with such backgrounds an economical compensation, should they wish to volunteer.

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