The Future Workplace and the Global Future projects

According to the answers provided in the survey, the ethnic background of public employees reflects the composition of the city's population only at the lower levels. However, Bergen has put into practice a specific recruitment strategy to ensure that the ethnic background of public employees mirrors the composition of the city's inhabitants. In 2013, the City Council passed an action plan called The Future Workplace which deals with this issue among others, paying special attention to the role of the municipality of Bergen as employer for minorities. Non-nationals can seek employment in the local public administration. The city encourages intercultural mixing and competences in private sector enterprises. Different initiatives are promoted in this field, such the economic support to the project Global Future leads by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise and the economic support and co-partnership in the annual International Career Fair with the Bergen Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The website emphasises the importance of intercultural and multilingual employees for Bergen’s business to stay competitive in today’s international business culture. Besides, Bergen provides three out of the four services listed in the Intercultural cities index which are tailored to the needs of the ethnic/cultural background of its citizens: it offers funeral/burial services, women only sections and times in sports facilities in response to culturally-based requests and other services such as the municipal translation agency, which provides translators in more than 60 languages and special services to residents in care-homes.