Bringing diversity into the Norwegian business

The City Council’s Office for Business Development has taken an active stance on integrating minority businesses. The greatest problem they have is with the complexity of Norwegian rules and regulations regarding taxation and business practice. Many small business contravene the law without understanding or even knowing it, and many others opt to enter the black economy to make life simpler. A Nordic Network for Diversity at Work has been established and Oslo hosted a conference on the European Intercultural Workplace recently, attended by 70 CEOs, but it is felt there is much still work to be done in bringing diversity into the Norwegian business world. The Norwegian Center for Multicultural Value Creation is helping the so-called "non-western", first and second-generation immigrants to start their businesses by providing advisory services, coaching and training in business establishment. The center is unique in its approach in assisting the professional immigrants, and has received extensive and positive attention and support nationwide among the immigrant organizations, government institutions, private organizations and the media. The result of such attention has been that a large number of immigrants have contacted the center and are frequent users of the services provided.