Our Contributions
This page is part of the management commentary for 2020/2021, and part of the mandatory CSR report in accordance with Section 99a of the Danish Financial Statements Act (Årsregnskabsloven).
Policy for Partnerships, Research, Knowledge & charity
Systematic’s corporate vision states: “Together we are transforming society with exceptional software creating more possibilities and a better world for us all” and we are thus committed to shaping a better future through digitalisation. Our contribution to the digitalisation of society creates economic growth and welfare, and the profits we generate are reinvested in innovation and the development of new IT solutions for the benefit of our customers.
Besides software development, we partner with educational and research institutions, where we contribute our technological expertise, specific domain knowledge or financial support.
Systematic makes a point of contributing to IT study programmes and research projects to help ensure that graduates are sufficiently qualified to work with the actual challenges they are likely to encounter within software development. We have to be at the forefront of research and practice within this area to explore and exploit the full potential of our field. If we do not do so, we risk losing ground to our competitors, both commercially and when recruiting staff with the kinds of specialist capabilities essential for future success. In 2021, we sponsored research, education and charitable causes to the tune of DKK 1,160,000.
Sharing our know-how
Systematic has a special role to play in educating as well as recruiting the next generation of talent in many different disciplines associated with our field of business.
Therefore, we have partnered with several Danish universities to help educate the next generation of IT talents.
We organise study-related activities at Systematic for students following relevant courses, including company visits where they can learn about software development. In FY 2020/2021, we cooperated with three Danish educational institutions and conducted four Scrum courses for students to give them an introduction to Scrum as part of the Agile methodology. In collaboration with Danish universities, Systematic employees also provided details from this practical experience to supplement the theoretical content of four guest lectures.
We are also active in many different governing bodies for relevant higher education institutions, and we offer internships where students learn to translate theory into practice as an integrated part of their curriculum. In FY 2020/2021, we ran 37 internships at our offices in Denmark. We also cooperate with students on their exam projects, which currently counts five final projects with students from different educational institutions in Denmark.
Getting girls into IT
Systematic always focuses on recruiting people with the best qualifications to fill vacancies – regardless of age, gender, disability etc. Systematic therefore supports initiatives to improve the gender balance. As part of these efforts, Systematic has sponsored the IT Camp for girls for several years, an initiative that gives Danish female upper secondary school students an insight into what it is like to study IT and computer science. The aim is to encourage girls throughout Denmark to take more of an interest in IT to encourage them to choose a technical career within the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.
The fight against illiteracy
Being able to read is an important prerequisite for acquiring knowledge and understanding the world. In wanting to make a difference, Systematic has established the international Joy of Reading Award in collaboration with Next Library, a series of conferences for librarians and library professionals. The award is presented every other year to recognise initiatives that help combat illiteracy, a global problem that Systematic is keen to help eradicate. The winner of the Joy of Reading Award 2021 was Za’atari Camp Libraries in Jordan, which comprises 12 libraries in one of the world’s largest refugee camps.
Za’atari Camp Libraries is the first library service worldwide which is exclusively run by refugees, and its purpose is to eradicate illiteracy among the Camp’s 79,000 Syrian residents, particularly the children. The award comes with a cash prize of USD 10,000.
Rewarding innovative new libraries
Every year, the Public Library of the Year award is presented as part of a collaboration between Systematic and the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA). The award is given in recognition of new and innovative libraries that create a strong connection between citizen experience, architecture and technology. The nominated libraries are assessed on multiple parameters, for example their ability to include factors such as digital trends, local culture and sustainability, as well as user wishes and needs.
In 2021, the Public Library of the Year award went to Oslo’s new main library Deichman Bjørvika, which in addition to the award, received a cash prize of USD 5,000.
Help for families with sick children
Systematic has been sponsoring a family room at the Danish foundation TrygFonden’s Family House at Aarhus University Hospital in Skejby for many years. The family house provides small flats and a safe environment for families with children being treated for long-term illnesses. It gives the families the opportunity to stay together during longer periods of hospitalisation.
Supporting vulnerable women
‘’’Reden” (“the ‘Haven”) is a shelter for vulnerable women in difficult life situations – often due to substance abuse, trafficking and prostitution. At Reden, these women can come in for a meal, a friendly chat, a bath, counselling or just a break. For years, Systematic has supported the important work done by Reden – not only financially – but also with personalised birthday cakes and communal Christmas dinners.
Funding a PhD project studying winning cultures in sports and business
In 2019, Systematic partnered with Aarhus University and Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (BSH) handball club in a PhD anthropology project to examine how organisations maintain and develop a team culture that promotes performance at a high level. The project will contribute specific and evidence-based knowledge in this field which Systematic and other organisations can benefit from. As part of the work involved with this project, PhD student Kasper Pape Helligsøe has been sharing his findings and discussing them in a series of podcasts published by Mediano. The project will be completed in summer 2022 when it will become publicly available. A helping hand for the culture and restaurant industry
To support many of the businesses that have been impacted by the Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, in 2021 Systematic gave a helping hand to the culture and restaurant industry which at the same time benefited Systematic’s employees. As the company has not suffered financial losses as a result of Covid-19, we decided to seize the opportunity which the Danish government offered businesses to give employees a tax-free gift voucher worth DKK 1,200 The gift voucher could be used for attractions, restaurants, hotels, museums, theatres etc. In total, ‘ Systematic’s employees received gift vouchers worth a total of DKK 1.3 million.