Everyone has the right to high-quality education

Our workplaces will be safe and characterised by a work environment where everyone is given the opportunity to learn and develop. The premises in which we are located must be fit for purpose and have all the necessary equipment. The core of our work environment initiatives is about creating a physically, psychologically and socially healthy environment and to prevent risk of work-related injuries and ill-health. 

Each school’s headteacher is responsible for the students and employees work environment. The systematic work environment efforts are an important tool in creating good working conditions across every unit. Starting in year seven, students are represented by a student protection representative. Prior to year seven, students are allowed to take part in work environment activities based on age, maturity and conditions. The student protection representative is appointed by adult students. 

We maintain a close dialogue with trade union parties at all levels within AcadeMedia and collaborate on several different levels (local, area and group). At group level, there is a Work Environment Council which includes the HR director, all HR managers and four regional safety representatives from the Swedish Teachers' Union and the Teachers' Association. 

The primary responsibility of the Work Environment Council is to monitor current work environment issues.  

The importance of our work environment efforts is stated in the introduction to our work environment policy, one of our most important guiding policies. It says, “A healthy working environment is a competitive issue and thus also a strategic issue for AcadeMedia and its operations”. 

Our aim is to create a physically, psychologically, and socially healthy and progressive workplace for all employees and students/participants, where risks of work injuries and work-related ill health are prevented.  

We have established a personnel security policy so that all our employees know how we view and how we act in terms of security issues. Our employees carry out work that affects many people. In this profession, a lack of transparency can lead to situations that can be emotionally stressful or difficult to manage for other reasons.  

Incidents where people we meet in our workplace act out have been on the rise. A small proportion of those who act out threaten our employees, expose them to stalking or other situations that are perceived as unpleasant. Our security policy gives all workplaces within AcadeMedia tools for how such situations should be handled. The policy is available on AcadeMedia's intranet, and it is available for use by anyone, either in parts or in its entirety. 

AcadeMedia began training employees in PDV at our primary and upper-secondary schools in 2017. PDV is a Swedish police term and an abbreviation for Ongoing Deadly Violence. The definition of PDV is as follows: One or more perpetrators want to kill as many people as possible, in as short time as possible. The aim of the training is to give all employees at our primary and secondary schools knowledge and insight to minimise the damage in the event of such attacks. Close to 6,000 employees have now completed the training. Even though the subject is difficult and troubling to think and talk about, the training is highly appreciated with positive feedback given by participants.  

The training was not carried out during the pandemic as it requires physical exercises and close physical proximity to have the intended effect.