It is important for each of us to feel accepted and valued for who we are. We all have different feelings of being an outsider for which acceptance and appreciation are a healing experience. At Ensto, the living and breathing Trust Capital is the so-called capital of capitals, perhaps the most important of all our values. It carries the idea that when you belong to a community where there is a genuine atmosphere of trust, it is also possible to be yourself and be accepted as such.
If you live strongly in a certain norm, it can really be difficult to understand what it is like to live outside the norms. I know from experience that non-normative people are kind of constantly scanning and probing whether it is okay to be yourself. It is very energy-consuming. The idea of feeling safe as yourself also comes from how the people around you act and how they treat others. When there is trust and acceptance in the group, it is easier to show your vulnerability. And when you recognize the vulnerability in yourself, you see and are able to accept it in others, too.
We all have feelings of being isolated or excluded, be it related to any area of life. Sometimes, it may feel, for example, that we do not succeed at work like a colleague, that we are not heard by our own family, or that we are rejected by friends. With the help of these everyday experiences, we can better identify with the other person's similar feelings and experiences. We are all vulnerable and long for genuine encounters and caring.
We live in a time where our thinking is sometimes divided. Instead of reinforcing this, we should think about how we can build bridges to each other. We lose a lot if we choose to live in our own bubbles, thinking that our truth is the only true one. I have been able to be myself with my family and friends, but in the bigger picture, there are still feelings of shame and tension associated with something different. Therefore, as one of Ensto's owners, I want to talk about the importance of this topic in our company. In all areas of life; not only at home, but also at work and leisure, one should be free to be who one is. For example, there are today many people and experiences for representatives of sexual minorities that can be identified with through art, media, and everyday life. That is what every one of us needs.
None of us is just of one kind, but there is diversity in all of us. In fact, we could be careful about locking ourselves in a particular box – about anything at all. Times change, but only through our actions. Ten years ago, I myself would not have thought that I would be able to write Ensto's blog post about belonging to a sexual minority one day, because the mere thought seemed distant at the time. Fortunately, there are situations in life where one's own views change. Diversity gives space to everyone – including ourselves.
June 2023 is a Pride month, which aims at highlighting the rights of sexual minorities and the joy of diversity. I have never lived a heteronormative life and it has always been acceptable to those around me. When I met my first girlfriend as a 17-year-old summer worker at Ensto in the 90s, my grandfather and Ensto’s founder Ensio Miettinen fully accepted it. Even though the world was still very different at the time.
Sexuality is, of course, only one aspect under the great umbrella of equality and diversity. We must all strive to create an atmosphere of acceptance where we can be ourselves – regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, or other characteristics. At Ensto, I feel I can breathe freely. It's great to be part of and work in a company where diversity is not glued on top, but a reality. Diversity needs Trust Capital in order to be actualized. With us, you can trust that you can be exactly the person you are.
Anna Miettinen
The author is one of Ensto’s owners and the Chairperson of the Board of Ensto’s parent company, Ensto Invest Oy.