SOBY has a strong company culture where values-based leadership is a natural part of everyday life. In this interview, Mette and Morten share the values that have shaped the company for generations and explain why there has always been room for people who need a little extra support.
"At SOBY, values-based leadership is a natural part of our everyday work. We believe the best results are achieved when people thrive, develop and feel they are an important part of the team," says Mette.
For the management team, company culture is not just about the way people work. It is equally about the way people treat one another.
At SOBY, there has always been room for people with different backgrounds and circumstances, and an understanding that life sometimes places greater demands on us than work does. That is why the company has always recognised that there are times when people need extra support or flexibility.
"We have always made room for people who needed a little extra support. Today, those efforts are more visible, and we have terms like CSR to describe them. It is also something we work with much more actively today than we did 30 years ago," says Mette.
Over the years, SOBY has had many positive experiences welcoming employees through flex jobs and work placement programmes. Experience has shown that when people are met with trust and given the right support, they can grow, develop and become valuable members of the workplace.
"It may take some time, but people really do flourish. You can help them get back on track. On a personal and human level, I think that's absolutely fantastic," says Morten.
Today, Mette and Morten represent the third generation of family ownership at SOBY. Along with the company, they have also inherited a company culture that they are proud to carry forward.
"We simply want to be a workplace where people enjoy coming to work. A place where people thrive, want to be, and speak positively about—even after they leave for the day. That means a great deal to both of us."
For Mette and Morten, the company culture is not just part of SØBY's history – it is also an important part of its future. It is a culture where people matter and where it feels good to be. That can be felt by employees, throughout the company, and in the local community that SOBY is proud to be part of.
Morten Frantsen and Mette Frantsen became the third generation to lead the family-owned company when they took over SOBY in 2015. Since then, they have carried its culture forward while continuing to develop the business.