We are Ekvalita
Ekvalita has three starting points in its work on basic values:
creativity, inclusion, and respect
Ekvalita was founded in 2008 to be able to work full time with matters we are passionate about: Change work and management of Diversity and Inclusion.
In Ekvalita, we want to contribute to a more inclusive and fair society with the help of new socially innovative approaches and methods.
We feel that society is at a breaking point when it comes to working on gender equality, diversity and inclusion, which require new approaches and new methods. The demands of the labour market and how to promote well-being have also changed. In our work, we are inspired by those who are not afraid to critically analyse their organisation, listening to both employees and customers to create more fair play in service and products.
We want to support the organisations that choose or have chosen to leave the old and embrace the new, when it comes to issues of equality and equal treatment.
Our strength is to identify challenges and implement the solutions at an operational and hands-on level so that they support the strategic work of the organisation.
Networking and meeting in different forums with other actors has a central place in our development of skills and ideas. By exchanging thoughts and ideas with colleagues in the Nordic and European countries, we develop new ways and methods to work on these issues.
With our 20 years of experience working on these issues, in different contexts and with different focuses, we want to share our experience and knowledge as a kick-starter, initiator or moderator, where change and future are the focus.
Ekvalita’s team consists of CEO & equity expert Malin Gustavsson, as well as experts in various subject areas. The strengths of every team member and our wide network of collaborators guarantee the first-class quality of our products and services.
Accomplishments
Through the years, Ekvalita has been given recognition for its contributions to equity and diversity work. Malin Gustavsson and Ekvalita were rewarded with the Year’s Kristiina award by the University of Helsinki’s department of Gender studies in 2015, and with Folkbildningsmedaljen award by Svenska folkskolans vänner association in 2023.
Our work approach
At Ekvalita, we work practically and case-by-case. Together with the client, we map the current situation of the organisation and tailor our support to suit its needs. We look for concrete solutions to enable change. We believe that change is achieved through concrete and everyday actions and the involvement of everyone. At the heart of our work approach is multi-level collaboration: we share our tips for equality-promoting methods and tools with clients, who in turn are experts in their field and context. We utilise participatory methods and take into account different perspectives, starting points, and learning styles.
Our expertise is based on critical theories of power and norms. Our norm-aware approach helps us understand the exclusionary and inclusive structures and norms of both society and various organisations. We examine the effects of norms about inequality, discrimination, and unconscious biases. The focus is on everyday practices, self-reflection, and enabling change.
Our values
Our values are based on three themes: creativity, inclusion, and respect. These themes are the core principles of our work, which we adhere to in our interactions with each other and with the rest of society. In addition, our values form the foundation upon which we build our assignments and our entire operations. Our values guide us in developing our own organisational culture and collaboration with others.
Innovation – Norm-aware Development
Ekvalita promotes norm-aware change. We recognise that norms can be inclusive, empowering, or neutral. At the same time, they can restrict and exclude, negatively affecting, for example, an individual’s or community’s sense of security and the utilisation of potential. Through innovation, we challenge restrictive norms in all our operations. In practice, this manifests as the development and application of concrete and pragmatic ideas. We are solution-oriented and avoid getting stuck in patterns by utilising creative and insightful methods.
Inclusion – Strengthening Participation
Ekvalita’s goal is to create services that produce positive and encouraging experiences. We emphasise the individual strengths of each person and promote socially significant values. Our vision is to create space for everyone we encounter so that they feel seen, supported, and included. In a safe, inclusive, and inspiring environment, challenges become opportunities. This creates the conditions for broader participation in change work, actively sharing skills and experiences.
Respect – The Foundation of Collaboration
Respect is present in all of Ekvalita’s activities. It guides our chosen methods and practices. We value diverse expertise both within and outside our organisation. We respect each other’s roles and responsibilities, and we work towards achieving our common goals. Through respect, we communicate that every individual is equally valuable. We listen to and value each other in both words and actions, even when our opinions differ. When we encounter disagreements, we strive to understand the perspective of our colleagues or clients.
Malin Gustavsson
Ekvalita’s founder and CEO
I founded Ekvalita in 2008 as a fresh graduate of a Master’s degree in Gender Studies because I wanted to work full-time on my greatest passion – diversity change work. At the time, I was one of the few in this field, and so I have seen equality and non-discrimination work develop to its current scale. I want to continue to be involved in making society a more inclusive and just place through new, innovative methods.
I feel that we constantly need new and up-to-date methods and approaches for today’s change work. I am inspired by people who are not afraid to critically examine their organisation, but want to listen to both employees and customers to build a fairer work community.
Networks and meeting other actors in different contexts are key to my professional development. I enjoy exchanging thoughts and ideas with my Nordic and European colleagues, and this allows me to develop new ways and methods for working on equality and non-discrimination issues.
Virve Savoila
Educator and project manager in Nya horisonter
I have been part of Ekvalita’s education team since 2015. I mainly work on the project Nya horisonter, within which we train students and staff at vocational schools and colleges on equality themes. In addition to project work, I visit educational institutions of various levels, giving workshops and lectures to both pupils, students and teachers.
My strengths include my experience in the field of education and my previous work with people in different groups in different environments. My studies in gender studies opened my eyes to the functioning of gender, privilege and power structures. These insights constantly encourage me to learn more, and I am privileged to share inspiration and information on these topics. All change work is process-based, and so is work on equality, diversity and equality.
Eerika Ströömi
Educator and project manager in Nya horisonter
I mainly work on the project Nya horisonter, within which we train students and staff at vocational schools and colleges on equality themes. I also train staff and students at other school levels. I also do translations and language maintenance for Ekvalita texts whenever needed. I have a Master of Arts (subject teacher) and a Master of Social Sciences (gender studies).
The best thing about my work at Ekvalita is that I get to do socially significant work and at the same time utilise my versatile skills. My strengths are understanding everyday school life from a teacher’s perspective and meeting and involving different participants. In my free time, I like to go out in nature with my dog and swim in the sea regardless of the season.
Jürgen Ross
Educator and masculinity expert in Nya horisonter
I have worked at Ekvalita since 2023, focusing on themes such as masculinity norms, emotions, violence, and consent.
I hold a Master’s degree in Sociology and am a doctoral researcher in Gender Studies. My expertise covers, among other things, the manifestation of masculinity norms among young people, their consequences for rainbow youth and young people who do not identify with traditional masculinity norms, and how masculinity relates to violence and anti-genderism.
In the Nya horisonter project, I focus on how our preconceived notions of masculinity in Swedish-language vocational schools and colleges affect the identity formation of young future adults. Opening up and challenging masculinity norms provides educational units with concrete tools to address the sexism, racism, harassment, and violence that have become more common in the everyday life of schools.
Annica Sundqvist
Controller
I work as the Controller of Ekvalita. Despite my job description, my professional interests are not limited to the careful monitoring of numbers and funds – my passions also include various equality issues, of which neurodiversity-related themes are particularly close to my heart. My educational background is in economics and accounting, in addition to which I have also studied gender studies at the University of Helsinki.
Collaboration and networks
We believe in the power of collaboration in change work, which is why we utilise our collaboration network in our assignments. We collaborate with individual experts as well as networks and institutions, such as universities and various projects. We have also worked with grassroots activists who are knowledgeable about the latest trends in inclusion, with researchers who understand the big picture and broad phenomena, and with innovative leaders and enthusiastic employees in companies. We collaborate annually with various experts and several other DEI actors. We are especially active in the Helsinki DEI network. Through collaboration, the quality of our services is strengthened.
Our current ongoing partners are
- Elina Nikulainen www.elinanikulainen.com
- Medida (SE) www.medida.se
- Equalate (SE) www.equalate.se
Memberships
Ekvalita strengthens its organisation and network through various memberships. Ekvalita is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Swedish Mångfaldsföretagarna network, as well as the Association of Micro and Sole Entrepreneurs, FIBS (Finnish Business & Society) and its diversity network. Ekvalita is also a Partner of FIBS 2025-2026, which means that Ekvalita is involved in supporting the achievement of the association’s goals, for example, through training.
Malin Gustavsson
Vd, expert i jämställdhet och
likabehandlingsfrågor,
fil.Mag, pol. Kand
malin.gustavsson@ekvalita.fi
+358 45 128 9878
@MalinGustav
Jag grundade Ekvalita 2008 för att jag ville arbeta heltid med det jag brinner för, förändringsarbete. Jag vill fortfarande idag bidra till ett mer inkluderande och rättvist samhälle med hjälp av nya sociala innovativa grepp och metoder. Jag upplever att vi står i en brytningspunkt i arbetet med jämställdhet och mångfaldsfrågor, som kräver nya tillvägagångssätt och nya metoder. Även kraven på arbetsmarknaden och hur främjande av välmående ska främjas har förändrats.
Jag inspireras i mitt arbete av de personer som inte är rädda för att kritiskt granska sin organisation, som att lyssna både på medarbetare och kunder för att skapa mer fair-play. Jag vill stöda de organisationer som väljer eller har valt att lämna det gamla och omfamna det nya, då det kommer till frågor om jämställdhet och likabehandling.
Min styrka är att identifiera utmaningar och ta lösningarna till en verksamhetsnära och hands-on nivå så att de stöder det strategiska arbetet i organisationen. Nätverk och att mötas i olika forum med andra aktörer har en central plats i min egen utveckling. Genom utbyte av tankar och idéer tillsammans med kolleger i Norden och i Europa utvecklar jag nya sätt och metoder att arbeta med dessa frågor.
Läs mer om mig på 375 Humanistia.
Naomi Wuori
Ledningsassistent
naomi.wuori@ekvalita.fi
Jag är en magisterstuderande i sociologi vid Helsingfors Universitet. Jag började arbeta vid Ekvalita som assistent vintern 2018. Min passion ligger i genusfrågor, men jag har inom mina studier också riktat mig in på etniska relationer och därmed fått en insikt i frågor om kultur och etnicitet.
Jag har även studerat organisationskultur vid Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, vilket väckt mitt intresse för maktstrukturer, diskriminering samt jämställdhet inom organisationer. Mina studier och tidigare arbetserfarenhet inom forskning har medfört ett brett och kritiskt samhällsperspektiv samt en öppenhet för nytänkande. Att arbeta vid Ekvalita möjliggör att jag får utveckla min kunskap inom ett område jag brinner för samt vid en organisation vars värderingar jag understöder.
Matilda Kousa
Ekonomi- och marknadsföringsassistent
matilda@ekvalita.fi
Jag studerar marknadsföring på magisternivå vid Hankens Svenska Handelshögskolan, och började jobba på Ekvalita i mars 2019 som praktikant. I augusti 2019 fortsatt jag som numera ekonomi- och marknadsföringsassistent.
Jag har tidigare arbetserfarenhet av marknadsföring främst på sociala medier, samt inom kundbetjäning. Har även studerat social-och beteendevetenskap på Tilburg University, där mitt intresse för mänskliga rättigheter, genus- och jämställdhetsfrågor växte. Idag är jämställdhetsfrågor en av mina stora passioner i livet, så ser framemot att få kombinera det med min utbildning och kunskap inom ekonomi och marknadsföring.
