Fiskars Group Reviews

Long serving business leads who lack vision run new A star players out the company in an attempt to retain their standing and influence within the wider Fiskars organization. This years latest round of layoffs at Fiskars affect stakeholders in a variety of sectors and good folk who were doing the tiresome work needed to repair this broken organization. These were pivotal players at Vice President level who were leading the audit of the full design and market process and bringing in much needed revitalisation to these stagnant brands. Also impacted were sales leaders who recognised the shortcomings of the way the brands represent at retail and were addressing these shocking realities which have been overlooked by the business leads for years. It is a viscous cycle of the group bringing in talented leaders, just to back track and eliminate roles before their effect is embedded. The rebuke of new talent is driven by business stakeholders with 10+ years service who are scared to loose their jobs which creates a pack mentality against new comers and a survival of the most ruthless culture inside the brands. Of all the absurdities I have observed most startling was witnessing a sexist smear campaign by an egomaniac male leader mid 40s against a new woman in creative leadership mid 30s who achieved quantifiable results for the business against such headwinds. The brands are now back to square one with business leaders running design and crushing the souls of those of us who trusted Fiskars with their creativity.

I have deep concerns regarding the current dynamics within Fiskars, particularly around the treatment of creative leadership and the broader issue of gender equity within the organization. It has become evident that a particular culture has taken hold in certain parts of the business, one that discourages innovation and fails to fully support the diverse talents that are essential to our success. This culture, resembling a clique, seems resistant to change and dismissive of contributions, especially by Women, that challenge the status quo. Unfortunately, this resistance appears to be fueled by decades long biases, including deeply rooted misogyny, which is manifesting in the way decisions are made and in how leadership is exercised. The situation at Wedgwood is a troubling example. Witnessing male executives publicly take credit for the modern-day revitalization of the brand—a revolution that was actually pioneered by a woman who is no longer with the company—has been disheartening. As someone who worked closely on these projects, I saw firsthand the brilliance of the ideas and the subsequent disregard for the person behind them. The decision to continue releasing her work without giving her due credit is not only disrespectful but also a clear indication of how little value is placed on creativity and individual contribution within our corporate culture. Reflecting on what could have been achieved had this pioneering woman been fully supported, I believe the growth potential for Wedgwood could have been significant. Instead, outdated attitudes and a reluctance to embrace innovative leadership have stifled progress. He who obstructed the revival that restored Wedgwood to prominence within the cultural vanguard should be profoundly ashamed of his misogynistic tendencies and diminishing leadership. This episode will, without doubt, need to be documented and scrutinized in the annals of history. The same behaviour now appears to be brewing within Iittala, where more hires from fashion’s elite are being submerged into an environment that seems intent on making their work as uninspired as the status quo. In today’s challenging economic climate, it is more important than ever to nurture creativity and diversity as the cornerstones of our business. We cannot afford to diminish the passion and ambition of talented individuals by expecting them to conform to outdated norms. The treatment of these creatives, both at Wedgwood and now at Iittala, is deeply troubling and reflects a broader issue within the company that must be addressed.