This is the most important event of the year according to our founder, Petter A. Stordalen. To him it’s a matter of course that the company is a sponsor:

"To us, diversity means a better culture,” he says.

This year we are once again extra proud and excited about the fact that the entire Strawberry Group is one of the main sponsors of Pride.

Petter A. Stordalen has always seen the benefits of an inclusive culture

“I have filled my home, office and hotels with homosexuals and all the other children of the rainbow! Tolerance promotes security and security fosters openness – a room, an open space, where people are free to be different. We like to think that a colourful workplace creates colourful solutions,” Stordalen has said about Pride in the past.

Ahead of Pride, Stordalen tells us why it is so important to highlight and celebrate these values

“Strawberry is sponsoring Pride because we want to tell the world that our doors are open to everyone, regardless of whom they love and identify with. We raise our voices for gender equality, tolerance and equality between all people. It doesn’t matter whether you’re called Ali or Ola, Kari or Per, whether you prefer cats or dogs, whether you’re bi, lesbian, gay or straight, whether you ’re a refugee or whether you have a disability. We have a room for you here at Strawberry.”

Would you like to find out more about Pride? Read about historic moments, discover Pride songs and much more!

To Petter A. Stordalen, a good corporate culture is built on diversity and inclusion

“Here at Strawberry, diversity is synonymous with a good culture. People with different backgrounds, skills, religions, sexual preferences and languages help to create better solutions, workplaces and guest experiences. That’s why we’re so proud to raise the rainbow flag so high for Pride!"

As an official Pride Partner, we will be arranging lots of different activities at our hotels, including parties and more serious events:

“The entire Strawberry Group will be celebrating Pride, but the hotels are free to decide what they would like to do. Some of them will raise the flag, others will have huge floats in the parade, while others will be organising seminars. The most important thing is that we take a stand for diversity, not how we do it. I am looking forward to seeing what the hotels are going to dream up!"

And when we ask Petter to share a memory from past Pride Festivals, he recounts a striking moment from 2016

“Clarion Hotel® Sign’s attempt to make the world’s largest Pride flag in Stockholm in 2016 really stands out! This was just shortly after the shooting at a gay club in Orlando, so it was particularly powerful to see 150 people coming together to show their support for Pride and diversity. It was a special, but inclusive and important moment that I will never forget.”

Strawberry – a proud partner of Pride

Strawberry celebrates diversity! We are certain that our guests’ and employees’ differences help to create unique and memorable stays and promote wonderful encounters. Diversity makes us stronger. And our doors are open to everyone!