Racism – and Its Consequences for People, Businesses and Society

Dear everyone,

Today, I would like to talk about a subject that continues to affect our society – often more than we may wish to admit: racism.

Racism is not only about offensive words, hatred or violence. Racism can also take the form of prejudice, discrimination, mistrust and the belief that some people are more or less valuable because of their skin colour, ethnic background or origin.

But racism and discrimination do not only affect individuals. They can also affect businesses, the labour market, investment and, ultimately, the development of society as a whole.

What is racism?

Racism occurs when people are judged or treated differently on the basis of race, ethnicity or perceived belonging to a particular group.

It can be very direct:

“You do not belong here.”

But it can also be much more subtle.

For example, when a person has fewer opportunities for a job because of their name, is viewed with suspicion because of their appearance, or is met with lower expectations because of their background.

Sometimes discrimination is deliberate. At other times, it happens without the person discriminating even being aware of it.

The consequences for the individual

The first and perhaps most serious consequence is that a person’s dignity is violated.

If someone repeatedly experiences being treated worse because of their background, it can create a feeling of not belonging.

It can affect:

• self-confidence
• educational opportunities
• opportunities in the labour market
• social relationships
• trust in other people
• trust in public authorities and institutions.

A person may begin to ask themselves:

“Am I being judged for what I can do – or for where I come from?”

That is a very serious question.

Because when people lose faith that society treats them fairly, it can create distance between citizens and society.

The consequences for children and young people

Racism can be particularly serious for children and young people.

A child who is repeatedly told that they are different or worth less may eventually begin to believe it.

If a young person experiences discrimination at school, among peers or later in the labour market, it can influence their entire perception of their own future.

That is why the fight against racism is not only about the present.

It is also about the generation we are shaping.

Racism creates division

Racism does not only harm those who are subjected to it.

It also creates mistrust between different groups within society.

When people begin to see each other as “us” and “them,” it becomes more difficult to build a sense of community.

It can lead to:

Prejudice → mistrust → discrimination → conflict → greater distance between people.

And once this development has begun, it can be difficult to stop.

But we must also be able to speak openly

Fighting racism does not mean that we should be afraid to discuss problems.

On the contrary.

A democratic society must be able to have open discussions about integration, crime, culture, religion, immigration, social problems and differences between people.

But we must be able to do so without making entire groups of people responsible for the actions of individuals.

There is a difference between criticising an action and condemning an entire group.

There is also a difference between discussing politics and degrading people.

We must be able to disagree without making each other less worthy.

Racism also comes at a cost to businesses

Racism does not only have human consequences. It can also have direct consequences for businesses, partnerships and commercial relationships.

In our work, we have experienced situations where we have chosen to terminate business relationships and negotiations because racist or discriminatory statements have come to light.

That is an important decision.

For us, a business relationship is not only about economics. It is also about trust, respect and professionalism.

You may have a very interesting project, a strong company or an economically attractive agreement. But if the cooperation also involves racist attitudes or degrading statements about other people, it can destroy the foundation for a serious business relationship.

We have therefore decided that there is a line that cannot be crossed.

Economic gain must never be more important than human respect.

When a company or business partner expresses racist or discriminatory views, the consequence may be that potential investors, customers, business partners or employees withdraw.

This can lead to:

• lost customers
• lost investors
• terminated negotiations
• damaged business relationships
• reputational damage
• difficulties attracting qualified employees
• and, ultimately, financial losses.

For us, therefore, this is not merely a moral issue.

It is also a question of professional business conduct.

Immigration policy and the loss of specialised expertise

At the same time, there is another issue that should be openly discussed: how Denmark’s immigration policy affects businesses’ ability to attract and retain international specialists.

Denmark needs highly specialised employees in areas including technology, industry, IT, research, medicine, engineering and many other fields.

When companies cannot find the necessary expertise in Denmark, they depend on being able to attract specialists from other countries.

If the rules become too complicated, processing times become too long, or international employees experience significant uncertainty regarding their residence status and family situation, Denmark risks being rejected as a destination.

This can be costly.

A company may lose:

• specialised employees
• development projects
• investments
• international partnerships
• orders and contracts
• innovation
• and opportunities for growth.

If a company cannot obtain the specialist it needs, a project may be delayed or abandoned altogether.

In the worst case, the company may choose to locate development, production or new investments in another country.

This means that immigration policy is not only about borders and residence permits.

It is also about Denmark’s competitiveness.

Denmark should, of course, have clear rules and proper controls. But the rules must also be designed in a way that allows businesses to access the workforce and expertise that Denmark actually needs.

If Denmark wants to remain a leading country in technology, industry, research, the green transition and advanced business development, it requires access to international expertise.

A country cannot both aspire to world-class innovation and simultaneously make it unnecessarily difficult to attract some of the people who are needed to create it.

Therefore, we should ask an important question:

Can Denmark afford to lose specialists, companies and investments because the system makes it more difficult than necessary to attract international expertise?

Racism and immigration policy must not be confused

At the same time, it is important to distinguish between criticism of a political decision and racism.

One can be critical of immigration policy without being racist.

One can support stricter or more liberal rules without hating people from other countries.

And one can oppose certain forms of immigration without believing that people of a particular nationality or ethnicity are less valuable.

Political disagreement is not, in itself, racism.

But when political opinions develop into generalisations, hatred or discrimination against people solely because of their origin, we have a problem.

This distinction is important if we want a serious and democratic debate.

Racism also has an economic cost

There is another aspect of the problem that is often overlooked.

If people are not given the opportunity to use their abilities because of prejudice or discrimination, society loses valuable resources.

A person who could have been a talented engineer, doctor, skilled worker, entrepreneur or manager, but is never given the opportunity, is not only a loss to that individual.

It is also a loss to society.

A modern society needs people to be assessed according to their skills, effort and character – not according to their skin colour or origin.

What can we do?

We cannot eliminate every prejudice from every person.

But we can choose how we act.

We can begin with some fundamental principles:

First: We should treat people as individuals.

Second: We should speak up when we experience discrimination.

Third: We should teach our children that being different does not make a person less valuable.

Fourth: We should create space for open and respectful debate.

Fifth: We should ensure that people have genuine opportunities to receive an education, work and participate in society.

Sixth: We need a system that enables businesses to attract the international expertise that Denmark needs.

Conclusion

Racism does not necessarily disappear simply because we pass a law against it.

Nor does it disappear because we give one speech.

It is challenged through the many small decisions we make every single day.

When we choose to get to know a person instead of judging them.

When we speak out against discrimination.

When we give people a fair opportunity.

And when we accept that people can be different and still have the same human worth.

But we must also have the courage to speak up when the line is crossed.

In business, that may mean saying no to a deal.

It may mean ending a negotiation.

It may mean choosing not to work with a particular business partner.

Because economic gain should never be more important than fundamental respect for other people.

At the same time, we must have the courage to discuss the political decisions that affect our society and our business community.

We must be able to discuss immigration policy without turning people into enemies.

We must be able to criticise systems without attacking people.

And we must be able to set expectations for integration while also ensuring that people who contribute to Denmark have a genuine opportunity to become part of society.

A strong society is not one in which everyone is the same.

A strong society is one in which people can be different without being treated as less valuable.

Denmark should be able to be a country built on respect, the rule of law, open debate and economic responsibility.

Because ultimately, the fight against racism is about something very simple:

Every person should be judged as a human being.

Racism is also regulated by the Danish Criminal Code

In Denmark, there is also a legal boundary concerning what can be said about other people.

Section 266 b of the Danish Criminal Code, often referred to as the racism provision, establishes that a person may be punished if, publicly or with the intention of disseminating the statement to a wider circle, they make statements or other communications by which a group of people is threatened, insulted or degraded on the grounds of, among other things, race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or disability.

The penalty may be a fine or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

It is important to emphasise, however, that not every offensive or controversial statement is automatically punishable. The Danish Supreme Court has, among other things, established that the assessment depends on an overall evaluation of the content of the statement and the context in which it was made.

For those who wish to read the specific legal provision, the official text is available from Retsinformation – Section 266 b of the Danish Criminal Code.

It is important that we know this provision. Not in order to restrict ordinary political debate, but because a democratic society must protect both freedom of expression and people from threats, insults and degrading statements.

Thank you for listening.