OREANDA-NEWS. June 05, 2014. 33,000 university students in the Nordic region have taken part in the annual Universum talent attraction index “The most attractive employers in the Nordics in 2014.” Nordea is ranked as the most attractive employer in the financial sector.

The ranking shows that Nordea and IKEA are the only two Nordic companies on the top 10 list and that Nordea is the fourth most popular employer for the second year running, with Ernst & Young, PwC and L’Oreal in the top 3 positions.

When breaking down the Nordic result on country level, Finland keeps its number 1 position and Sweden moves into the top 10 list, while Denmark and Norway drop one position.

- We are happy to maintain a strong position, which proves that our strategy with a long-term relationship approach is valid and effective. Working with employer branding is a task that requires a close understanding of the target group: who they are, what their preferences are and where we meet them for a career dialogue. We continue our efforts to sharpen our messages and choice of channels to differentiate Nordea from competitors, says Johanna Bergstrom, head of HR Development & Operations.

Top 10 ideal employers in the Nordics 2014 (among business students)

1. Ernst & Young
2. PwC
3. L'Oreal Group
4. Nordea
5. KPMG
6. Microsoft
7. McKinsey & Company
8. Deloitte
9. The Boston Consulting Group
10. IKEA

The survey is delivered by the global employer branding company Universum, which on an annual basis asks Nordic students about their career and work life expectations as well as employer preferences. The survey has been open for participation between October 2013 and March 2014 and students from the top universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have replied.