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Short-Case Series
Fostering diversity and inclusion by making jewelry from
trash: The power of a single entrepreneur
Case theme: raising awareness on DEI issues in SMEs
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
CASE: Fostering diversity and inclusion by
making jewelry from trash: The power of a
single entrepreneur
Written by Aušrinė Šilenskytė & Tiphaine Delecour, 2025
Abstract
Matti Mattsson – internationally renowned and nationally awarded circular jewelry artist calls
himself a crazy Finn and has an amazing story to share. Through his small business he has
transformed the life of many people, fostering diversity and inclusion when sourcing for his
business, when providing services and building international relations, and when practicing
unique marketing ideas directed not only at increasing business growth and protability, but also
when addressing needs of dierent social groups, such as older people, children with behavioral
concerns, and people with disabilities. This teaching case invites us to explore the concepts of
diversity (representation of various social identity groups) and inclusion (creating an environment
that oers appreciation for diverse needs, perspectives, and experiences) through a lively story of
an entrepreneur. The story shows that even a single person managing a small business can make
a large social impact and foster socially sustainable business and community environment.
Key words: diversity, inclusion, circular economy, circularity, age, disability, international
partnerships, micro enterprise
Case relates to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals:
10 (Reduced inequality),
11 (Sustainable cities and communities),
12 (Responsible consumption and production)
Acknowledgement:
We are grateful for insightful friendly reviews of this case provided by Chenthu Jayton (University
of Denver, USA) and Julio C. Serrano (University of Vaasa, Finland).
For citation:
Šilenskytė, A. & Delecour, T. (2025) Fostering diversity and inclusion by making jewelry from
trash: The power of a single entrepreneur. DEI4SME Short-case series online. DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.15116298
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
1. Coming to the right place at the right time to receive The
Order of the White Rose of Finland from the President
We entered through the doors of an old wooden house
located in Kuopio Kortteli Museum. In the room full of
useless old things, we saw a man carefully
concentrating on making something with his tools from
broken materials. One would think this was a repair
shop, but some very weird items caught our eye:
“Sorry, what are these shoes about?”- we asked.
“You know, one day, I received a letter inviting me to
meet the President of Finland. In that letter, it was
strictly written that I should come to the right place at
the right time. To be sure that I come to meet the
President as expected, I made these shoes – with a
compass in one shoe and a clock in the other. When I
came to the Presidential Palace, people were looking at
my shoes and not that much at me.” – answered Matti
Mattsson, a single entrepreneur and a widely known
artist who we were honored to meet.
(Shoes made by Matti Mattsson. Photo by Aušrinė Šilenskytė)
Matti continued: “My girlfriend convinced me to go back to
school after I dropped out as a teenager and then told me to
start making jewelry. When I was at Goldsmith school, at
some point they wanted to kick me out, because I was not
following the rules. I did exactly this work. This comes from
the time I was a kid and lived with my parents when I learned
that we could remake things in the house, x things.”
Looking more carefully around, we soon started recognizing
diplomas, several recognitions, books with artist collections
in which Matti was featured. It took a short while to learn that
Matti’s works and jewelry have been exhibited across Finland,
Italy, the USA, Germany, Spain, France, Sweden, Norway, and
many other countries—where audiences shared his
excitement for transforming discarded materials into art,
including high appreciations by art historians and collectors,
such as Nichka Marobin. Matti was also teaching art in the USA (Kansas) closely interacting with
diverse students and now fostered diverse community here in Kuopio.
2. Bringing the new life to the old
After a few moments of extremely interesting conversation, it appeared that Matti has engaged
with the entire community of about 100 people living in Kuopio and around Finland to ensure
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
that he never runs out of materials to work on. He sourced materials for his work - old or broken
things that otherwise have no more value - through old people who brought these materials to
him. Matti’s ‘suppliers’ were old, but they enjoyed looking at how Matti transformed the old for
the new life living this transformation together.
“They ask me: Matti – tell us what do you need? And they bring it. Then, they come to see what I
did with it. Or they even send things to me by post! There was one lady, I made for her one
decoration with her favorite color. She was so happy. And then, I made jewelry from the old
coee maker – I was thinking, how will they receive this in Italy, because recycling is not
common there? Many young artists came around me, asked to show how I did it “
(Jewelry made by Matti Mattsson. Photos by Aušrinė Šilenskytė)
3. Seeing beyond the problem
“....and my doors were always open. When I established my rst workshop, some kids came and
were throwing stones at my windows. They were a small gang, came to do something bad. I
called them – ‘if you stop throwing stones, I teach you to make jewels. Come, I show you.’ They
listened, came and they were trying, learning, I was showing them sometimes how to do it better.
After they would come and protect me and my workshop from others. They even protected me
from one thief... We must be brave when we meet others, and trust that it will be okay.”
Matti as a part of his entrepreneurship activities has conducted multiple workshops, especially
for young people with behavioral concerns, traumatized kids or kids with various mental
disabilities. He has worked with organizations, such as Pelastakaa Lapset, making workshops
with the children who have been psychologically traumatized or have some cognitive or
developmental disability:
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
“I don’t care what they have. I put them to work... For example, there was one boy, they told me
that he had problems with concentration after his parents got divorced. I gave him a metal plate
and asked him to focus on working on it. And he was so surprised that he could focus. Until now I
know that the boy likes doing things with his hands successfully and he can concentrate.”
4. The joy of concentration, not just consumption
Hearing the story about the
boy and how he managed to
concentrate on a metal plate,
we remembered our joy when
Matti oered to pick a coin
made on the year we were
born from the bowls with
coins in the center of his
workshop. The coins were the
reason why we decided to
return to the workshop soon
after leaving and buy one
piece of art from Matti. On
the return journey, out of
curiosity, we asked why Matti
has the coins and why he
oers people to pick them:
“I started this during covid
pandemic. My workshop
doors were open for fty-one
years, all the time I meet
people from around the world
and I feel in what mood
people come. In the covid,
these few people who would
come in were very worried.
Later war in Ukraine
happened and people got
even more worried. There are so many things that worry people today. But when they focus on
nding the coin, they must read small letters and concentrate, and so they enter the oasis of joy
and peace for at least 5 minutes. Children pick the coin for luck, because coins made the year
the kids were born are not yet in recycling. Old people bring coins, and then I ask visitors to pick
them when they come here. Visitors also sometimes explore what else do I have here, but I want
to make people feel good, not just buy things.”
(Photo: Coins to pick. Photo by Aušrinė Šilenskytė)
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
About Matti Mattsson
Matti Mattsson is a Finnish metalsmith renowned for his innovative use of recycled materials in
art. With an international career spanning over four decades, Mattsson has transformed
everyday objects into artistic creations, reecting both environmental consciousness and
creative ingenuity. Mattsson's work is deeply rooted in the principles of recycling and
sustainability.
He considers metalsmithing a service occupation and maintains an open studio policy, inviting
the public to engage with his creative process. Community members often contribute materials,
such as old toys and household items, which Mattsson repurposes into new artworks. This
collaborative approach not only breathes new life into discarded objects but also fosters a sense
of community involvement in the artistic process. Throughout his extensive career, Mattsson has
showcased his work both in Finland and internationally. He has participated in various
exhibitions, including collaborations with other artists, where his unique pieces have been
displayed. Currently, Mattsson's workshop is located in Kuopio, Finland, where he continues to
create and exhibit his art.
Visit Matti’s website: https://matticrazynn.wixsite.com/mattimattsson/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matti_mattsson_workshop/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mattimattsson8623
(Matti Mattsson in his workshop. Photo by Aušrinė Šilenskytė)
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The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents which reects the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Questions for discussing the case
1. What diversity dimensions are visible in the case? How does Matti identify with these
dimensions and/or represent them?
2. How is diversity visible in dierent stakeholders with whom Matti interacts? How does he
address or engage with the diversity of the stakeholders?
3. Identify specic acts of inclusion Matti has implemented. Critically evaluate whether
these actions primarily benet his business, community, or both, providing evidence
from the case to support your arguments.
4. How would you evaluate Matti's business: is it a private entrepreneur or a social
business? Why do you think so?
5. In your environment, please nd stories about smaller businesses who also address
dierent dimensions and create acts of inclusion. Discuss them and compare them with
Matti’s case.
6. How does Matti’s approach to sourcing and creating art contribute to the goals of a
circular economy and social sustainability?
7. Reect on the potential challenges Matti might face when scaling his approach to
diversity and inclusion in a larger organizational context. How could these be managed?
8. Read about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 10, 11, and 12 and
discuss, which specic targets of these goals are visible in this case.
(Clock made by Matti Mattsson. Photo by Aušrinė Šilenskytė)