Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: The Future of Work

Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is imperative for a sustainable, competitive and innovative company and society at large. Diversity also goes beyond the outward perception of a company – it includes how the internal structures work and signal the value systems of an organization’s management or leadership team.

This series is designed by Diversify to centre Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. We look forward to seeing you!

Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace: The Future of Work

The year and a half has brought about dramatic changes and uplifting initiatives in terms of how people do their jobs. The Global Pandemic forced many to rethink the concept of working from home as well as considerations of work safety. Consequently, the Black Lives Matter Movement sparked the rise of Diversity & Inclusion initiatives at work and beyond. All the current changes are reshaping the future of work.

At the upcoming panel discussion our panelists will discuss the many questions that arise when enforcing equitable solutions to challenges in the workspace. How safe are our work environments for the diverse populations? How will the minority groups be included and become active participants in leadership decisions? What is the future of DEI initiatives as we observe that the current DEI corporate training models do not work? How will digitalisation and access to technology impact on remote work, efficient workplace collaboration and access to employment?

These and many more questions will challenge your ideas and thoughts about what  the future hold for the leaders and the employees of tomorrow.

This panel discussion will be a part of the Oslo Innovation Week 2021, an initiative of Oslo Kommune to promote new voices and innovation in action with bold solutions that solve real global challenges through entrepreneurship, technology and innovation.

Speakers
Astrid Sundberg

Astrid Sundberg is Director of Diversity + Inclusion at Oda, one of the fastest growing companies in Europe and the new Unicorn in town. Oda is the largest online grocery retailer in Norway, using data driven methodology with a focus on sustainability all the way along the chain. Oda employ 700 people across Norway, Finland and Germany, with their motto ‘creating space for life,’ underpinned by an ardent focus on work life balance and wellness. Astrid’s been in leadership roles within the People + Talent space since 1996 with extensive experience in the start up and scale up climate. She is a fervent supporter of including more women in the workplace and extremely committed to Diversity and Inclusion. With a background in innovative, hyper-growth companies, she’s a pioneer of the employee experience with a particular passion for workplace wellbeing and a people first leadership approach.  Astrid lends her support as an advisor, advocate and volunteer to several non-profit organizations and Women in STEM communities as well as participating in multiple mentorship programmes. She’s a Google certified #IamRemarkable workshop facilitator, speaker and contributor to conferences, panel discussions, meetups and community events across Europe.

Chisom Udeze

Chisom is an Economist and entrepreneur who holds multiple undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. She is Nigerian and has lived and worked in six countries across three continents. In addition to actively building and driving growth at her companies, Chisom works as a consultant for intergovernmental organizations and SMEs across industry sectors. She is highly skilled in areas such as strategy, research, project design and execution, data analysis, and monetization. She is a fearless advocate for diversity, opportunity, and inclusion across social, economic, political, and professional lines. She believes in accountability and actionable processes, and that our words have no value if our actions contradict them.

Jacob Thomas

Jacob Thomas is one of Australia’s most prominent leaders in sexual orientation and gender identity. A nonbinary person living in Melbourne, Jacob uses the pronouns they/them and works at the Monash Warwick Alliance as their International Partnerships Manager, where they also guest lecture in Global Studies and Community Development.

In 2016 Jacob received the Queen’s Young Leader Award, recognising Jacob’s work on suicide prevention for Australia’s LGBTIQ community. Jacob previously sat as the Coordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Gender and Equality Network (CYGEN) and represented the network at international levels such as the 61st session of UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York, the (former) Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the 11th Commonwealth Youth Forum in London, and at AIDS2018 in Amsterdam.

Jacob advises public, private and non-profit organisations on issues related to the LGBTIQ community, diversity and inclusion policies, and queer-friendly work environments. They are a mentor to many queer, allies and senior leaders in Melbourne and internationally.

As a speaker and facilitator, Jacob has presented a TEDx Talk at QUT on the ideas around gender identity, is a contributor to Archer Magazine and Star Observer, and has written a personal essay for BuzzFeed about their experience coming out as nonbinary.

Jacob is interested in queer perspectives in intercultural learning, feminist methodologies and youth leadership. They are currently undertaking their PHD in Public Health and Preventative Medicine at Monash University. In their spare time Jacob is a performer, designer and sometimes drag artist.

Sandra Mittica

Partnerships Manager @Howspace

I’m passionate about growing human relationships across the globe, with a focus on social change including gender equality, diversity and inclusion. 

Since 2017, I have enjoyed supporting and coaching others on how to better reach their personal and professional goals.

I value learning from others, genuine connections and hearing about other people’s passions and how I can possibly help. I also believe in getting things done by smiling and keeping a positive outlook on things.

Moderator

Hyacinth Walters-Olsen

Hyacinth is a seasoned professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience from her varied roles in senior management positions across several industries, over the past 20+ years. The key focus area of these roles has been in developing customer relationships and people/team/business development. Hyacinth is highly adaptable and has strong interpersonal competence, cognitive flexibility, has great attention to detail and is emotionally intelligent. She is a talented leader whose main passion is developing people.