12
Forum
Initiatives
Development
DIVERSITY
Ahead of us is the 12th. edition of Pomerania’s largest annual meeting of business, local government and NGOs! This is a unique event, with more than 150 people from all over the region discussing topics of importance to the world each year. This year we are implementing the meeting under the theme: DIVERSITY.
- November 14, 2023
- hr. 8:30 - 15:00
- AmberExpo, Gdansk, ul. Sailing 11
- free participation (number of places limited!)
Nowadays, sensitivity and attentiveness to others, especially in the workplace, is of great importance and directly affects the realization of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in accordance with Agenda 2030.
We will talk about the different faces of diversity during debates, good practice sessions, workshops, networking. We’ll have a good cup of coffee in an area designed by social companies, and we’ll be able to participate together in awarding grants to the best cross-sector initiatives in the Development Initiatives Fund.
The forum is also a space for knowledge and inspiration, sharing experiences. Among the topics covered will be:
- diversity management,
- inclusive communication,
- neurodiversity,
- the power of women,
- equality and inclusiveness,
- barrier-free service design,
- cross-sector cooperation.
What is the Development Initiation Forum?
The Development Initiation Forum is a platform that has been bringing the three sectors together since 2011, promoting cross-sector cooperation, providing inspiration for action in the area of sustainable development goals and social responsibility, as well as inspiring change and producing tangible results in the form of cross-sector initiatives.
To date, a total of more than 2,000 people have participated in the Forum. If actions for social cohesion and equality are important to you – join the Development Initiatives Forum community and together with us influence positive social change.
Don’t delay! Register for the event today.
The event is free, but seating is limited!
The event will be held at Gdansk’s AmberExpo, on ul. Sailing 11. We will send detailed information by email to those who register.
Conference 2023 Program
8.30 – 9.00 | Registration |
9.00 – 9.15 | Official opening (room 1c) Leszek Bonna – Deputy Marshal of Pomorskie Voivodeship Monika Chabior – Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Jowita Twardowska – Director of the Directorate of Marketing. Amber Expo Sales and Marketing, Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska – President of Up Foundation Moderated by: Małgorzata Wokacz- Zaborowska (Pomeranian Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises), Dorota Sobieniecka-Kańska (Gdansk Business Club) |
9.15 – 10.00 | Grant Award Gala – 9. Development Initiation Fund |
10.00 – 11.00 | Opening session POWER SPEECH: 7 reasons why diversity is important for business: Mirella Panek-Owsiańska – Diversity & Inclusion expert DIVERSITY TALK: Monika Chabior – Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Mirella Panek-Owsiańska – Diversity & Inclusion, Wojciech Żak – Your Role Foundation, conducting: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Diversity & Inclusion expert. trends and signals of change |
11.00 – 11.45 | Coffee break |
11.45- 12.45 | 3 parallel thematic blocks:
BLOCK 1: DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT (room 1c) PRACTICE 1: Diversity & Inclusion – starter pack. Experiences of Pomeranian companies: Malgorzata Chrzanowska-Rokacz – LPP, Magdalena Rzeszotalska – POLPHARMA S.A., Judyta Michlinska – ERGO Hestia, conducting: Aleksandra Ulka – Diversity Hub PRACTICE 2: Good Practice “We Have Daddy Time” social campaign by ERGO Hestia. BLOCK 2: COMMUNICATION (room 2) DISCUSSION: How do we bring equality into the mainstream? On effective inclusive communication: Katarzyna Kuca – Equal Rights Foundation, Maja Tomczak – Boeing Company, Magdalena Świerczyńska-Dolot – Audionomy Foundation, moderated by Łukasz Murawski BLOCK 3: TRENDS (room 1b) DISCUSSION: Neurodiversity. How to draw on the unique potential of neuroatypical people? Dr. Michał Tomczak – Gdansk University of Technology, Anna Janiak – FIONA Foundation, Marcin Myśliwczyk – Auticon, conducted by Monika Bogdanowicz |
12.45- 13.00 | Coffee break |
13.00 – 14.00 | 3 parallel thematic blocks: BLOCK 1: BOHATHERS OF DAYS – THE POWER OF WOMEN (room 2) GOOD PRACTICE: Female community leaders – the driving force behind local communities. Summary of the Everyday Heroines project, launch of the “Compendium of Women Leaders”: Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska – Up Foundation INSPIRATION: Reach for more! Women’s leadership, or how to change the world in harmony with yourself: Ada Radziwon and Dominika Lis – Academy of Women’s Leadership, conducting: Lidia Makowska – Tri-City Women’s Action BLOCK 2: CITY-BUSINESS COOPERATION (room 1c) DISCUSSION: “Gdansk City of Equality – dialogue between local government and business”: Barbara Borowiak – Gdansk City Hall, Alan Aleksandrowicz – InvestGDA, Paweł Nowakowski – Invest in Pomerania, Aleksandra Wiśniewska – Lena Grochowska Foundation | Arche Investment, Leszek Stefaniak – Responsible Business Forum, Irina Ledyaeva – Intel Technology Poland, Kamil Parafiniuk – Develocraft, conducting: Anna Brzezinska- Mattos and Agnieszka Korol – The Talent Value BLOCK 3: WORKSHOP (Room 1b): Good services – how to design accessible services? Design sprint workshop: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Concordia Design, Available Design There is a limited number of seats (20 people) for this workshop. Registration for the workshop will take place at the reception on the day of the event. The order of applications is decisive. |
14.00 – 14.20 | Summary (Room 1c) |
14.20 – 15.00 | Lunch |
8.30 – 9.00 | Registration |
9.00 – 9.15 | Official opening (room 1c) Leszek Bonna – Deputy Marshal of Pomorskie Voivodeship Monika Chabior – Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Jowita Twardowska – Director of the Directorate of Marketing. Amber Expo Sales and Marketing, Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska – President of Up Foundation Moderated by: Małgorzata Wokacz- Zaborowska (Pomeranian Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises), Dorota Sobieniecka-Kańska (Gdansk Business Club) |
9.15 – 10.00 | Grant Award Gala – 9. Development Initiation Fund |
10.00 – 11.00 | Opening session POWER SPEECH: 7 reasons why diversity is important for business: Mirella Panek-Owsiańska – Diversity & Inclusion expert DIVERSITY TALK: Monika Chabior – Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Mirella Panek-Owsiańska – Diversity & Inclusion, Wojciech Żak – Your Role Foundation, conducting: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Diversity & Inclusion expert. trends and signals of change |
11.00 – 11.45 | Coffee break |
11.45- 12.45 | 3 parallel thematic blocks:
BLOCK 1: DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT (room 1c) PRACTICE 1: Diversity & Inclusion – starter pack. Experiences of Pomeranian companies: Malgorzata Chrzanowska-Rokacz – LPP, Magdalena Rzeszotalska – POLPHARMA S.A., Judyta Michlinska – ERGO Hestia, conducting: Aleksandra Ulka – Diversity Hub PRACTICE 2: Good Practice “We Have Daddy Time” social campaign by ERGO Hestia. BLOCK 2: COMMUNICATION (room 2) DISCUSSION: How do we bring equality into the mainstream? On effective inclusive communication: Katarzyna Kuca – Equal Rights Foundation, Maja Tomczak – Boeing Company, Magdalena Świerczyńska-Dolot – Audionomy Foundation, moderated by Łukasz Murawski BLOCK 3: TRENDS (room 1b) DISCUSSION: Neurodiversity. How to draw on the unique potential of neuroatypical people? Dr. Michał Tomczak – Gdansk University of Technology, Anna Janiak – FIONA Foundation, Marcin Myśliwczyk – Auticon, conducted by Monika Bogdanowicz |
12.45- 13.00 | Coffee break |
13.00 – 14.00 | 3 parallel thematic blocks: BLOCK 1: BOHATHERS OF DAYS – THE POWER OF WOMEN (room 2) GOOD PRACTICE: Female community leaders – the driving force behind local communities. Summary of the Everyday Heroines project, launch of the “Compendium of Women Leaders”: Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska – Up Foundation INSPIRATION: Reach for more! Women’s leadership, or how to change the world in harmony with yourself: Ada Radziwon and Dominika Lis – Academy of Women’s Leadership, conducting: Lidia Makowska – Tri-City Women’s Action BLOCK 2: CITY-BUSINESS COOPERATION (room 1c) DISCUSSION: “Gdansk City of Equality – dialogue between local government and business”: Barbara Borowiak – Gdansk City Hall, Alan Aleksandrowicz – InvestGDA, Paweł Nowakowski – Invest in Pomerania, Aleksandra Wiśniewska – Lena Grochowska Foundation | Arche Investment, Leszek Stefaniak – Responsible Business Forum, Irina Ledyaeva – Intel Technology Poland, Kamil Parafiniuk – Develocraft, conducting: Anna Brzezinska- Mattos and Agnieszka Korol – The Talent Value BLOCK 3: WORKSHOP (Room 1b): Good services – how to design accessible services? Design sprint workshop: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Concordia Design, Available Design There is a limited number of seats (20 people) for this workshop. Registration for the workshop will take place at the reception on the day of the event. The order of applications is decisive. |
14.00 – 14.20 | Summary |
14.20 – 15.00 | Lunch |
Learn more about the thematic blocks
DIVERSITY
10:00-11:00
POWER SPEECH: 7 reasons why diversity is important for business: Mirella Panek-Owsianska – Diversity & Inclusion expert
DIVERSITY TALK: Monika Chabior – Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Mirella Panek-Owsiańska – Diversity & Inclusion, Wojciech Żak – Your Role Foundation, conducting: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Diversity & Inclusion expert. trends and signals of change
Mirella Panek-Owsianska
Diversity & Inclusion expert
CSR and diversity management expert. Long-time president of the Responsible Business Forum, co-author of the Positive Impact Startups project, former spokeswoman for Amnesty International in Poland, one of the founders of the Kosmos for Girls foundation. Consultant and trainer in many projects related to diversity, social innovation and social impact. Initiator of projects for women, mentor, blogger, juror of competitions on communication and corporate social responsibility, academic lecturer. He has many years of experience working with business, the public sector and NGOs.
Monika Chabior
Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk
Wojciech Żak
Your Role Foundation
CEO of Your Role Foundation, project manager of social projects, community gardener, sociologist. Creator of the project “Manufaktura Ogrody Sitowie” implementing activities in the area of social and professional activation of socially included people in the area of urban farming – urban farming and development of social economy in the city of Gdansk in the framework of running a processing studio and selling sustainable vegetable products under the brand “Siewemy Ferment”.
Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks
an expert in the field. trends and signals of change
Art historian, educator, curator and lecturer in the history of art and design at School of Form, SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences in Warsaw and Collegium da Vinci in Poznań. An expert in analyzing trends and signals of change. He works with the consulting team of Concordia Design in Poznań. He uses his knowledge of change to work with designers and companies to create new products, services and experiences that respond to users’ changing needs and values. Trainer and co-founder of the Accessible Design training program.
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
11.45-12.45
PRACTICE 1: Diversity & Inclusion – starter pack. Experiences of Pomeranian companies: Malgorzata Chrzanowska-Rokacz – LPP, Magdalena Rzeszotalska – POLPHARMA S.A., Judyta Michlinska – ERGO Hestia, conducting: Aleksandra Ulka – Diversity Hub
PRACTICE 2: Good Practice “We Have Daddy Time” social campaign by ERGO Hestia.
What should this model first step be in building an inclusive culture that is attentive to the needs of all employees? What approach works in practice? A method of small steps and educational activities, an extensive study of the organization leading to a comprehensive D&I strategy, or perhaps a community commitment to support a select, marginalized group? Every organization is different – it has its own strategy, business priorities and history. Therefore, it is difficult to talk about a single best way to address the challenges of diversity management.
During a panel discussion with Małgorzata Chrzanowska (LPP), Magdalena Rzeszotalska (Polpharma) and Judyta Michalinska (Ergo Hestia), we will look at three very different ways to manage diversity in business. We will learn what helps and what hinders effective D&I work in business. Certainly, any of these scenarios will be great prompts for organizations interested in effective diversity and inclusivity efforts.
Małgorzata Chrzanowska-Rokacz
LPP
Magdalena Rzeszotalska
POLPHARMA S.A.
Judyta Michlinska
Specialist in the field. Development and Engagement at ERGO Hestia
Involved in the implementation of the Diversity Policy at ERGO Hestia and the development of D&I. She plans activities to meet the needs of female employees and employer branding activities. He believes in the power of communication. Equality topics and the area of inclusion, including people with disabilities, are important to her. She was involved in the implementation of projects: WomenTy in Data Science – gender equality in the professions and Mom-Dad Time – partnership parenting. Graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Strategic Communication in Companies (SGH).
Aleksandra Ulka
Diversity Hub
INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION
11.45- 12.45
DISCUSSION: How do we bring equality into the mainstream? About effective inclusive communication
Katarzyna Kuca – Equal Rights Foundation, Maja Tomczak – Boeing Company, Magdalena Świerczyńska-Dolot – Audionomy Foundation, Lukasz Murawski conducting
Our brain doesn’t like something it doesn’t know or understand because it perceives it as a potential threat.
We (“equal”) people are afraid of what we do not know. We are afraid of otherness.
We (“equals”) humans like to join together, to form flocks consisting of those similar to us.
This gives us a sense of security, but at the same time, through this grouping, we divide the world
And we think in terms of “we-they.” In this way, we exclude.
How to make these divisions disappear? What is equality and can we be fully equal to each other?
What limits us on the path to making everyone feel included?
We’ll talk about best practices and smart approaches to bringing equality to the mainstream and effective inclusive communication.
Catherine Kuca
Rights Equator Foundation
Maja Tomczak
Boeing Company
He is passionate about people, discovering their potential and supporting them in taking their skills to the next level. He believes that organizations and businesses win through people. Working with people in interdisciplinary teams, he wants to enable them to become better and better in different roles. In his daily work, he works consistently, taking small steps and trying to capture the true beauty of diversity and inclusion in a different way, with the help and cooperation of others, because he knows that we do not grow alone.
Her educational background includes Business Management at the Gdynia Maritime Academy and two postgraduate courses at Gdansk University of Technology: Project Management and Modern Software Engineering Methods. He is currently an MBA student at Gdansk University of Technology.
She started her development path in Supply Chain Management and Master Planning in manufacturing companies, joined Boeing Poland in 2020 as Airlines Managed Services Manager, now Software Engineering Manager for Boeing Commercial Aircrafts and AvionX projects.
Additional roles at Boeing under DE&I initiatives:
Learning Ambassadors Global Lead, Member of Boeing Resource Groups: Boeing Employees Abilities Awareness Association (Neurodiversity Ally) and Boeing Women Inspiring Leadership.
Privately, a happy wife and mother of teenage twins Janek and Zuzia. Family remains her superpower and greatest hobby.
Magdalena Swierczynska-Dolot
Audionomy Foundation
He is passionate about people, discovering their potential and supporting them in taking their skills to the next level. He believes that organizations and businesses win through people. Working with people in interdisciplinary teams, he wants to enable them to become better and better in different roles. In his daily work, he works consistently, taking small steps and trying to capture the true beauty of diversity and inclusion in a different way, with the help and cooperation of others, because he knows that we do not grow alone.
Her educational background includes Business Management at the Gdynia Maritime Academy and two postgraduate courses at Gdansk University of Technology: Project Management and Modern Software Engineering Methods. He is currently an MBA student at Gdansk University of Technology.
She started her development path in Supply Chain Management and Master Planning in manufacturing companies, joined Boeing Poland in 2020 as Airlines Managed Services Manager, now Software Engineering Manager for Boeing Commercial Aircrafts and AvionX projects.
Additional roles at Boeing under DE&I initiatives:
Learning Ambassadors Global Lead, Member of Boeing Resource Groups: Boeing Employees Abilities Awareness Association (Neurodiversity Ally) and Boeing Women Inspiring Leadership.
Privately, a happy wife and mother of teenage twins Janek and Zuzia. Family remains her superpower and greatest hobby.
Lukasz Murawski
presenter
NEURODIVERSITY
11.45- 12.45
DISCUSSION: Neurodiversity. How to draw on the unique potential of neuroatypical people? Dr. Michał Tomczak – Gdansk University of Technology, Anna Janiak – FIONA Foundation, Marcin Myśliwczyk – Auticon, conducted by Monika Bogdanowicz
Neurodiversity. How to draw on the unique potential of neuroatypical people?
A conversation about how to change the world for and with neurodiverse people, how to build understanding of difference, how to create inclusive teams and workplaces, how to build understanding of neurodiversity, how to build and effectively manage diverse teams to increase productivity and creativity, and how to create social and economic value by running a sustainable commercial business with a strong social mission.
In a discussion with experts, we will try to present the challenges of recruiting neuroatypical people, based on their unique potential, as well as consider how to attract hard-to-recruit professionals and specialists in various industries. We will also address the topic of designing a work environment that is geared toward the needs of atypical people, thus building an inclusive organizational culture.
Dr. Michal Tomczak
Gdansk University of Technology
Anna Janiak
FIONA Foundation
Passionate about neurodiversity, she is fixated on finding ways to support people with developmental challenges by shaping an informed environment for them to live, learn and work.
Special educator with many years of experience working with individuals on the autism spectrum and other developmental challenges and their families. President and program coordinator of the FIONA Foundation. She personally implements, among other things: classes for adolescents and adults on the autism spectrum as well as consultations, trainings, workshops and a support group for parents and caregivers. She develops and implements trainings
and workshops for teachers, as well as workshops for schoolchildren (especially from classes where people on the autism spectrum are taught). As part of her ongoing collaboration with the “Zone of Good Emotions” and the Association of Relational and Developmental Therapists, she provides consultation, supervision and training. Speaker at conferences and seminars, co-organizer of conferences: “School on the autism spectrum – innovations in education”, “Autism at school”, “To my face not only in blue”. She is also the author of social innovations to support people with disabilities and their families: “Working on potentials with the potential to work” (vocational activation). “Family Autonomies of Independence” (independence at every level of ability), “Blue-Blue” (changing the situation of people on the autism spectrum in their relationship with the police in a crisis situation), “At the Crossroads. The family in the face of incapacitation.” She coordinated work on the social innovation implemented by the FURIA Active Foundation “Interpreter – Social Advocate – Assistant to a person with ASD”. – is currently supporting the scaling of the solution at universities across Poland, as a consultant in a project implemented by DGA and the Sowelo Foundation. She created an original model for social and professional activation of people on the autism spectrum, which she has been implementing at the FURIA Social Cooperative since 2015. She is actively involved in, among other things. in the nationwide social initiatives “We want all life” and “Our Advocate” (acting for the benefit of people with disabilities and their families), the Commission for Civil Dialogue at the Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of the City of Poznań for the Protection of People with Disabilities. Equality Policy and the Regional Committee for Equality. Social Economy.
Marcin Myśliwczyk
Auticon
Marcin Myśliwczyk is president of auticon Poland, an IT consulting company offering high-quality software development, data management and testing services. Auticon employs only people on the autism spectrum and is the largest majority employer for people with autism in the world.
Marcin is professionally involved in competence development in the digital world. He has spent most of his career developing digital transformation projects in education and recruitment. Martin joined auticon in June 2023 from the World Bank, where he was in charge of setting up digital competency development programs for underprivileged groups in the Middle East and Africa regions.
Monika Bogdanovich
leading
Polonist, communications and PR expert, diplomat and cultural manager, popularizer of diversity in social life. Author of series of conversations with innovators on the blog bogdanovich.pro, an economic diplomacy specialist. A teacher of Polish as a foreign language, she has been teaching refugees and repatriates to understand the intricacies of the Polish language and the uniqueness of our culture since the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Winner with her team – Storm of the Year for the All About Freedom project for the European Solidarity Center. A first-generation Danziger. Over the years, she has supported the development of Pomerania, creating teams at the Wirtualna Polska portal, ECS, Olivia Business Centre,
Pomeranian Special Economic Zone
or Gdansk Economic Development Agency
InvestGDA
. Currently, as an independent consultant, she supports interdisciplinary projects combining environmental and social awareness, including
UP Foundation
In project communications
Green Innovations
. In his work he combines various potentials: broad views of changes in the world but also in the local environment, analysis of new trends in business and also empathy and concern for the condition of modern man.
She loves meeting new people, traveling, sewing on the machine and taking care of plants, at home and in the garden.
HEROINES OF EVERYDAY LIFE
13:00-14:00
GOOD PRACTICE: Female community leaders – the driving force behind local communities
A summary of the Everyday Heroes project, including key findings and recommendations, a summary of the social campaign, and the premiere of the “Compendium of Women Leaders” – the Anti-Defamation Guide for Women Socialists and Activists.
Moderated by: Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska – Up Foundation
INSPIRATION: Reach for more! Women’s leadership, or how to change the world in harmony with yourself
Join us for a conversation with Ada Radziwon and Dominika Lis, creators of the Women’s Leadership Academy, where we will find answers to questions:
– What is female leadership?
– Why is it important to strive for a balance between what is customarily considered “masculine” and what is considered “feminine”?
– How to empower women social leaders?
– How do you reach for more in your actions?
– What is courage in the actions of women leaders?
This is a meeting for all those looking for inspiration and motivation in their daily activities. Individuals who change the environment around them and respond to social challenges and want to influence the pursuit of equality and social balance. It’s a conversation that gives you the courage and strength to take action, which will allow you to truly “reach for more.”
The talk will be moderated by Lidia Makowska – Tri-City Women’s Action.
WANDERING EXHIBITION: This is the last point on the map of Pomerania where you will be able to see an exhibition of photos of ten Heroes of Everyday Life, women from non-governmental organizations.
Natalia Siuda-Piotrowska
Up Foundation
Anti-discrimination trainer, mentor and counselor. It supports, listens to and helps NGOs, social enterprises, activists in the areas of NGO formation and operation, organization finances, social service design, cooperation with the environment, social responsibility, innovation or social economy. On a day-to-day basis, he runs the Up Foundation for Development Initiation. An important area of her interest is supporting female social leaders, among others. In the project Heroes of Everyday Life-women in 3. sector, of which she is a co-founder and coordinator, and in the social innovation-“Journey of Courage”-a program to build the courage to change for women working in socially sensitive professions, especially in the 3. sector.
Ada Radziwon
Academy of Women’s Leadership
Co-founder and member of Board of Directors of TEAL Action Learning Global Sp. z o.o., which implements development projects for leader(s) and their teams from companies and organizations in various industries and sectors. Member of the chapter of the Investor in Human Capital emblem. Co-creator and co-leader of innovative development programs: Laboratory of leaders and leaders of turquoise companies, School of Life, Academy of Women’s Leadership. Business coach certified in 2010 in the International Coaching Community (ICC).
Action Learning Coach certified in 2016 with Agnieszka Kasprzyk-Mączyńska. Trainer and facilitator specializing in conducting workshops to support personal development and building an inclusive/inclusive work culture.
Business psychologist, HR consultant in projects related to selection of candidates for key positions in the company and talent management in development processes. Certified user of methods that support cognition, development and cooperation of people at work: Extended DISC, SHL, Talent Hunter.
Dominika Lis
Academy of Women’s Leadership
Psychotherapist, social innovator, soft skills trainer and author of educational and development programs for women leaders and young people in Poland. He conducts one-on-one sessions, training sessions and workshops. Designs and implements development programs within the education and business sectors. He also has 15 years of managerial experience. She managed, among others. large promotional campaigns, social projects and proprietary innovation projects. She is an entrepreneur and a leader.
Co-founder of the Academy of Women’s Leadership. With her professional activities, she supports women in becoming leaders, reaching for influence and power, speaking up, taking up space and boldly pursuing their goals and dreams. In doing so, she is fulfilling her biggest dream: “That women, through their influence, change this world into a better place for other women to live.”
A graduate of psychology at SWPS in Warsaw and a graduate of law at the University of Gdansk. CEO and co-founder of the School of Life Program.
Lidia Makowska
(she/he)
Gdansk
Tri-City Women’s Action
A culturologist and Germanist by education (studies in Poland, Germany and Brussels), manager, animator of culture and intercultural communication with 25 years of work experience, among others. at the Baltic Sea Cultural Center in Gdansk and at Culture Action Europe in Brussels.
Certified trainer in human rights and WenDo (feminist assertiveness and self-defense), expert in anti-violence and anti-discrimination, among others. In the creation of the Gdańsk Model for Equal Treatment (2018), and currently in the Warsaw program “Human Rights Friendly School. How to Counter Exclusion and Violence at School” and in the Very Young Culture program.
Chairwoman of the YES Association of Tri-City Women’s Action in Gdansk, supporting grassroots activities of women, girls and non-binary people in self-development since 2008. YES works closely with, among others. With Manifa Tri-City, Women’s Congress, Abortion Dream Team, Feminoteka, National Women’s Strike, Grand Coalition for Equality and Freedom.
Activist in support of immigrant women and immigrants in the Tri-City, involved in humanitarian assistance to refugees on the Polish-Belarusian border, from Afghanistan, and in helping female refugees/combatants from Ukraine in Pomerania.
She has won awards for her social activities, including. Awards of the Pomeranian Storms of Gazeta Wyborcza and the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship (2010), Pomeranian Woman of the Year 2021, “Leaders of Equality 2021” British Embassy and Women’s Congress Association, and the Pomeranian Civic Storm Award (2022).
GDANSK A CITY OF EQUALITY
13:00-14:00
DISCUSSION: “Gdansk City of Equality – dialogue between local government and business.”
Barbara Borowiak – Gdansk City Hall, Alan Aleksandrowicz – InvestGDA, Paweł Nowakowski – Invest in Pomerania, Aleksandra Wisniewska – Lena Grochowska Foundation | Arche Investment, Leszek Stefaniak – Responsible Business Forum, Irina Ledyaeva – Intel Technology Poland, Kamil Parafiniuk – Develocraft, conducting: Anna Brzezinska-Mattos and Agnieszka Korol – The Talent Value
Gdansk is a city that has diversity in its DNA. As part of the Hanseatic League, it has always been associated with business and diversity. With a keen awareness of building its attractiveness as a place to live and do business on the basis of cooperation and commitment. Today, continuing this great tradition, Gdansk wants to be a place where dialogue between local government and business is key to creating a sustainable and inclusive community. In the panel “Gdansk City of Equality – Dialogue between Local Government and Business,” we will discover how the city is developing its heritage by promoting openness, equality and cooperation in building the future.
Barbara Borowiak
Gdansk City Hall
Human-rights activist and anti-discrimination trainer, chief specialist in the field of anti-discrimination. She is the co-author of the Gdansk Model for Equal Treatment at the Gdansk City Hall, and coordinator of the work on this urban policy. Responsible for coordinating the implementation of the tasks of the Equal Treatment Model. Project supervisor of the Gdansk Center for Equal Treatment.
Alan Aleksandrowicz
InvestGDA
Trained as a lawyer, manager, local government, since 2009. President of the Board of Directors of the Gdańsk Economic Development Agency Sp. z o.o. (InvestGDA), and starting in 2021. President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Maritime Cities and Municipalities. From 2019 to 2022, he served as Deputy Mayor of the City of Gdansk for the Affairs of the City of Gdansk. Investments.
Previously, he worked among others. as head and deputy director of the Department of Economic Policy at the City Hall in Gdansk, as well as deputy director of the Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners of the Pomeranian Voivodship Office.
From 1999 to 2003 he served as Vice Consul of the Polish Consulate General in Chicago, where he headed the legal department.
He began his professional career in 1994. at the Local Government Assembly of the Gdansk Province, working at the Center for Consultancy and Expertise assisting local governments in matters related to municipalization processes and the development of international cooperation.
He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdansk and completed postgraduate studies at the Center for European Integration and the Faculty of Management at UG. He is a co-founder and graduate of the American School of Law, a joint initiative of the UG Faculty of Law and Administration and IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.
He is chairman of the supervisory board of Gdanska Infrastruktura Wodociągowo-Kanalizacyjna Sp. z o.o., as well as the Gdansk Entrepreneurship Council to the President of the City of Gdansk, and a member of the Hevelianum Program Council. He was a member of the supervisory boards and authorities of many companies, associations and foundations including Gdańsk Buses and Trams Sp. z o.o., Gdańskie Usługi Komunalne Sp. z o.o., Pomeranian Special Economic Zone Sp. z o.o., WSK “PZL-Świdnik” SA and the Gdansk Entrepreneurship Foundation (Starter).
Pawel Nowakowski
Invest in Pomerania
Pawel Nowakowski serves as a specialist for Invest in Pomerania. labor market. He looks after the Pomeranian Talent Bank, a database of candidates interested in employment with our partners. He works with HR teams and supports investors in Employer Branding activities. It promotes jobs in our region’s priority sectors to potential employees.
Aleksandra Wisniewska
Lena Grochowska Foundation | Arche Investment
A political scientist, a leecher, a jazz lover. Associated with the third sector for many years. Producer of international festivals, music manager. She currently heads the youngest, fourth branch of the Lena Grochowska Foundation in Gdansk. At the foundation, she and her team are involved in the vocational activation of people with intellectual disabilities, who co-found a ceramics studio and a café under the ToMy brand.
Leszek Stefaniak
Responsible Business Forum
At the Responsible Business Forum, he is responsible for leading and developing the Partnership Program, an initiative that supports companies in improving their ESG competencies. He is involved in business transformation efforts, among others. to regulatory changes from the ESG area. He specializes mainly in ESG reporting and also coordinates the Sustainability Reports Competition. Previously, he gained experience as a manager in the financial industry, where, among other things. Coordinated employee volunteer programs and implemented projects to prevent digital exclusion.
Irina Ledyaeva
Intel Technology Poland
Public Affairs Lead, Poland. He has worked at Intel since 2008; he currently supports the R&D center in Gdansk, and the planned ATM investment in Wroclaw. He is responsible for building relationships with the public environment (public administration, NGOs and local communities). Involved in local initiatives, topics related to promoting diversity and inclusivity in IT, as well as volunteer activities of Intel employees.
Kamil Parafiniuk
Develocraft
Co-founder of Develocraft, responsible for the People area. For the past 16 years, he has been responsible for sales development in the two industries of Telco & IT. Experienced in strategy development, business models, product management. Tireless in observing and analyzing dynamic changes in the HR&IT field. Always willing to have substantive discussions!
Anna Brzezinska-Mattos
The Talent Value
An expert in talent acquisition and development. For more than 17 years, he has supported companies in building positive candidate and employee experiences at the strategic and operational levels. For the past decade, she has been closely involved in the IT industry, where she created and developed the area of talent acquisition, talent management and employer branding for companies such as Spartez/Atlassian and Dynatrace. Graduated with a master’s degree in e-business specialization from Gdynia Maritime University, postgraduate studies in Human Resource Management at Gdansk University of Technology and doctoral studies at the Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk. Certified Reiss Profile Master. For several years, she has been an academic lecturer at the School of Banking in Gdansk and Gdynia.
Agnieszka Korol
The Talent Value
Sociologist. She has been in the IT industry for more than 22 years. A professional in the area of operational talent management, with experience in implementing projects in the employee life cycle (pre-onboarding, onboarding, legal documentation, full service relocation, transfers, de-recruitment, off-boarding). Expert in building infrastructure and tools to enable local and global operations and efficiency in fast-growing organizations. He has extensive experience in implementing new employee benefit programs based on research and analysis.
SERVICES AVAILABLE
13:00-14:00
WORKSHOP (Room 1b): Good services – how to design accessible services? Design sprint workshop: Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks – Concordia Design, Available Design
There is a limited number of seats (20 people) for this workshop. Registration for the workshop will take place at the reception on the day of the event. The order of applications is decisive.
We are talking more and more about the availability of products and services. Accessibility is a human right, which is why changing laws in the EU require companies and public institutions to bring their products and services in line with the requirements of the European Accessibility Act.
On Accessibility (European Accesssibility Act / EAA).
This is a challenge for companies and designers because it requires learning a new way of seeing audiences in all their diversity and including many excluded groups and mastering the principles of universal design.
Join us for a workshop that will help you take the first step on the path to accessibility and convince you that accessible services, are simply good services.
WORKSHOP:
How to design accessible services? DESIGN SPRINT and microlearning
Time: 60 minutes
Number of people: 20
For whom:
- Companies and designers looking for inspiration to create new products, services, events
- Companies and designers who are looking for innovative solutions
- Companies developing new business competencies in teams
- Product, communication and service designers
- Social innovators
- NGOs
Purpose:
The purpose of the workshop is to provide theoretical knowledge about the design of accessible services and the principles of universal design and mini design process.
Inspiration for creating accessible services.
Content/Knowledge:
The team meets:
- What is accessibility and inclusiveness
- What is universal design
After the workshop:
Presentation with source links provided to the Client for internal use without printing rights.
Katarzyna Andrzejczyk-Briks
Concordia Design, Accessible Design
Art historian, educator, curator and lecturer in the history of art and design at School of Form, SWPS University of Humanities and Social Sciences in Warsaw and Collegium da Vinci in Poznań. An expert in analyzing trends and signals of change. He works with the consulting team of Concordia Design in Poznań. He uses his knowledge of change to work with designers and companies to create new products, services and experiences that respond to users’ changing needs and values. Trainer and co-founder of the Accessible Design training program.
Organizer
The event is organized by the Up Foundation for Development Initiation. We have 12 years of experience in building relationships between the local government, business and NGO communities. The foundation’s activities help create partnerships for social change.
Organizers
Honorary patronage
Strategic partners
Partners of the event
The project is co-financed
from the funds of the Province
Pomeranian
Subsidized by funds from the City of Gdansk.
Partners
substantive
Content Patronage
media patrons
Registration for the 12th. Development Initiation Forum concluded
FAQ
Who is the organizer of the 12th. Development Initiation Forum?
How can I contact the Organizers?
Please email forum@upfoundation.pl
Where the 12th will be held. Development Initiation Forum?
AmberExpo, Gdansk, ul. Sailing 12.
How do I register for an event?
To register for the 12th. Development Initiation Forum you need to fill out the form which can be found at: https://upfoundation.pl/forum-inicjowania-rozwoju-konferencja-2023/. Remember that the number of places is limited!
Where can I find the conference rules and regulations?
Regulations of the conference can be found here.
Is there a fee for the event?
I registered/registered for the event, but nevertheless I cannot come. What should I do?
Please email forum@upfoundation.pl.
Is it possible to be only part of the event?
Is there a public transportation stop nearby?
Can I use the Polish Sign Language translation?
Can I use an assistant?
On what platform will the event be available online?
The online broadcast with Polish Sign Language translation will be available live on the foundation’s YouTube channel: FIR UP FOUNDATION
Can I come with my child?
Yes. There will be an area for children under 4, who will be taken care of by an animator. Please report the need for an animator in the application form.
Is the event venue wheelchair accessible?
Will a locker room be available on site?
Yes, a free locker room for outerwear will be available.
Will there be a food area on site?
Yes, coffee breaks and lunch are anticipated during the conference.
Foundation data
Up Development Initiation Foundation
Street. Jaskowa Dolina 11a/1a, 80-252 Gdansk
Contact
- office: ul. Małachowskiego 8/2, 80-252 Gdańsk
- kontakt@upfoundation.pl
Important links
Site under the caring wings 🦋 SIMPLY yourself