Diversity in Leadership Europe
Third international Newsletter
1. Third International Workshop London, April 28-30
2. News: Partners & Projects
Berlin: Vielfalt entscheidet
Copenhagen: KVINFO
Dublin: Immigration Council Ireland
London: Diversity in Public Appointments
Reggio Emilia: Mondinsieme
Luxembourg: Local integration
3. Diversity Day in Luxembourg
Dear colleagues and friends,
 The European Learning Partnership “Diversity in Leadership Europe” is happy to provide you with the newest insights on what is going on good practice diversity projects.
After the kick-off meeting in Reggio Emilia in January 2014, the first international meeting in Berlin in June 2014 and the second international meeting in Copenhagen in November 2014, all the partners and their learners met for a final official time in London. Celebration and sustainability were at the heart of the gathering in London. The participants had the opportunity to review progress, celebrate successes and consider how to build on successes into the future.
We thank you for your cooperation and interest in our activities.
      
The partnership is funded by the LifeLongLearning programme of Grundtvig. Its objective is self-empowerment through knowledge building and sharing at European level and with that, to boost local projects in participating cities based on DiverseCity.DiverseCity onBoard initiative of the Maytree Foundation connects qualified candidates from visible minority and under-represented immigrant communities to the governance bodies of agencies, boards and commissions and voluntary organizations in the Greater Toronto Area. Our sincerest thanks to Maytree for their generous support in the concept development of this project.
1. Third international workshop in LONDON, April 26-28 2015
Learning in London!
DiPA and Citizens For Europe would like to thank all the participants from Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Luxembourg, Reggio Emilia, and London as well as all the amazing speakers from all over the globe. We are very happy for sharing with you the knowledge and professional experience of organisations and leaders such as Joy Warmington, Katerina Prevelianiki, as well as Richard Catherall, Judith Davey, Fidele Mutwarasibo, and Dorian Leatham as expert members of the Jury. A big thank to Paula McDonard and Rosalyn Eales from the Cabinet Office to have shared their experience about diversity in public appointments with us. Finally it was amazing that the Lewisham Council with Malcolm Ball, Arhag Housing Associations with Dorian Leatham and Transport for London with Laily Thompson have organised amazing field visits.
A special thank you to Curtis Juman and his whole team from the Equality and Human Rights Commission for hosting and supporting us in such a great way!
 
The agenda was very inspiring with international and national experts on diversity, funding and social innovation.
For the whole agenda, participant information, pictures, videos and documentation of the event:
2. News: Partners & Projects
Berlin: Citizens For Europe & DeutschPlus
 vielfaltentscheidet.de
Catherine Wurth
wurth@citizensforeurope.org
Vielfalt entscheidet is a joint project of DeutschPlus and Citizens For Europe and calls for more diversity in leadership positions in Berlin.
Pilot Project Presentation:
How can recruiting processes be more diversity aware?
Penetrability and equal opportunities are decisive factors for enabling more diversity in leadership positions. The project idea of Vielfalt Entscheidet tackles the question of how to enable employers to make changes in their recruiting processes with the goal to be more diversity aware. Our project idea for the pitch was centred on a consulting project, which one of the group members is currently implementing in the field of personnel recruitment and aptitude diagnostic within large organisations. The main assignment in the consulting project is to provide guidance on how to change recruiting structures in order to provide more penetrability for more diverse employees. Our project goal that has been elaborate in the workshop was to make the knowledge and findings obtained in the consulting project available for employers, which are willing to enable more diversity in their leadership. Against this background we developed the following project milestones:
1. Finding out which elevating screws have to be altered within recruitment processes, in order to make them more diversity aware.
 2. Finding out how the elevating screws have to be altered.
3. Document the obtained knowledge and findings in the implementation in case
studies.4. Develop and publish a manual for employers based on the case studies.
The aim of Competence team is to test this prototype during the following months.
Copenhagen: KVINFO
https://www.kvinfo.dk/side/661/
Beatriz Hernandez de Fuhr
beatriz.hernandez@kvinfo.dk
After the Learning Exchange Conference in Copenhagen in November 2014, KVINFO’s learners have been working on:
1) Developing and testing the prototype of an online dashboard, which makes the business case for diversity in leadership in Copenhagen.
2) Developing a crowdfunding campaign as an alternative mean for obtaining funding for a future online dashboard/megasite. Prototyping is about testing the critical elements of an idea.
Regarding the development of the prototype, the problem we were trying to solve was how to encourage more diversed boards in the non-profit sector, and how to encourage individuals to prepare themselves to be in leadership positions. We wanted a solution that could work similar to the one used by DiverseCity onBoard in Toronto. We run our online dashboard for a couple of weeks out in the real world, and it didn’t work. We don’t think of it as a failure, we think of it as
 a designing experiment through which we learned a lot. A new version of this tool should not provide rigid frameworks to be followed, but rather guide users and help them to generate ideas. The crowdfunding campaign came as a consequence of testing our prototype. KVINFO’s learners understood that they will need some help getting the tool ready for the market. The crowdfunding campaign mock-up was developed and designed by the Danish learners Katerina Prevelianaki and Azadeh Sabouri, and it was tested successfully during at the “Sustaining Success” Learning exchange in London in April 2015.
Towards an Inclusive Public Transport  For over four years, the Immigrant Council of Ireland has been coordinating the work of a partnership involving public transport companies, Dublin City Council and the National Transport Authority. Several issues have been identified in the transport sector regarding effective diversity management. Public Transport companies have particular relevance with regards to diversity and anti-racism, in (a) workplace relations; (b) service provision; and (c) occupying a public space.In a few short years, the partnership has developed robust and proactive anti-racism annual campaign, as well as diversity strategies and policies. Public transport companies have been working to embed diversity in their day-to-day operation. Outcomes of the work include: establishing in-house racism reporting mechanisms, reviewing internal diversity policies and training.
They also developed a mentoring program at the companies’ top management level. Wider impact is evident from the generation of media debate around the prevalence of racism in Irish society. It has also stimulated a debate at the political level.  During the London conference it was suggests the initiative has a potential to become a benchmark for aninclusive public transport services in Ireland and EU, but the project is at a crossroads and must develop beyond its current position to become sustainable. It was advised that the partnership needs to develop a strategy to ensure the initiative is mainstreamed in society and the workplace. The partnership should also develop a pack and look at avenues to provide this knowledge to other interested parties to benchmark their initiative. A working group has been established to reflect on the collective effort to date and our future activities. The undergoing work will reflect on the requirements and shape the modern public transport sector with regard to a diverse and inclusive work environment and how its relationship with customers is articulated.
London: DiPA
www.dipa.org.uk
Shaama Saggar Malik
shaama@dipa.org.uk
DIPA has continued to provide support to individuals applying for public appointments. In spring, we were delighted, in partnership with Women in Public Policy and with generous support from Odgers Berndtson (a leading executive search company), to run a practical skills workshop for women applying for public appointments. The response was very positive and several women have now gained the confidence to apply. We are considering how we can build on the event and needs expressed. We are having continuing discussions with various potential supporters to develop a new training programme based on what we have learned from our previous work and feedback from the Learning Exchanges.
At the London conference, DIPA was very grateful for the insights and advice from colleagues about our idea to develop a framework for a training programme to develop skills for applying for, and participating in, public appointments. Our intention is that the framework will be sufficiently flexible so that it can be modified to suit local needs but still provide a consistent standard of common, shared good practice principles and skills. We will send out more information over the next few months and we would welcome anyone who is interested in helping develop or pilot the programme.
DIPA is also very excited as we have just been appointed as consultants to assist Dublin City Council to review and develop a new Integration Strategy for the city. Fidele Mutwarasibo, who is an enthusiastic supporter of the Partnership, will be one of the lead consultants working on this project over the next few months. Finally, DIPA will be visiting Reggio Emilia in July, to support Mondinsieme in an exciting two day conference, sponsored by the Mayor of Reggio Emilia, to promote diversity and inclusive leadership in executive and public life roles to local
businesses and organisations.
Reggio Emilia: Mondinsieme
https://www.mondinsieme.org/
Nicoletta Manzini
nicoletta.manzini@municipio.re.it
The Reggio Emilia Summer School: DIVERSITY AT WORK
On June 11-12, 2015 Reggio Emilia is going to host DIVERSITY AT WORK. International Summer School on Diversity Advantage, organized by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Fondazione Mondinsieme, and the voluntary work centre DarVoce, with the support of the Council of Europe and European Commission’ s programme, Intercultural Cities. DIVERSITY AT WORK is a relevant learning opportunity as it deals with a selection of Italian and international best practices on diversity advantage. The Summer School is open to everyone interested in the issue of cultural diversity advantage, such as: local, regional and national public administration and decision-making bodies; trade associations; companies and firms; undergraduate and graduate students; work agencies; youth with foreign origins; high-schools; universities; associations and no-profit organizations. 
The summer school is a starting point to develop new and innovative approaches on diversity advantage, an issue that is earning more and more attention and relevance due to the increasing diversity of the social fabric of our cities and to the global exchanges of cultures and economies. These changes are effecting the work experience of individuals and companies in different areas, such as public administration and decision-making bodies, health and social care, business, and education.
The Summer School represents the final event of two European projects financed by the Lifelong Learning Programme of European Union within the Leonardo and Grundtvig framework, DICE – Developing Intercultural Competences for Enterprises and Diversity on Board – An European Learning Experience.
For more information, visit https://diversityatwork.weebly.com/
Luxembourg: OLAI
https://www.olai.public.lu/en/
Laure Amoyel
laure.amoyel.olai.etat.lu
Catia Fernandes
catia.fernandes.neves@gmail.com
Focus on Local Integration:
 Municipalities are committing to the action plans After the creation of a hand book aimed at encouraging the local decision making bodies to develop long term strategies for a sustainable integration policy, constructed around a classic 3 step management plan, OLAI has tailored workshops for the different towns in order to help them identify their priorities and assist them in implementing the PCI- Local integration plan. 5 public workshops gathering over 40 municipalities and 7 personalized workshops have been organized and followed up by Syvicol, the Union of Luxembourg Cities and Communes, in close collaboration with OLAI. So far, 3 municipalities- Steinsel, Lintgen and Berdorf- already sent in the deliberation of their Town Council, which is the first and foremost condition to start the local integration plan as the political support of the municipalities’ Council is essential to the success of a sustainable integration policy. 10 municipalities from Mosel region and 5 from SIAS (Union of 5 municipalities) are also committing to the action plans and 8 others are already organizing themselves to be able to commit soon. OLAI offers the possibility to apply for financial help (25.000 max / year) and continues to accompany and advise the communes.
4. Celebrating Diversity in Luxembourg
Luxembourg launched its very first national Diversity Day on 12th May 2015
Over 70 organizations joined the celebration which was initiated by the Committee for the Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg, showing that diversity is “on its way” in Luxembourg.
A colorful program for diversity
A rich program was set up for thousands of citizens, employees and volunteers on this unique day. Inspired by diversity, the organizations proved themselves to be at their most creative: diversity quizzes, youth workshops, limited edition stamps, exhibitions, themed contests, decorated bank agencies and cash dispensers or a diversity walk in the colors of the Diversity Day. Furthermore, a Diversity Meeting Place in MUDAM (Contemporary Art Museum) allowed organizations which wish to act on diversity to meet with diversity specialists. The Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, and Minister of Family and Integration, Corinne Cahen, showed their support to promote diversity by attending some of the planned actions with official visits along the day.
Disseminating best practices and European partnerships
 The Diversity Meeting Place was the setting which OLAI, the Luxembourg Welcome and Integration Agency,partner in the “Diversity in Leadership” project chose to disseminate the information on the European learning exchange at a national level: present as one of the specialists on diversity, OLAI had prepared an information sheet on the “Diversity in Leadership” project to hand out and explain the project to the interested people.
And the winners are…
The Diversity Day was completed with the first Diversity Awards Lëtzebuerg ceremony, which awarded the 4 best diversity management practices in Luxembourg. Over a hundred guests attended the ceremony hosted by Christian Scharff, IMS Luxembourg (Inspiring More Sustainability) and Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg Committee president, and presided by Corinne Cahen, Luxembourg Minister of Family and Integration, sponsor of the Charter and president of the Awards jury. The ceremony was an highlight of the day for many of the candidate and nominated organizations.
3 organizations were nominated in each category:
« Recruitment, Welcoming and Integration »
o Recruit through the motivation of diversified profiles, ONET
o Anonymous recruitment : the recruit by simulation method, Sodexo
o Welcome and integration of communities in their « divercity », municipality of Strassen
 « Career management »
o Raising awareness on the fight against discriminations, BNP Paribas
o Diversity initatives and training for staff members, State Street
o Implementation of telework in a municipality, Luxembourg City
« Environment and Well-being at work »
o Mixcity : a mixed network promoting professional equality, BNP Paribas
o Choose your well-being, ING Luxembourg
o Mental handicap, integration and adaptation of the working environment, Luxembourg City
« Communication and values »
o Women’s Day celebration, Deloitte o Gender Balance Project, KPMG Luxembourg
o Educational staff training, City of Esch-sur-Alzette & MEC asbl
After a two-round analysis by a jury of independent, the winners are : ONET, BNP Paribas, Luxembourg City and the City of Esch-sur-Alzette and MEC asbl (Movement for Equal Opportunities)
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