29.09.2023 Oslo

Diversity and Inclusion through an Equity, Justice and Intersectional Lens.

The Diversify Nordics Summit is the first-of-its-kind conference on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. In 2023 we brought together intersectional stakeholders from Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sámi/Sápmi, Sweden and Åland Islands.

In 2023, on September 29, our overarching theme was “Diversity and Inclusion through an Equity, Justice and Intersectional Lens”.

Play Video about DNS 2023 recap video thumnail

DNS 2023 Agenda

7:30 – 8:30

Registration

8:00 – 8:30

Breakfast buffet

8:30 – 9:00

Welcome & Keynote: What is the right thing to do? Othering, belonging, and justice.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Chisom Udeze (she/her)

9:00 – 9:15

Keynote: Inclusion & Diversity Leadership Lessons.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Abu Bundu-Kamara (he/him)

9:15 – 9:30

Keynote: Leading through bias.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Dr. Poornima Luthra (she/her)

9:30 – 9:35

Break

9:35 – 10:15

Panel: How institutions can create and foster inclusive and equitable systems - Policies and practices from the workplace, academia and society.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Speakers: Øystein E. Søreide (he/him), Flemming Kehr (he/him), Rina Mariann Hansen (she/her), Momodou Malcolm Jallow (he/him)

Moderator: Karen Spens (she/her)

10:15 – 10:35

Breakfast break

10:35 – 10:50

Keynote: From theory to practice - Embedding intersectional thinking in your DEI strategy.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Winta Negassi (she/her)

10:50 – 11:30

Fireside Chat: Nordic Denial.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Chisom Udeze (she/her) and Thandi Dyani (she/her)

11:30 – 12:20

Lunch & Networking

12:30 – 13:10

Panel: Do you want to successfully recruit a diverse team? Here’s how. But wait, how are you going to retain and advance them?
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget A

Speakers: Torstein Lerhol (he/him), Yasir Ahmed (he/him), Tina Gaardsøe Albrechtsen (she/her), Karin Heri (she\her)

Moderated by: John Bentham (he/him)

Panel: Leading with an Anti-racist lens and decentering whiteness in DEI: the Why, the How and the When?
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget B

Speakers: Hatem Ben Mansour (he/him), Aminkeng A Alemanji (he/him), Miriam Petra Ómarsdóttir Awad (she/her), Emil Novak-Tot (he/him, e/em)

Moderated by: Marlon Brown (he/him)

Panel: The impacts of your investments: Where you put your money and time and what it says about you.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget C

Speakers: Sagar Chandna (he/him), Nico Blier-Silvestri (he/him), Mari Luukkainen (she/her), Lene Elizabeth Hodge (she/her)

Moderated by: Gabriella Bossman (she/her)

Panel: Bandwagonery, performative allyship, and tokenism: How can data make us accountable to creating intersectional and sustainable DEIB interventions?
Downstairs - Frogner

Speakers: Abel Buko (he/him), Roxanne Marback (she/her), Marianne Egelund Siig (she/her), Guðrún Hildur Ragnarsdóttir (she/her)

Moderated by: Frances Partridge (she/her)

Panel: Bridging equity and belonging in the arts and culture sector. Challenges and opportunities.
Downstairs - Central B

Central B (downstairs)

Speakers: Moussa Mchangama (he/him), Henri Terho (he/him), Nivi Christensen (she/her), Maria Utsi (she/her)

Moderated by: Mary Waweru (she/her)

Workshop: ERGs as a driver for workplace inclusion: Lessons from Amazon.
Downstairs - HydePark C

HydePark C (downstairs)

by AWS

13:10 – 13:20

Break

13:20 – 14:00

Panel: Climate justice and indigenous rights: Decolonizing sustainability and ‘development’.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget A

Speakers: Áslat Holmberg (he/him), Mads Qvist Frederiksen (he/him), Karolina Carlsson (she/her), Qivioq Nivi Løvstrøm (she/her)

Moderated by: Chisom Udeze (she/her)

Panel: Rethinking and leveling up ESG: Prioritizing equity and inclusion in corporate ratings.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget B

Speakers: Benedicte Teigen Gude (she/her), Navid Ostadian-Binai (he/him), Ulkar Aghayeva (she/her), Neil Chatterjee (he/him)

Moderated by: Barbara Prendota (she/her)

Panel: “Are you woke?” Inclusive communication and marketing in times of far right populism and identity politics.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget C

Jernbanetorget C

Speakers: Katrine Haugaard Petersen (she/her), Chi Lee (they/them), Charlotte Biering (she/her), Chris Hovde (he/him)

Moderated by: Uduak Amimo (she/her)

Panel: We need to talk about sexual harassment in the workplace - The prevalence, stigma and the denial. Strategies to eradicate harassment and amplify safety.
Downstairs - Frogner

Frogner (downstairs)

Speakers: Shazia Majid (she/her), Vibeke Hartkorn (she/her), Ama Afrifa-Tchie (she/her), Helga Aune (she/her)

Moderated by: Astrid Sundberg (she/her)

Panel: Disability and Neurodiversity: How to remove workplace barriers, unlock productivity, and drive inclusion.
Downstairs - Central B

Speakers: Tor Andreas Bremnes (he/him), Pierre Escaich (he/him), Dennis Soendergaard (he/him), Jesica Altamirano (she/her)

Moderated by: Zuzana Warden (she/her)

Workshop: From theory to practise: How to unlock collaboration to harness diversity, inclusion and equity.
Downstairs - HydePark B

by The Forge

14:00 – 14:10

Snack Break

14:10 – 14:50

Panel: Death by 1000 Cuts: How microaggressions, unconscious bias, gaslighting, tone policing reinforce the different ‘isms’ and ‘phobias’.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget A

Speakers: Mark Ivan Serunjogi (he/they), Salamatu Kamara (she/her), Chanel Björk Sturludóttir (she/her), Degmo Daar (she/her)

Moderated by: Sirine Fodstad (she/her)

Panel: Leadership 2.0. Navigating the Opportunities Ahead. Psychological Safety, Collaboration, Sustainability and Belonging.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget B

Speakers: Cecilie Heuch (she/her), Kaveri Sinhji (she/her), Vanessa Akpore (she/her), Klara Ljungqvist (she/her)

Moderated by: Stine Aksnes (she/her)

Panel: Innovation, Technology and AI in The Age of Disruption: Challenges and opportunities for the future.
Upstairs - Jernbanetorget C

Jernbanetorget C

Speakers: Umair Shamsi (he/him), Sarah Freiesleben (she/her), Lina Daouk-Öyry (she/her), Kristine Beitland (she\her)

Moderated by: Iva Ogrizovic (she/her)

Panel: LGBTQIA+ Inclusion and Intersectionality: What are we doing well and what do we need to do better?
Downstairs - Frogner

Frogner (downstairs)

Speakers: Aaron Kroon (he/him), Justin Hester (they/them), Rahwa Tilahun Yohaness (she/her), Amy Baker (she/her)

Moderated by: Wenche Fredriksen (she/her)

Workshop: Unpacking the fear in DEI.
Downstairs - HydePark C

by Dr.Poornima Luthra (she/her)

14:10 – 15:30

Workshop: Bridging and Belonging in the Arts and Culture sector: A Foundational Framework.
Downstairs - HydePark B

Åsa Simma (she/her), Kirstine Eiby Møller (she/her), Rosa Lois Balle Yahiya (she/her), Jessica Petersen (she/her), James Dickson (he/him)

14:50 – 15:30

Snack Break

15:30 – 15:45

Keynote: Dear White Women: Bridging Privilege and Power to Drive Equitable Change.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Nathalie Håkenstad (she/her) & Ursula Koski (she/her)

15:45 – 16:25

Panel: Leadership Development and Systems Redesign: How does inclusion drive belonging, sustainability and profit?
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Speakers: Tine Austvoll Jensen (she/her), Michael Watson (he/him), Sarah Reynolds (they/them), Miriam Hardarson (she/her)

Moderated by: Lawrence Akpore (he/him)

16:25 – 16:40

Keynote: Decolonising the Nordics: Centering Sámi Perspective in the Inclusion and Justice Narrative.
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Áslat Holmberg (he/him)

16:40 – 17:00

Closing remarks
Upstairs Mainstage - Jernbanetorget

Closing remarks – Diversify Team

Speakers

Meet our Phenomenal Speakers from the 2023 Diversify Nordics Summit.

Keynote speakers

Chisom Udeze (She/Her)

Economist | Founder of Diversify and HerSpace

Abu Bundu-Kamara (He/Him)

Senior Director, Global Inclusion & Diversity

Dr. Poornima Luthra (She/Her)

Author | Educator | DEI Expert | Tedx Speaker | Thinkers50 Radar Class of 2023 | Board Member

Winta Negassi (She/Her)

Head of HR, Northern Europe at Google

Ursula Koski (She/Her)

Chief Technical Officer for Nordics Partners

Nathalie Håkenstad (She/Her)

Account Manager & Glamazon co-lead for Nordics

Áslat Holmberg (He/Him)

President at Saami Council

Speakers

Astrid Sundberg (She/Her)

Director of Impact Partnerships

Thandi Dyani (She/Her)

Regional Network Organizer, Africa and The Nordics – BMW Foundation

Michael Watson (He/Him)

People Business Partner

Amy Baker (She/Her)

Ambassador Designate of Canada to Norway

Tine Austvoll Jensen (She/Her)

Country Director Google Norway

Roxanne Mårback (She/Her)

Social Impact and DEI Lead, Climate Change and Sustainability Services

Navid Ostadian-Binai (He/Him)

Head of Green Vessels and Fuels

Wenche Fredriksen (She/Her)

SVP Head of Inclusion & Diversity

Rahwa Tilahun Yohaness (She/Her)

Editor | Activist | Founder | Public Speaker | Campaign Strategist | Community Builder | Project Designer

Aminkeng A Alemanji (He/Him)

Program Director and Senior Lecturer for the Master of Social Exclusion

Maria Utsi (She/Her)

Sámi cultural leader

James Armando Dickson (He/Him)

Project Manager of Educational development

Rina Mariann Hansen (She/Her)

Vice Mayor for Business Development and Public Ownership

Flemming Kehr (He/Him)

Global Practice Lead, Sustainability Services

Charlotte Jónsdóttir Biering (She/Her)

Global Diversity and Inclusion Specialist

John Landy Bentham (He/Him)

Head of Employee Development

Tina Gaardsøe Albrechtsen (She/Her)

Director Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Øystein E. Søreide (He/Him)

Chief Executive Officer

Geert De Wael (He/Him)

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Rosa Lois Balle Yahiya (She/Her)

Founder and CEO

Justin Hester (They/Them)

Vice President of Customer Value, Insights, & Industries

Vanessa Akpore (She/Her)

Director, Capital Project Portfolio Lead, Small Molecule OpU

Mads Qvist Frederiksen (He/Him)

Executive director

Torstein Lerhol (He/Him)

Regional Head, East Norway

Aaron Kroon (He/Him)

Founder & CEO

Miriam Petra Ómarsdóttir Awad (She/Her)

Anti-racism educator / Inclusion Officer

Uduak Amimo (She/Her)

Founder

Umair Shamsi (He/Him)

Vice President & Head of People Processes

Frances Partridge (She/Her)

Co-Owner/Consultant

Lawrence Akpore (He/Him)

Business Excellence Lead (Director) – Global Engineering

Mark Ivan Serunjogi (He/They)

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager - Europe

Salamatu Kamara (She/Her)

Special adviser and activist | Kamara’s Utopia

Sirine Fodstad (She/Her)

Partner

Nico Blier-Silvestri (He/Him)

Partner

Miriam Hardarson (She/Her)

Agency Director and LGBT+ lead

Ulkar Aghayeva (She/Her)

Sustainability Consultant and DEI -specialist at DNV, Chair of Fem-R

Michaël Van Damme (He/Him)

Co-founder & Managing Partner

Tor Andreas Bremnes (He/Him)

Managing Director

Gabriella Bossman (She/Her)

Operations Specialist and Founder

Marlon Brown (He/Him)

Co-Owner/ Consultant

Vibeke Hartkorn (She/Her)

Founder at Hartkorn Communication

Sarah Freiesleben (She/Her)

Digital Transformation Lead

Chanel Björk Sturludóttir (She/Her)

Diversity advocate, Broadcaster and Co-founder

Jessica Petersen (She/Her)

Equity and Justice Coordinator

Sarah Reynolds (They/Them)

Chief Marketing Officer

Emil Novák-Tót (He/Him or E/Em)

Founder and Consultant

Hatem Ben Mansour (He/Him)

Director

Guðrún Hildur Ragnarsdóttir (She/Her)

Former President for BEAM EMEA at Expedia Group/Founder of Keeps

Ama Afrifa-Tchie (She/Her)

Global DEI Specialist Adviser

Abel Buko (He/Him)

Sustainability Manager

Chi Lee (They/Them)

DEIB Advocate

Iva Ogrizovic (She/Her)

Program Director

Moussa Mchangama (He/Him)

Senior Advisor & Co-founder

Marianne Egelund Siig (She/Her)

Chief Executive Officer

Zuzana Warden (She/Her)

Project and Research Manager

Neil Chatterjee (He/Him)

Director Nordics

Degmo Daar (She/Her)

Founder NoorD Consulting & DEIB Business Designer

Karin Heri (She/Her)

Country Director

Benedicte Teigen Gude (She/Her)

Chief of Staff

Yasir Ahmed (He/Him)

Chief Consultant

Barbara Prendota (She/Her)

Manager People

Dennis Soendergaard (He/Him)

Innovation Manager, Disability & Assistive Technology

Mari Luukkainen (She/Her)

Principal

Pierre Escaich (He/Him)

Neurodiversity Talent Program Director

Chris Hovde (He/Him)

Leadership and Culture Lead

Katrine Haugaard Petersen (She/Her)

Nordic Marketing Director

Karen Spens (She/Her)

President

Jesica Altamirano (She/Her)

Head of Diversity & Inclusion

Åsa Simma (She/Her)

CEO

Karolina Carlsson (She/Her)

Campaigner

Ida Faldbakken (She/Her)

Co-Founder, curator, and creative lead of Katapult Future Fest

Henri Terho (He/Him)

Head of Arts Support

Lene Hodge (She/Her)

Investment Manager

Kaveri Sinhji (She/Her)

Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion

Momodou Malcolm Jallow (He/Him)

Member of the Swedish Parliament

Helga Aune (She/Her)

Head of Sustainability services

Cecilie Heuch (She/Her)

Chief Human Resource Officer

Klara Ljungqvist (She/Her)

CEO & Founder

Nivi Katrine Christensen (She/Her)

Museum Director

Kirstine Eiby Møller (She/Her)

Cultural researcher, heritage professional and archaeologist

Sagar Chandna (He/Him)

Sr. Partner & CTO

Gallery

Pictures from DNS 2023

Best Practices Handbook for Diversify Nordics Summit 2022

Based on the panel discussions, keynotes, and workshops that took take at DNS 2022, we have compiled a list of the best practices. In this handbook, we provide a brief insight into each session in accordance with the structure of the event: keynote topics, panel discussions, workshops, reflections, and the Fireside chat.