2nd edition of the Diversity Report in Polish IT.

Diversity and inclusion of different social groups are extremely important for creating a healthy work environment where everyone can be themselves. This is what our observations so far indicate. This is also what the results of our internal survey on diversity and inclusion show. Skillful management of diversity supports the building of an organizational culture based on respect and acceptance. That is why at Orange, for many years we have been focusing on initiatives that aim to create relationships between people, regardless of what differentiates them. Our main priorities are more women in managerial and technical positions, support for LGBTQ+ individuals, support for neurodiverse individuals, support for people with different levels of ability, and building intergenerational dialogue.

Diversity in the team is not only a value in itself but also a key factor influencing the success of many projects we execute. Our experience shows that diverse teams, composed of individuals with different perspectives, experiences, and thinking styles, are able to create more innovative solutions and respond more quickly to changing needs. From my perspective, diversity not only enriches organizational culture but directly translates into better business results. Therefore, it is not a kind of "nice to have" because others do it, but a specific value for the company. Teams that can draw from this diversity are usually more flexible and effective in achieving the company's strategic goals. Diversity is one of the important pillars on which we base our long-term development in Software Mind.

At Leroy Merlin Poland, we support diversity and believe that it is our great strength. We also focus on inclusion by creating a positive space where our differences can mutually permeate. We educate employees, share knowledge, and showcase various aspects of diversity, as well as promote an inclusive organizational culture. We run the "Leroy Merlin - Here I Can Be Myself!" program, which promotes diversity, inclusiveness, and the exchange of experiences in the workplace.

Additionally, we have prepared mandatory e-learning courses for all our employees, "What is diversity and inclusion?" and "Creating foundations for diversity." We are working on additional training and educational activities to build awareness and broaden knowledge about diversity and inclusion.

The report shows that the approach to diversity and inclusion in Polish IT evolves depending on the size of the company, which is natural considering the different resources and needs of organizations. Smaller companies focus mainly on supporting women in IT, which is a good start, but I deeply believe that over time companies will extend their activities to other areas as well.

In medium and large companies, there is a greater diversity of support programs that include not only women but also foreigners, LGBTQ+, and, importantly, mental health issues.

The largest organizations go a step further, including people with disabilities, which is an important element of creating an inclusive work environment.

Our responsibility is to maintain this positive trend while adapting support programs to the unique needs of various groups within our organizations.

Conscious and deliberate actions are essential to ensure comfortable, supportive, and diverse working conditions for all employees.

Women constitute 51% of the world population, which means 51% of available potential. Companies that do not reflect this in their work environment lose out on innovation and performance. Studies (McKinsey, BCG) show that diverse teams are 48% more profitable and generate 19% more revenue from innovation.

At Volvo Group, diversity is not only a value but also a strategy. Our goal is for women to constitute 35% of the team by 2030, and we support them through development and initiatives at every career stage. We organize dedicated events, such as #tecHER, support integration within the Women’s Club, and ensure their development in managerial positions. Diversity is our strength, and investing in it benefits both the company and society.

Any initiatives supporting diversity should be primarily accessible to all. At Leroy Merlin, this is made possible through the program "Leroy Merlin - Here I Can Be Myself!", within which we, among other things:

• conducted a series of interviews with willing individuals who shared what being themselves means to them and how they express themselves at work and in life in general,
• gathered perspectives on various aspects of diversity, e.g., experiences of the autism spectrum in the family, observations of non-heteronormative individuals regarding their well-being at work, balancing parental and professional roles, strengthening the position of women in the workplace,
• organize webinars on diversity and inclusion in the workplace,
• established an interdepartmental advisory team for diversity, where we exchange experiences, inspirations, and support local needs.

At PKO Bank Polski, every employee is important, regardless of their characteristics, needs, or views. We treat diversity as an opportunity to fully utilize the potential of such a large organization. When planning and implementing inclusivity initiatives, we strive to cater to the specific needs of a given group without excluding other groups of employees.

We have implemented a program called #JestemUSiebie (IAmAtHome), where through prepared materials, webinars, and training, each employee learns about the benefits of diversity and inclusivity in teams. We started by promoting non-violent communication, educating about unconscious biases, and raising awareness on neurodiversity.

The next actions implemented in the program will concern generational diversity because four generations work together in our organization. We also see the need to take care of employees who are returning to work after a long absence. We are implementing solutions that support employees in reintegrating into work so that they can say "IAmAtHome" as quickly as possible.

At Orange Polska, we are building a competency-focused organization, one where the development of skills is key, with a forward-looking approach, encouraging employees and guiding them on how to invest in themselves and their skills (life-long learning), while also taking responsibility for their own development.

The SkillsUp project supports the creation of this competency-focused organization. Its goal is to ensure that we have the necessary skills to implement Orange's strategy by making the best use of our employees' potential and investing wisely in their development.

SkillsUp is built on three pillars of transformation:

• Process: A cyclical, four-step process, starting with self-assessment of current competencies, moving to the definition of short- and long-term directions for skill transformation within different areas of the company (Skills Forecast), and concluding with a development offering.
• System: An application that gives us visibility into our teams' potential—what skills we already have and which ones we lack. It also provides data that helps in building and suggesting potential development paths in line with our strategy.
• Development approach and offering: For key competencies identified in the SkillsUp process (next slide), we are building long-term development programs called Professional Schools. These programs include a variety of development activities at different levels of expertise, from basic awareness-building to advanced expert levels.

At Orange, we are creating a learning organization, so these schools include diverse development methods that leverage the knowledge and experience of experts, and are based on knowledge sharing. We particularly focus on communities that we build together with Business facilitators around key competencies. Learning through experience is also important, which we offer through internships and swap programs—JUMP.

This approach allows us to effectively manage both upskilling and reskilling, enabling career role changes. From the employees' perspective, it provides satisfaction with available development opportunities and the chance to tailor them to their needs.

In our company, we strive to create a non-discriminatory environment. Starting from the recruitment process, we avoid using any terms or phrases that could suggest preferences regarding age, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnic origin. In this context, it is also important for us to introduce feminatives that emphasize gender equality and respect the identity of all candidates. We focus on the skills, experience, and potential of candidates, and the recruitment process is based on objective criteria. We also conduct diversity and inclusion training for our employees so that everyone is aware of the importance of these issues and actively supports them. Through these actions, we strive to effectively eliminate forms of discrimination, which not only helps to create a more diverse team but also positively impacts the company's organizational culture. We believe that diversity in the team is the key to innovation and success, which is why we continue our efforts towards a fair and open recruitment process.

Dialogue with employees is a natural and necessary aspect of building employee engagement and satisfaction for us, as well as a valuable source of insights on what requires our special attention.

We have been conducting the #HowDoYouWork survey for several years now, consistently giving employees the opportunity to share their perspective. Once a year, we conduct a comprehensive survey, asking about the most important indices affecting satisfaction and engagement, such as work environment, development opportunities, direct supervisor, etc. In each survey, we ask employees about their perception of the initiatives implemented since the last survey. Our employees recognize the value of participating in the #HowDoYouWork survey, as evidenced by consistently high participation rates reaching 70 – 80%.

At Software Mind, we prioritize development, which is reflected in one of our values – Crave More. A thirst for knowledge and a constant desire for improvement are the foundation of our work, and the guild initiative is a perfect example of how we support these aspirations. As a .NET Guildmaster, I am eager to support a team of enthusiasts who continuously upgrade their skills and share knowledge. Within the .NET Guild, we organize regular Lunch and Learn sessions, which have recently often focused on AI-related topics. This collaboration and openness to new opportunities strengthen our culture of innovation and diversity, giving each of us the chance to fully realize our potential.

Companies and organizations, as part of their social responsibility, should consistently engage in actions related to inclusion and equal opportunity. Only in this way will they ensure access to the full talent pool, retain the best employees, and ensure the innovation of their business. This is the approach we take at Orange Polska, and that's why we strongly support this diversity. We approach it comprehensively, both through equal opportunity programs, strengthening women's leadership, educational campaigns for managers and employees on diversity, gender-neutral language, and intergenerational management. Externally—by inviting women into technology (Hi-Tech Girls competition), ensuring an inclusive recruitment process, and supporting the digital education of youth and seniors.

Almost 46% of respondents answering "rather yes" may raise some doubts. This result suggests that a large portion of the surveyed are not fully convinced of their competencies in this area. The answer "rather yes" may indicate a certain level of uncertainty or lack of complete understanding.

This is an important message for the organization.

Managers may not be fully aware of the tools and skills needed to manage diversity. They may lack the experience or appropriate support and training. They may also not feel fully prepared to meet these demands.

The subject itself is highly demanding. From my experience, I can admit how important the role of HR in the company is, which greatly supports me as a manager. I see how long the road ahead of me still is.

Of course, diverse. On one hand, inspiring and demonstrating the benefits of working with a diverse team, on the other hand, educating on how to fully leverage this diversity and build an inclusive work environment. Finally, reinforcing new inclusive behaviors in HR processes such as promotions, raises, or competency development programs. We know how important the role of leaders is in building diverse teams and the challenges they face daily. That's why we've created a supportive ecosystem of development activities under the banner #NewSoundOfLeadership. It supports organizational development in the area of organizational culture and leadership, based on our values: Partnership, Development, Impact.

These translate into specific behaviors in the PKO Bank Polski leader model. In addition to clearly defined expectations, we have prepared a rich educational offer for our managers, allowing them to deepen their knowledge, learn specific tools, and exchange best practices to use in daily team work. One of the thematic paths, realized in cooperation with the #ComfortInMyOwnSkin initiative, concerns managing a diverse team. Participants learn how to utilize what unites us and leverage our differences as an asset. All this is aimed at supporting the achievement of common goals, taking care of relationships, building a culture of effective cooperation within and between teams, and creating a climate for respecting and utilizing diversity.

Diversity in a team greatly affects how we communicate, especially when we have people aged, for example, between 21 and 41. Such an age range means that people may have different approaches to work and communication, stemming from various life experiences. Younger team members might be more open to new technologies and communication methods, while older ones may bring more experience and a calmer approach to problem-solving.

Sometimes these differences can lead to challenges – for instance, different generations may understand certain phrases, feedback approaches, or expectations regarding work style differently. But at the same time, this age mix is of great value. Older team members impart valuable lessons from their experiences to younger ones, while younger members bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas.

From my experience, diverse teams are able to approach any problem boldly. They take advantage of the strengths of individual team members: sometimes extensive experience, knowledge of the client or technology is needed, while other times a solution requires a fresh perspective on the problem, from a more objective standpoint.

This courage in approaching problems, in my opinion, distinguishes Software Mind in the market. The fact that we approach diversity neutrally indicates that it is natural for our teams.