From the beginning of 2020, our events took into account activities and life during the COVID-19 pandemic. On behalf of the Diversity Charter, we dedicated energy to working on topics which have been essential to society and employers for a number of years: supporting young people from socially disadvantaged environments; supporting parents and finding a balance between work and family; supporting single mothers; supporting informal caregivers; the over 55 generation and LGBT.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a number of new issues into diversity and also deepened some existing topics: views on work flexibility are changing in fundamental ways and home office shifted from being a benefit to an entirely essential mode of working, etc. We are glad that together, we were able to introduce issues necessitating legislative amendments in relation to job flexibility through discussion sessions and sharing of good practices, such as support to single mothers and prevention of domestic violence. We look forward to continuing to work together on these issues in 2021.

Our campaign Helping Heroes, Becoming Heroes ran from March 2020 through the end of the year. Through this campaign, employers provided immediate, charitable assistance to help manage the COVID-19 pandemic. Many companies supported emergency service units by offering their products and/or by sewing face masks. The support that IKEA and Thermo Fisher Scientific provided to single mothers was exceptional. The campaign that we launched under the Czech Diversity Charter became a source of inspiration for other EU member states and our companies’ names were even headlined in the whole package of recommendation documents.

We are glad that despite the current very complicated global situation, we are able to advance diversity as an essential value issue. We are part of a working group that is helping implement the EU directive on equal opportunities for men and women and connect the work of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs with very necessary good corporate practices.

We have many exciting activities in stock this year as well. For instance, you can already start looking forward to the 5^th annual “Mothers and Fathers Welcome” conference and Diversity Day, which will be focused on much-needed international cooperation, etc.

We were one of the few entities in the EC to obtain a full 2-year EC grant to develop, pilot and implement a Diversity Master Class. It is a unique comprehensive tool that will help corporate HR, CSR and top management. We are working with the Slovak Diversity Charter, ČSOB, Microsoft and ŠKODA AUTO on this project. We will also invite our other members, signatories and new businesses to join our activities.

Thank you for being so engaged and dedicated and for sharing. We look forward to our continued cooperation.

In 2020, we held the following events on behalf of the Diversity Charter:

Conferences:

19 February – The Silver Economy and Career Options for People Over 55 in the Czech Parliament

15 May – European Diversity Day – On-line conference

11 June – Mothers and Fathers Welcome, Rytířská Street, Czech Savings Bank

9 September – Autumn Diversity Day, Dentons

Roundtables and Workshops:

27 August – Legal for Flexi, a roundtable attended by businesses, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Brno

9 September – Legal for Flexi, a roundtable attended by businesses, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Dentons, Prague

8 December – Gender Equality Strategy and Related Proposed Implementing Measures, Office of the Government of the Czech Republic

Breakfast events:

4 March – Women in Leadership Breakfast

8 July – Women in Leadership Platform Business Breakfast

The Embassy of Canada in cooperation with Her Excellency Ambassador Ayesha Rekhi

We helped prepare in-house workshops and strategies focused on diversity, flexibility and inclusion in signatory and member companies.

We provided expertise for events held by the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Regional Platform for Family Policy, Prague:

30 January – Diversity Assessment Framework Panel, British Council

28 May – Diversity Day Age Diversity and Career Options for People over 55, Pontis, Slovakia

17 June – Labour Market, Gender Equality Strategy – 2+ years of cooperation on the key topic, Office of the Government of the Czech Republic

4 September – Family Policy Forum, Pardubice, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

New Gold Ambassadors of the Diversity Charter 2020:

DENTONS

Provident Financial s.r.o.

ŠKODA AUTO a.s.

Tesco Stores ČR a.s.

VELUX Česká republika, s.r.o.

Komerční banka a.s.,

MONETA MONEY Bank a.s.,

New Signatories of the Diversity Charter 2020:

Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna, a.s., Vienna Insurance Group

Hello bank!

Eaton BDC

Lego Trading, s r.o.

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