Join us for an afternoon of inspiring presentations, plenary debates, and networking on diversity, leadership, and opportunities for advancement.

Exceptional women and men will share their insights, their perceptions, and their personal experiences regarding diversity and inclusion strategies and the impact of diversity on boards and better decision-making at board level.

This event is brought to you by Phoenix Executive, Iberdrola, and Forté.

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SPEAKERS

Caroline Farberger	Nicolas Schmit	Robert Baker	Helen Tubb
Keynote Speaker Chair | Board Executive | Investor | G7 advisor	European Commissioner Jobs and Social Rights	CEO Potentia Talent Consulting Limited	Leadership & Gender Dynamics Advisor | Founder, Helen Tubb

MODERATOR

Kerstin Born-Sirkel

Senior Associate EPC, BSC International

HIGHLIGHTS

Diversity & Inclusion – How businesses can lead in promoting diversity and inclusion

In the ongoing pursuit of gender equality in the workplace, we will explore practical strategies that organizations and companies can adopt to foster a more inclusive work environment. With participants from both the public, political, and private sectors, we will discuss the role of businesses and leadership in advancing diversity initiatives, such as how diverse teams can drive innovation, improve decision-making, and enhance overall performance. Key insights will focus on overcoming common barriers to inclusion, building a culture of belonging, and ensuring accountability at all levels of the business.

We will also look at the importance of personal responsibility in promoting inclusive environments, discussing how individuals can be encouraged in becoming allies and advocates for diversity, using their voices and influence on challenge biases and support underrepresented groups.

Unconscious Bias at Board Level

We will examine the subtle yet powerful ways unconscious biases can influence decision-making at the highest levels of leadership. We will explore how these often unrecognized biases impact boardroom dynamics, ultimately affecting the performance and culture of an organization.

Participants will gain insights into identifying and mitigating these biases, fostering more inclusive leadership, and ensuring that diversity and merit are truly valued in board-level decision-making processes. The event will also emphasize the importance of self-awareness and accountability among board members to drive meaningful change.

ABOUT THE GLOBAL READY WOMEN INITIATIVE

The Global Board Ready Women (GBRW) / Leadership initiative was launched in 2012 with the formation of a Task Force, aimed at supporting the directive proposed by former European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding. The goal was to increase gender diversity on corporate boards across the EU by setting a minimum target of 40% female board members by 2020.

Executive women leaders from the private, academic, and public sectors came together to challenge the common claim that ‘there aren’t enough qualified women for board positions.’ As a result, a database of board-ready women was created, which is now managed and expanded by the Forté Foundation in the US and Phoenix Executive in Europe.

In 2023, a conference was held in Brussels to celebrate this initiative and the launch of the expanded database. The event, opened by Viviane Reding, addressed key topics such as the EU Gender Equality Law 2026, the gender pay gap, and leadership development for women.

To celebrate the growing number of women joining this initiative, this year’s conference will address topics such as how businesses can take the lead in promoting diversity, inclusion, and tackling unconscious bias.