Get ready to be moved by this opening performance by Asumpta Munsi, German-Indian Soprano, setting the perfect tone for a conference filled with inspiration, collaboration, and embracing diversity.

The opening ceremony promises an event teeming with excitement and thought-provoking insights around the Supplier Diversity Movement. Anticipate two days to remember, celebrating diversity.

Join us for an extraordinary kick-off as we extend a warm welcome to Mayank Shah, the visionary Founder of ESDP and Philippe Legrain, Founder of the Open Group and Co-author of the 'Supplier Diversity Matters Report Europe'. In this brief, yet impactful address, Mayank and Philippe will ignite our spirits with their vision for pioneering Supplier Diversity in Europe.

Sponsor address by Heliana Romanelli, VP Procurement EMEA & Global Customer Operations at Unilever.

Heliana will delve into the transformative power of inclusive procurement for fostering holistic growth and share why Unilever is a dedicated supporter of ESDP's mission.

Step into the world of supplier diversity as we delve into its rich history, profound socio-economic impact, and its significance for both corporations and suppliers. 

In this thought-provoking session, we will explore the multifaceted dimensions of supplier diversity, addressing key questions that shed light on its origins, business case, and regional nuances. 

Be prepared to engage in thoughtful discussions and leave with actionable insights to drive positive change within your own organization and as part of the broader business community.

Join us for an engaging panel discussion as we delve into the corporate approach to supplier diversity across Europe. In this illuminating session, we will hear from global corporations that have taken their supplier diversity programs to new heights in the European landscape.

Discover the strategies, challenges, and innovative initiatives that have contributed to economic growth within local communities. Learn valuable lessons that can be applied to drive achievements within your own organization and foster a more inclusive supply chain and business environment.

Join us for an inspiring session led by Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs Hybrid, as she shares her invaluable insights on developing a customer-centric mindset to drive revenue and foster business growth. In this candid and engaging discussion, Farida will take you on a journey through her experiences, revealing the power of forging strong relationships and effective networking to succeed in today's competitive landscape. 

This session promises to be a dynamic and enlightening experience, as Farida Gibbs and the moderator, Gary Joseph, delve into the power of a customer-centric mindset, the art of relationship building, and the significance of networking in driving revenue and growth. Prepare to be inspired, informed, and equipped with actionable strategies to position your business for success in today's dynamic business landscape.

Welcome to the highly anticipated session, "Building Bridges: How Empathy Strengthens Relationships in Supplier Diversity," where our host, Karolina Jagodzinska, welcomes Vivian Acquah, a respected DEI consultant and Andressa Reis, Global Lead Buyer (IT- Category) for Heineken. Together, they will delve into the critical role empathy plays in fostering a more inclusive and equitable procurement landscape. As Maya Angelou once said, "I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it."

This session aims to inspire that courage, empowering organizations to embrace empathy as a driving force for meaningful change in supplier diversity. Understanding and appreciating different perspectives is more important than ever in the current social climate. So join us as we explore best practices, real-life examples, and actionable strategies that highlight the transformative power of empathy in building bridges and strengthening relationships within supplier diversity.

What can and can’t we ask in Europe when it comes to ethnic minority businesses? What are the documents we can request?

What trends are we seeing in companies requiring or not requiring diversity certification in Europe?

Join us as we delve into how the law is unequivocally on our side when it comes to recognizing and empowering ethnic minorities in Europe. In this session, legal experts will guide us through the intricacies of defining minority groups, exploring the legal frameworks that enable us to recognise and support their business growth and access to global supply chains. We will address the challenges faced by minority communities and discuss actionable steps to launch certification in Europe.

The exhibition will be opened where attendees can visit booths and learn more about the fantastic opportunities offered by both suppliers and corporates.

Nelson will be speaking about diversity, inclusion, and starting a company in The Netherlands. Zarttech was started through bootstrapping, and whilst it came up against challenges it has continued to thrive.

 Now it has two offices, one in Den Haag and one in Nigeria, and it specialises in Outsourcing and Outstaffing for tech companies in the West to Nigeria. A new platform, JobPro, will be launching soon, focusing on fighting recruitment bias.

Lene will share 3 important lessons learned in her journey as a divergent entrepreneur. By telling her personal story with honesty and vulnerability about the unique challenges she has faced and overcome, she hopes to inspire other divergent entrepreneurs in their journey.

More info about this session soon.

In this session, you will hear why there is an often easily overlooked topic in DEI strategies. However, it is also a topic that needs to be and can be 'easily' addressed, by creating awareness.

Who are the supplier diversity top performers and how do they do it? Supplier.io analysed $1.4 trillion in spend to uncover supplier diversity benchmarks and best practices that benefit programs regardless of maturity, size, or industry. 

Aylin Basom, CEO of Supplier.io, discusses the results various industries are seeing from their supplier diversity programs as well as how leading organizations are yielding results that are 2-3 times better than their peers. Aylin will share 5 actionable steps any organization can take to improve their program results and business outcomes. Join this session to gain valuable insights on accelerating your supplier diversity and ESG initiatives.

Wellbeing and Inclusion are inextricably linked. This session will provide a neuroscientific perspective on the topic of burnout and explain why lack of inclusion will lead to more burnout, and less wellbeing. You will learn what a culture of wellbeing really looks like, and what you can do to enhance your own personal wellbeing.

Transformational impact for companies lies within the data available to key stakeholders who develop, lead and drive purchase decisions and the technology they deploy. 

In this session, led by Meta Platforms, Inc., we’ll explore how supplier diversity professionals can empower internal teams to move beyond reporting diverse supplier spend to using analytics to implement changes that scale impact. 

Using Data The presenter will share specific insights and strategies to increase stakeholder awareness, engagement and accountability to support supplier diversity goals. This session will explore how to break down macro-level data to support the business case for diverse supplier utilization across business units, categories, and cost centers. The discussion will include

• Building and using tools to increase diverse supplier discoverability to influence spend. 
• Increasing transparency and availability of diverse supplier spend data to drive ownership of diverse supplier spend goals.
• Using data and insights to support capacity and resource requests
• Best practices of data insights that help teams understand their purchasing patterns and the impact of their purchase decisions. 

Using AI The capabilities of AI models, specifically GPT-4 developed by OpenAI, can transform traditional supplier identification processes by speeding up and refining the selection of diverse suppliers. AI can also be used to fill gaps for professionals to design and build new reporting and harness new insights. In addition to the opportunities it provides, there are also key challenges that supplier diversity professionals should consider ensuring that the technology continues to increase opportunity and access for more diverse suppliers versus a select few. The presenter will share how AI is being used in its current state and four questions that will define the experience of diverse suppliers when AI utilization becomes more prominent in the future.

Join us for an insightful session as we address the pressing need to challenge the existing status quo, where advocacy networks often work in isolation. In this thought-provoking panel discussion, we bring together the leaders of four prominent advocacy networks—EGLCC, MSDUK, WEConnect International, and Telos—and one from Canada —CAMSC to explore proposed solutions and approaches for working closer together.

The panellist will lead the discussion on how to bridge the gaps between advocacy networks, fostering a united front in promoting Supplier Diversity on a global scale. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, we will delve into the challenges and opportunities that arise when breaking down siloes.

It's time to take a moment to reflect on the enriching experiences we've shared throughout the morning.

Join us for this interactive pause, led by Ikenna Azuike, as we gather feedback from the day so far. What is in store for us for the rest of the day. Get ready, set, go.

Join Krystle Sands, Meta Head of Supplier Diversity, EMEA as she shares Meta's unwavering commitment to innovation and fostering inclusive entrepreneurship through their sponsorship of this year's European Innovation Challenge.

Join us for an engaging session as we kickstart the Innovation Challenge with a warm welcome to our esteemed jury members. We will introduce the judging process and provide insights into how they will play a vital role in recognizing outstanding contributions.

Prepare to be inspired by the brightest minds and the boldest ideas as the stage comes alive with an electrifying session of pitches! In this segment, nine passionate entrepreneurs, handpicked for their visionary concepts, will take the spotlight, presenting their innovative ideas across three compelling categories: Tech, Healthcare/Wellbeing, and Social Impact.

Day 1 recap by Ikenna Azuike and information about the next day's agenda

Networking