END OF 2024 MUSINGS

To everyone who's been part of this remarkable journey in workplace inclusion across Europe: time is a peculiar magician. As I sit here reflecting on 2024, I'm struck by how it feels both impossibly full and somehow incomplete - a paradox that perhaps every dreamer knows well

The year began with a dream that would become the first European Workplace Inclusion Conference in Barcelona. What started as sketches and ideas transformed into a living, breathing event that brought together policymakers, DEI practitioners, and academics from across Europe. Behind every moment of that April gathering was an intricate dance of countless moving parts - a reminder that magic often lies in the unseen efforts of many hands. To Roxana, Fred, Alina, Adriana, Aixa our incredible team who pulled off what felt impossible: your dedication created something extraordinary. To our brave sponsors  Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini , Cultural Intelligence Center and TheTruthWorks and partners Open Org , Kiin - Learning beyond our reach - your early belief in this vision has helped us impact so many professionals across Europe. From Louis's soul-stirring spoken word to the seamless support of our venue and catering teams, every person added a crucial thread to this tapestry.

Initially, seeing our venue at 70% capacity felt like a shortcoming. Yet in that space, something profound happened. The connections forged, the partnerships born, and the depth of engagement taught me a valuable lesson about measuring success not in numbers, but in impact. For a first edition, it wasn't just good enough - it was exactly what it needed to be.

Summer brought a crucial pause. On the island of Elba, surrounded by white pebble beaches and evening fireflies, swimming in freezing morning waters with my best friend Diana, I found the space to breathe. It was in Italy, oddly enough in the Rome airport heading home, that FAIR Cultures was born - an evolution from our conference to a broader vision of nurturing talent and business leaders across Europe.

Perhaps the most profound realization this year has been about the nature of entrepreneurship. You spend 90% of your time alone, charting unknown paths, yet whenever you reach out a hand, somehow there's always another hand reaching back. This community has been extraordinary in its generosity.

We've had our victories and our setbacks. Our masterclass series across Amsterdam, Berlin, Lisbon, and Madrid taught us hard lessons about market timing and readiness. As @Hung Lee's recent open mic session revealed, with many echoing the word "brutal" to describe this year, we're all navigating challenging waters.

Yet, here's what I know: while we might not be exactly where we aimed to be, we're exactly where we need to be. The learning has been immense - from marketing to copywriting, from strategy to sales. Every stumble has been a lesson, every pause a chance to recalibrate.

The landscape we're operating in is fascinating and complex. Working with clients across Germany, Netherlands, and Spain has revealed a spectrum of organizational maturity in DEI initiatives. Some organizations are taking bold, holistic approaches - conducting thorough audits, engaging in deep employee listening, and integrating inclusivity principles into every facet of their operations. Others, working with more limited resources but equal passion, are strategically prioritizing specific areas like recruitment, training, and intercultural skills development. Each approach tells a story about where we are in the evolution of workplace inclusion in Europe.

This year has also brought opportunities to share our message across Europe. Standing on stages in Zurich, Amsterdam, Kosovo, and Berlin, delivering keynotes to diverse audiences, I've witnessed firsthand how the conversation about workplace inclusion is evolving across different cultural contexts. Being featured on industry podcasts and honored with a Pioneer Award nomination by Flexa has been both humbling and energizing - a reminder that our message is resonating, that this work matters.

Looking ahead to 2025, including our next conference edition, I'm thrilled about what's coming. We're developing a unique forum where leaders can share their inclusion journeys, launching intimate roundtable series across key cities, and creating tools that will help organizations measure and accelerate their people and inclusive culture impact. But more than programs, we're building bridges - between countries, cultures, and ways of thinking about workplace inclusion.

This year has taught me that success isn't just about working smart or efficiently - it's about being brave enough to learn publicly, to pivot when needed, and to keep reaching out even when the path ahead isn't clear. As we prepare for another year of building inclusive, equitable workplaces, I'm reminded that the best journeys aren't always the ones that go according to plan, but the ones that transform us along the way.

As we build this vision for 2025, I invite you to be part of what comes next - whether as a participant, speaker, partner, or champion for workplace inclusion in your own organization.

Here's to the dreamers, the builders, and every hand that reaches back when another reaches out. The journey continues.

#WorkplaceInclusion #DEI #EuropeanBusiness #Leadership #FairCultures