Vincent Weijers is not only Chief Operating Officer COO of bol.com, he is also known for his high level of community engagement. This means, for example, that Vincent’s impressive track record includes positions as Treasurer and Secretary of the cancer research Maarten van der Weijden Foundation; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Chassé theatre; and Global Management Board member of GS1 (a service organisation for sharing product data). In addition, he has held various top positions such as at Unilever, and at healthcare company Mediq. During the evening, Vincent will share his experiences and some of the challenges he has had to face, due to a fast-growing logistics organisation, and in particular that of bol.com. What social impact does such a growing organisation have? What role does D&I play in its operational strategy? How is a diverse workforce taken into account in the design phase of new warehouses? And what type of subjects that require a broader approach in the sector or at societal level, are the ones that keep Vincent occupied?

Sander Schimmelpenninck is known in the field of D&I for his sharp and perceptive assertions. During the evening, he will be leading a discussion, to find out, together with the audience, where the Logistics and Supply Chain sector stands on the theme of D&I. He will put forward questions such as: “What does D&I mean in real terms for our industry; in which specific areas can it best be implemented to play an effective role as a result growth accelerator; and how do we translate this into a practical implementation?” We know that diversity and inclusion are about balancing the number of men and women in an organisation. But during this evening we will also deal with the broader issues surrounding D&I, such as attracting drivers and warehouse workers in a tight market, and housing large groups of labour migrants in small municipalities, amid the challenging backdrop of housing market shortages.

Elisabeth Stevens is COO of solar energy company Sunrock. There mission: a CO2-neutral Europe. Not in small steps. Sunrock makes meters. Literally. By transforming the roofs of gigantic business buildings into solar parks and thus making them self-sufficient. Within a few years Sunrock has grown to become the market leader in the Netherlands and soon Europe. A real scale-up. With associated challenges and responsibilities. The energy transition is a gigantic social challenge that affects everyone. That requires effort from everything and everyone. At the same time, there is currently a shortage of both materials and people. In order to arrive at concrete solutions in such an environment, an inclusive approach is essential at all levels.
“Solutions need to be diverse and multifaceted,” says Elisabeth. “That's why I find it so important and intellectually stimulating to work with talented people from different backgrounds. We need the perspectives of every generation and community to find the best solutions and ensure there is a pipeline of talent into the future to continue the work we have begun.”

As passionate go-getters of the Diversity Works foundation, Dominique and Elise share their business and personal ambition to further develop this foundation into the expertise centre for the Logistics and Supply Chain sector in the field of D&I. The broad outlines for the course and its direction have been determined. The mentors-and-mentee program has started, the events are well attended and steps are being taken within education to develop a diversity scan. In short, the foundation is gathering steam! During this evening Dominique and Elise challenge the audience to do some brainstorming with them about the next growth step. In what kinds of areas can the foundation really make a difference and what is needed to achieve that?