Rolling a video "DEI is like walking on the frozen sea" participants can explore posters with cases online

Tervahovi, D124, University of Vaasa, Campus, Vaasa

 Rolling a video "DEI is like walking on the frozen sea" and exposition of the cases’ posters 

Tanja Risikko, Vice-Rector (Education), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

For students and companies who join online 

Tiphaine Delecour, Project Researcher & Project Coordinator, University of Vaasa, Finland

Introduction and explanation of the hackathon rules and guidelines to participants.  

In this session the students will get to know the rules, the schedule, the games, and other specifics of the hackathon organization.  

In person

For students and companies who join in person 

Tanja Risikko, Vice-Rector (Education), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

16:45-16:55 

Online participants will be able to ask questions on the hackathon rules and guidelines presented earlier 

16:45-17:00 

In person 

Francis Oyeyiola 

Talent/Career/Personal Development Coach, and Founder of Kpanlogo Yede 

In this session, students will get familiar with all the companies participating in the hackathon, and the challenges they are offering to students.  

FI: DIMECC, Harri Kulmala, CEO (17-17:10)

AT: Consulting4future, Barbara Sabitzer, CEO  (17:10-17:20)

FI: Amplon, Kimmo Kallioniemi, CEO (17:20-17:30)

AT: TIPS, Martin Eberhart, CEO (17:30-17:40)

FI: AddSearch, Helena Rebane, CEO (17:40-17:55)

FI: Foamit, Tiina Partanen, Head of Sustainability & PMO and Jenny Peräsarka SuperCO HR, CEO (17:55-18:05)

FI: Finvacon, Kaj Sunden, CEO (18:05-18:15)

AT: Top Training (18:15-18:25)

FI: Merinova, Tauno Kekäle, Project Manager (18:25-18:35)

AT: Hausmasters, Corinne Jung (18:35-18:45)

In this session, students will get familiar with all the companies participating in the hackathon, and the challenges they are offering to students. 

FI: DIMECC, Harri Kulmala, CEO (17-17:10)

AT: Consulting4future, Barbara Sabitzer, CEO  (17:10-17:20)

FI: Amplon, Kimmo Kallioniemi, CEO (17:20-17:30)

AT: TIPS, Martin Eberhart, CEO(17:30-17:40)

FI: AddSearch, Helena Rebane, CEO (17:40-17:55)

FI: Foamit, Tiina Partanen, Head of Sustainability & PMO and Jenny Peräsarka SuperCO HR, CEO (17:50-18:05)

FI: Finvacon, Kaj Sunden, CEO (18:05-18:15)

AT: Top Training (18:15-18:25)

FI: Merinova, Tauno Kekäle, Project Manager (18:25-18:35)

AT: Hausmasters, Corinne Jung (18:35-18:45)

18:45 – 19:00 

Online 

Networking between students and companies who are joining online. 

Networking between students and companies who are joining in person. 

Online students will have the possibility to ask any remaining questions. 

Online activity 

Online students will have the possibility to take part in an evening fun activity! 

Tiphaine Delecour, Project Researcher & Project Coordinator, University of Vaasa, Finland

For students and companies who join in person. 

Introduction and explanation of the hackathon rules and guidelines to participants.  

In this session the students will get to know the rules, the schedule, the games, and other specifics of the hackathon organization.

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

Small snack & drinks, networking and fun for the students, company representatives, and DEI experts joining in person. 

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

European regulatory environment for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and social sustainability. 

Tauno Kekäle, Project Manager at Merinova Technology Center and Professor at the University of Vaasa, Finland. This session is open for all participants. Recommended to all teams.

Global reporting standards 

Dr. Kees Krul, postdoctoral researcher at Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University), and founder of SustainabilityReports.com, will introduce students to the sustainability reporting at a global level. This session is open for all participants. Recommended to all teams.

Pavla Skorpilova offers students a mentoring opportunity. During the session, the mentor will guide your team to explore challenges from different perspectives, to make it easier for you to uncover key opportunities to advance your ideas. Through guided questions, the session is designed to empower your team to think critically, reframe problems, align on goals, and channel your efforts into a more focused path forward.  

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

Employing people with disabilities in SMEs: overview of disabilities, Austria's legal framework for employing people with disabilities, creating inclusive workplace

Johanna Lausegger, Autark, Austria

This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving T.I.P.S. and Hausmasters cases, recommended for teams solving Finvacon and AddSearch Case 2 (Product) cases. The session is open to all participants.

Presenting the details needed to solve the Amplon case.

Kimmo Kallioniemi, CEO, Amplon.

This session is open for all, necessary to attend for teams solving Amplon case, recommended for teams solving AddSearch Case 2 (Product) case

Introduction to AI and ChatGPT 4.0 ֍ - utilizing AI in SME context.

Markku Oivo, Disinguished Advisor at Dimecc Oy, will present a session on introduction to articifial intelligence in general, and ChatGPT.

This session is open for all and recommended for all teams. The session is necessary to attend for teams solving DIMECC and Consulting4Future cases.

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

&

14:00-17:00 

Pavla Skorpilova, offers students a mentoring opportunity. During the session, the mentor will guide your team to explore challenges from different perspectives, to make it easier for you to uncover key opportunities to advance your ideas. Through guided questions, the session is designed to empower your team to think critically, reframe problems, align on goals, and channel your efforts into a more focused path forward.  

Murtada Al-Emara, Business Development Manager at TD SYNNEX sharing experiences of people with visual impairments.

Donatas Počešiūnas, architect, wav3x.com, sharing experiences of people with hearing and speaking impairments. Communication with Donatas will be performed in a written form.

This session is open and recommended for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving T.I.P.S., Hausmasters, Finvacon, Amplon, AddSearch Case 2 (Product) cases.

Dr. Audrey Jayton, UX Researcher at DaVita Kidney Care and DEI Advocate will provide a framework on how to analyze environments and product offerings in business from the perspective of accessibility to people with various disabilities.

This session is open and recommended for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Amplon and AddSearch Case 2 (Product) cases, Recommended for T.I.P.S., Finvacon, and Hausmasters cases.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Finvacon, CEO Kaj Sundén

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Finvacon case.

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

Creating inclusion when working in distant or virtual environment

Zixin He, University of Vaasa, Finland

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving AddSearch case 1 (working in distant teams).

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Hausmasters, Corinne Jung

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Hausmasters case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

DIMECC, Lisbet Frey, Head of HR & Accountability

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving DIMECC case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Top Training, senior manager joining anonymously

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Top Training case.

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Consulting4future, Barbara Sabitzer, CEO

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Consulting4Future case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

T.I.P.S., Martin Eberhart, CEO

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving T.I.P.S. case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Merinova, Tauno Kekäle, Project Manager at Merinova Technology Center and Professor at the University of Vaasa, Finland

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Merinova case.

Pavla Skorpilova, offers students a mentoring opportunity. During the session, the mentor will guide your team to explore challenges from different perspectives, to make it easier for you to uncover key opportunities to advance your ideas. Through guided questions, the session is designed to empower your team to think critically, reframe problems, align on goals, and channel your efforts into a more focused path forward. 

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Foamit Group, Tiina Partanen, Head of Sustainability and PMO

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Foamit case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

Amplon, CEO Kimmo Kalioniemi

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving Amplon. case.

Students can ask their questions to the company about their case ֍

AddSearch, Helena Rebane, CEO

This session is open for all. This session is necessary to attend for the teams solving AddSearch cases 1 (working in distance) and 2 (product).

Pavla Skorpilova, offers students a mentoring opportunity. During the session, the mentor will guide your team to explore challenges from different perspectives, to make it easier for you to uncover key opportunities to advance your ideas. Through guided questions, the session is designed to empower your team to think critically, reframe problems, align on goals, and channel your efforts into a more focused path forward.  

The students organize their teams’ working time by themselves, online or in person. A hackathon demands work, and as such the students are encouraged to take initiative and decide with their team how they set up the working on solutions time. 

All students should take note that this is the last day of the hackathon working time, all the work that should be returned to evaluate your evaluation must be submitted by the deadline: February 13, 2025 (midnight Finnish time). 

16:00-17:00 

DEI-related challenges in SMEs: Examples

The session brings stories about different diversity dimension and showcases the challenges that the SME had, some of which even led to legal disputes. The session also discusses how these conflicts could have been avoided. Parts of the session will be delivered in German with English interpretation.

Mag. Susanne Prisching, Gleichbehandlungsanwältin bei der Gleichbehandlungsanwaltschaft, Leiterin Regionalbüro Steiermark und Kärnten, GAW, Austria & Aušrinė Šilenskytė, University of Vaasa, Finland & Mirella Fiammengo, WKSTMK Room 466, Austria

This session is open and recommended for all participants.

The evaluation period will not involve students.  

Venue for the closing event: Tervahovi, B201 (Wolff), University of Vaasa, Campus, Vaasa & Online

Martin Meyer, Vice-Rector (International Affairs), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

Keynote 1: Regulations and directives for the social sustainability and DEI in Europe, Elisa Bevilacqua, Senior sustainability technical manager, EFRAG, Belgium

Keynote 2: Accreditations for sustainability in SME: When and how should SMEs do this? Tiina Partanen, Head of Sustainability and PMO, Foamit Group, Finland

Martin Meyer, Vice-Rector (International Affairs), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

Keynote 3: Managing DEI-related challenges in smaller business: psychology perspective. Juha Simola, Psychologist & long-term entrepreneur, Finland 

Keynote 4: Best practices for DEI in SMEs, a global perspective for European SMEs. Chenthuran Jayton, Executive Director of Equity Labs, USA

Martin Meyer, Vice-Rector (International Affairs), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

Martin Meyer, Vice-Rector (International Affairs), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

Kaj Sundén, CEO, Finvacon

Tiina Partanen, Head of Sustainability and PMO, Foamit Group, Finland

Martin Meyer, Vice-Rector (International Affairs), University of Vaasa, Finland

Aušrinė Šilenskytė, DEI4SME Project leader & Program manager, University of Vaasa, Finland

At the end of this session, the livestream will end, however, the online participants joining online can network and interact among each other until the official closing of the event at 20:00. 

Small snack & drinks, networking and fun for the students, company representatives, and DEI experts.