HBLF year-end, Diversity Charter signing and Diversity Award Ceremony 2022

The guests were greeted by Hajnalka Kovács-Czövek, the executive director of the HBLF, and then Andrea Istenesné, the President of the HBLF, recalled the most exciting moments of the year. Among other things, he talked about the success of the Women’s Day campaign in March, which was joined by more than 100 Hungarian business leaders and decision-makers, the HBLF Oscar-winning International X Mentor program, which is already taking place this year with more than 100 participants, but he also highlighted the success of the “EU Diversity Month”. Since 2016, HBLF has been the exclusive representative of the EU Diversity Charter in Hungary, and to this end, it joins the “EU Diversity Month” program together with 26 EU member companies.

40 companies in Hungary have already joined this series of HBLF events this year

The diverse and diverse programs of the diversity month took place with nearly 12,000 participants. Finally, the guests watched together the video film of the HBLF’s 30th anniversary gala, which was presented amid historical events – by the founder of the organization, III. When Károly became king – he celebrated with nearly 250 partners of the organization at the Budavári Royal Stables. This year’s HBLF Diversity Awards were also presented at the YEAR-END event. In 2022, a record number of applications were received in all categories. The prizes were presented to the winning applicants by the President of the HBLF, Andrea Istenesné Solti, the Honorary President of the HBLF, Borbála Czakó, and Zsuzsa Gárdus, members of the board responsible for the Diversity Program of the HBLF.

PRIZE WINNERS of the HBLF Diversity competition in 2022:

🔵 HBLF SME category: MVÜK Women’s Leadership Club
🔵 HBLF SME category “SPECIAL FEE”: Marquard Group Hungary Kft.
🔵 HBLF large company category / long-term project: in this category, a shared prize was awarded to Citi Europe plc Hungary, IKEA Lakberedezzeni Kft.
🔵 HBLF large company category / short-term project: PRAKTIKER
🔵 HBLF individual category / Diversity LEADERSHIP Award: dr. Andrea Juhos

During the evening, an exciting round table discussion took place, the topic of which was the recommendation of HBLF’s latest yoga exercises, the so-called HBLF “Speak up!” white paper. The results of the survey and work, which lasted more than 1 year, were shared with those present by the participants in the development of the recommendation and the HBLF member companies supporting the project, who are also signatories of the HBLF EU Diversity Charter. The express purpose of the recommendation is to help the work of companies and organizations that want to strengthen the culture of speaking up and standing up. Participants of the panel discussion: Andrea Istenesné Solti, President of HBLF, Country Chair, Shell Hungary zRt., Péter Kemény, Diversity expert, E.ON Hungária Zrt., Anita Kiss, People Director, HEINEKEN Hungária Sörgyárak Zrt., Katalin Tausz and Ónodi Mária, were the authors of the recommendation. The recommendation would not have been possible without our signatories of the HBLF Diversity Card supporting the project (BP Business Service Center Kft., E.ON Hungária Energetika Zrt., Shell Hungary zRt., Magyar Telekom Nyrt., LeasePlan Hungária Zrt., HEINEKEN Hungária Sörgyárak Zrt. , Abacus Medicine Hungary Kft., Avis Budget Group BSC Kft.).

HBLF “speak-up white book”: Recommendation, help “against abuses, in favor of a culture of speaking up”

The culture of speaking up and standing up is a workplace culture that encourages employees to boldly ask their questions, give feedback, and express their concerns about certain issues without having to fear any adverse consequences for them. Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council entered into force in December 2019, creating a new system to protect and encourage the reporting of workplace misconduct and violations of law. In accordance with this, organizations must be able to report abuses even anonymously and transparently monitor their fate. The directive proposes the establishment of easily accessible reporting channels, emphasizes the obligation of confidentiality and the prohibition of retaliation against persons who report abuse. Between 2021 and 2023, member states must gradually incorporate the directive into their own legal systems.

Domestic companies also have a task in relation to obtaining the cooperation of employees in this direction and preparing managers

In Hungary, experts see that the culture of feedback and advocacy needs to be improved. It is important for a leader to create an atmosphere and psychological safety around him, in which colleagues dare to express their opinions without consequences, and in which mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. At the same time, we witness at work that things do not always work properly, but we remain silent. Companies need employees who speak up when something is not working properly and can be guided in the direction of improvement. However, according to estimates, only 1.4% of employees speak up. The important mission of the HBLF (Hungarian Business Leaders Forum) is to share and widely disseminate the best business practices in important areas and topics of business and economic life. Therefore, at the request of HBLF, with the support of BP Business Service Center Kft., E.ON Hungária Energetika Zrt., Magyar Telekom Nyrt., Shell Hungary zRt., LeasePlan Hungária Zrt., HEINEKEN Hungária Sörgyarak Zrt. and Avis Budget The so-called sepaek-up culture completed with the involvement of Group BSC Kft. and Abacus Medicine Hungary Kft. “white paper”. This is a guideline and gap-filling recommendation, which was prepared based on a survey of the last 12 months, and contains concrete practical examples, guidelines, creative solutions and suggestions, thereby helping the work of all companies and organizations that want to strengthen their voice and stand up (speak-up). its culture.