Our vision on diversity and inclusion
Being able to be yourself together means embracing differences and similarities. In an increasingly interconnected world, diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords, but essential pillars for a healthy (working) environment. Our events, conferences and online platforms are a meeting place where diversity is celebrated and inclusion is central, making every employee, customer, partner and visitor feel welcome and valued.
Our belief
Jaarbeurs embraces diversity and strives for equality and inclusion. With the commitment of our dedicated team and the support of our millions of visitors, we create spaces where everyone is welcome and allowed to be themselves.
Our stance when it comes to discrimination
At Jaarbeurs, we value all customers, partners, guests, employees and job applicants as unique individuals, and we welcome the diversity of experiences they bring. This is why we have a strict non-discrimination policy. We believe that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of race, gender, gender identification* or any other characteristic protected by law. Any distinction, exclusion or preference that is not based on the inherent requirements of the job is considered discrimination.
*This includes sexual orientation, national origin, mother tongue, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information and pregnancy.
Cultural diversity
Jaarbeurs is committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
Accessible
Everyone, regardless of their disability, should be able to participate in the events we organise and facilitate or work with us.
Neurodiversity
Jaarbeurs believes that neurodiversity in the workplace can contribute to the success of our organisation.
Current focus
We are currently focusing within Jaarbeurs on raising awareness around diversity and inclusion. We offer trainings and workshops, including in our annual diversity week, that help our employees to become more aware of prejudices and act more inclusively. We also actively work to attract diverse talent and create a working environment where everyone feels at home, is given equal opportunities and can develop themselves.
Accessibility
More than two million people with disabilities live in the Netherlands. We think it is important that everyone, regardless of their disability, can participate in the events we organise and facilitate and can work for us. That is why we are committed to making our events and buildings accessible to as many people as possible.
Cultural diversity in the workplace
At Jaarbeurs, we think cultural diversity in the workplace is very important. We recognise that we still need to take steps to improve this. We will therefore develop and implement policies to promote cultural diversity in the near future. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their cultural background.
Neurodiversity in the workplace
At Jaarbeurs, we believe that neurodiversity in the workplace can contribute to the success of our organisation. Everyone is welcome with us, regardless of their neurological background. However, we realise that we are currently not yet sufficiently equipped to optimally support neurodiversity. Therefore, in the coming period, we will develop and implement policies to promote neurodiversity and create an inclusive working environment. We are committed to providing a working environment where everyone feels valued and supported, and where diverse talents can flourish.
What are we already doing?
We are working hard to transform into a more diverse and inclusive organisation, but we are not there yet. These initiatives help us move in the right direction:
- Our managers and HR professionals are trained to become aware of unconscious biases in the recruitment process. This is how we ensure a fair and inclusive selection process.
- In collaboration with Changing Places, we are identifying toilets specifically for children with disabilities. We hope to realise these by 2025.
- From our collaboration with the Erik Scherder House, a first intern joined us.
- Sustainable and socially responsible business is not a choice for us, but a requirement. We have therefore included a sustainability article in our general purchasing conditions, which applies to all our suppliers.
Diversity Week
Diversity and inclusion are high on the agenda at Jaarbeurs throughout the year. Once a year, we reinforce this with our Diversity Week: an inspiring week full of activities, workshops and encounters that contribute to awareness, connection and inclusion in the workplace. During this week, employees are given the opportunity to reflect on themes such as cultural diversity, generations in the workplace, neurodiversity and equal opportunities in an accessible and interactive way. Diversity Week is an invitation to employees to participate, learn and contribute to an inclusive Jaarbeurs.