IMS Welcomes 28 New Signatories at Diversity Charter Luxembourg

On Wednesday 13 May 2026, Luxembourg non-profit organisation Inspiring More Sustainability (IMS) held the sixteenth official signing ceremony for the Diversity Charter Luxembourg at Deloitte in Luxembourg-Gasperich, welcoming 28 new organisations.

The event brought together new signatories, institutional representatives and private sector partners committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in Luxembourg workplaces.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from IMS Luxembourg President Christian Scharff, followed by an address from Luxembourg’s Minister for Gender Equality and Diversity Yuriko Backes. Deloitte representatives Sandrine Muller, Audit & Assurance Partner, and Joachim Heukmes, Managing Partner, also welcomed participants on behalf of the host organisation, highlighting the importance of building more inclusive and respectful workplaces through collective commitment and concrete action.

Project managers Priscilia Talbot and Gabriela Guerrero then introduced the work of IMS Luxembourg and the Diversity Charter initiative, which now counts more than 350 signatories across sectors including finance, healthcare, education, construction, transport and media.

Further on the programme included a keynote presentation by social cognition expert Benoite Aubé, who explored how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) influence employer attractiveness, workplace cooperation, talent retention and organisational sustainability. Her presentation focused on three main themes: interactions, leadership and decision-making.

A panel discussion later brought together representatives from major organisations to share experiences and practical approaches to diversity and inclusion policies.

Claude Quintus, Chief Operating Officer at HSBC spoke about raising awareness and involving employees in diversity and inclusion efforts across the organisation. He focused on the importance of embedding inclusion into workplace culture and daily professional interactions.

Kévin Huther, Talent Acquisition Manager and Co-chair of the SoTogether diversity network at Sodexo discussed building diversity policies through concrete action plans and practical implementation. He highlighted the importance of creating inclusive recruitment processes and involving employees in diversity initiatives.

Nahima Bared, Director FIC Structuring at Deutsche Bank, highlighted the importance of measuring diversity and inclusion through both quantitative indicators and qualitative analysis. She explained that regular dialogue with managers and continuous self-evaluation allow organisations to assess progress and adapt areas requiring improvement.

Birgit Goldak, Partner, Risk Assurance and AML Services Leader at PwC, stressed that diversity should become part of concrete business strategy rather than remain symbolic. She described how PwC integrates DEI into recruitment, evaluation, retention and internal decision-making processes, while also measuring the impact of employee networks and purpose-driven initiatives. Brigit Goldak added that “people are assets” and diversity “makes good business sense”.

Francesca De Bartolomeo, Head of Business Development Luxembourg and International Desk at Caceis Bank Luxembourg, underlined that organisations cannot build inclusive environments while remaining isolated from their wider ecosystem, adding that responsibility extends beyond internal management to clients, suppliers and external partners.

The evening concluded with networking opportunities and a cocktail reception for participants and guests.