
(left to right) Ruben Brave (DSA), Hussein Adam Dia, Thomas Vles (DSA), Peter Bout (B. Amsterdam), Alice Odé and Stephan Alspeer (Include Now).
The Dutch Startup Association (DSA) and B. Amsterdam signed the Diversity Charter. B. Amsterdam hosted the meeting in a large business building in Amsterdam and joins Amsterdam – Diverse & Inclusive. De Dutch Startup Association is de brancheorganisatie van start-ups en scale-ups in Nederland en ondersteunt de honderden leden bij het groeiproces. The DSA also calls political attention to the interests of this sector.t growth process. B. Amsterdam is a start-up and facilitates other start-ups with office spaces, tools and workshops and catering. In three locations, B. Amsterdam thus helps start-ups grow and builds a relevant network.
By signing the Diversity Charter, the Dutch Startup Association is demonstrating its commitment to diversity in all areas: ethnic-cultural background, gender, age, LGBT+ and working ability. The industry association especially wants to move start-ups and scale-ups in its ranks to sign the Diversity Charter themselves to realize the added value of D&I in-house.
“By making startups aware now of the current status around the benefits of a diverse and inclusive culture, we can make a huge long-term impact. Unlike large companies, startups can change more quickly, making a lot of headway in a short period of time.”
Thomas Vles, DSA director
Peter Bout, Lead Brand & Partnerships B. Amsterdam, says the company is particularly keen to attract more talent from migrant backgrounds in order to bring in more angles.
Ruben Brave, co-founder and board member of the Dutch Startup Association, Stephan Alspeer, co-founder and board member of ADI expert Include Now and Alice Odé, project leader Amsterdam – Diverse & Inclusive, conducted a panel discussion on the importance of diversity for startups.
“You shouldn’t hire people with a migration background because of their migration background, but because they broaden your view and add value. Research like McKinsey’s shows, a gender and culturally diverse team subsequently performs better.”
Alice Odé, project leader Amsterdam – Diverse & Inclusive