Strengthening DEI in Education and SME Management

We aim to create a digital tool for planning, implementing and monitoring corporate social responsibility and educational materials for using it, so that higher institution (HE) graduates could le...

We aim to create a digital tool for planning, implementing and monitoring corporate social responsibility and educational materials for using it, so that higher institution (HE) graduates could lead the change toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) even in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have little extra resources. This would lay the foundation for creating the EU’s joint standard for monitoring social responsibility and solving a number of social challenges in the union.

Involving multiple stakeholders, we will first gather insights on DEI challenges and potential solutions for SMEs via survey (generalized insights) and hackathons (in-depth case analysis for deep knowledge, contextualized solutions). Then, we will design a framework for DEI planning, implementation, and monitoring, upon which the third set of activities – the digital tool for DEI management in SMEs and educational material to adopt the tool and best DEI management practices - will be produced.

HE Institutions will receive digital education infrastructure to develop graduates’ skills needed to lead change toward social responsibility in SMEs. SMEs will receive a digital tool to plan, implement, and report measurable DEI activities in line with the ESG requirements in the EU. The project will support employment of multiple underrepresented groups, especially students with diverse backgrounds, because SMEs will develop competencies in and awareness of the DEI management.