Nearly 200 managers joined our first public event on unconscious bias
Yesterday, nearly 200 participants from across Europe took part at some point in the first public event of the EU Project “Beyond Unconscious Bias” (Beyunbi), coordinated by CEC European Managers.
The online event marked the first in a series of public discussions dedicated to addressing unconscious biases among leaders and managers, a critical topic in today’s workforce and to highlight the work that has been carried out throughout the Beyunbi trainings led by Barbara de Micheli from Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini.
With this project funded by the European Commission, CEC European Managers is aiming to foster inclusive leadership practices, and welcome managers and leaders from various sectors and regions, keen to explore the influence of unconscious biases in leadership roles.
Three trainings funded by the European Commission
Three trainings on unconscious bias are targeting European leaders and managers and helping them to make better decisions. The trainings have been scheduled covering three different areas of the European continent, South (Rome), North (Copenhagen) and Central (Paris). They are coordinated by Baraba de Micheli from Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini.
De Micheli engages participants in discussions and debates about decision-making processes in the workplace and ways of improving them, leaving subconscious preferences and mental shortcuts behind.
Alongside the training, CEC European Managers is organising public events to further engage the general audience in the unconscious bias discussion and to raise awareness of its effects.
Yesterday, the first of a series of public events highlighting the comprehensive training programs developed through the Beyunbi project showcased the work carried out by managers and leaders who attended the Copenhagen training just a couple of days ago.
The next public events are scheduled for October 10 in Paris and November 4 in Rome, each focusing on unconscious bias training conducted in those cities.
Highlights from the Public event
The event, which was held online at 15:00 CET on September 18, provided a platform for leaders, managers, and experts to discuss the key challenges posed by unconscious biases in the workplace.
Attendees heard from prominent figures, including Torkild Justesen, Secretary General of CEC European Managers, and experts from partner organisations like Lederne and the Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini.
The speakers offered valuable insights into how biases affect leadership models, particularly in countries like Denmark, Sweden, and Germany, and how these biases can be countered through targeted training.
One of the key highlights was the presentation of some of the survey results of the University of Southern Denmark (Syddansk Universitet). Researcher Lea Skewes provided the European Commission with a specific report on European leadership bias. Among the respondents, over 1,000 European leaders from very diverse countries.
This analysis of the international survey conducted under the Beyunbi project provided a data-driven perspective on the prevalence of unconscious bias among European managers.
The findings underscored the need for ongoing awareness and training to promote equitable practices.
The event also featured a Q&A session where participants engaged directly with Beyunbi training experts and shared their thoughts on how to combat bias in their organizations.
Also, trainees from the recent session held in Copenhagen on September 9-10 contributed to the discussion, with Anders Koch Hess offering his personal insights on the challenges and solutions to addressing bias in leadership.
A Brussels conference on unconscious bias and public events ahead
Building on the success of the September 18 event, CEC European Managers will continue the conversation with upcoming public events. On October 10, the next session will take place online highlighting the work carried out in Paris, and it will be followed by a final online public event highlighting the work that was carried out in Rome on November 4. Each of these public events focuses on further training and discussions about unconscious bias.
The European project Beyunbi will also organise a face-to-face Final Conference in Brussels on the 27 November 2024. More information will be shared shortly.
As the project gains momentum, more managers are encouraged to join these events and contribute to shaping a more inclusive leadership culture across Europe.
For those interested in taking part, recordings of the event and details for future sessions can be accessed via the CEC European Managers’ official LinkedIn page.
Watch full Beyond Unconscious Bias Public Event here [+]
Join the conversation in unconscious bias and be part of the change!
