A Decade of DEI in Practice: The Shared Story of Diversity Hub and AMS

Jola Gantkowska, AMS: Above all – the beginnings and the opportunity to co-create the DEI stage together with Diversity Hub.

We particularly remember the very first meetings (on a boat!) and workshops. Back then, nobody really knew where the DEI topic was heading, but we all had the intuition and passion to develop it together.

From there, it was a real “snowball effect” – each meeting attracted more participants, we explored more and more diverse topics… and finally reached something like global domination over the past few years.

Above all, Diversity Hub will always be associated for us with professionalism – but also with lots of fun!

Thank you for being here!

DH (TD): I remember our very first meeting on the Krakow boat – it was the very first Hub meet-up. We were then wondering whom to invite, as the idea for Diversity Hub was only just beginning to take shape. Naturally, representatives of institutions supporting disadvantaged groups appeared – including the Regional Employment Office, universities, NGOs. These were people who had been genuinely interested in the subject of diversity from the very start.

And that’s when Jola Gantkowska from AMS appeared – the first business manager who not only came, but also said: “this is important for our company, we want to talk about it.” That was a breakthrough moment for us. Truly. That’s when we realized how important this was for business. In fact – that experience pushed us towards supporting inclusive workplaces specifically in the business sector. AMS became the first company that genuinely believed in our work and immediately got involved. Since then, we have collaborated with over 400 corporations, but indeed our story began on the boat. Together with AMS.

By the way – since then, Jola Gantkowska and other colleagues from AMS have frequently spoken at our conferences, and AMS has been present at almost all of our events – meet-ups, breakfasts, conferences. Yet the strongest memory is still the moment someone believed in us.

DH: For us, these memories are above all about the beginning of the journey – the moment when we tried to define something that had no framework or language yet. I remember us leaning into the subject, feeling we were touching on something important, even if not everyone understood where it was leading.

Those first meetings – full of passion, openness, but also uncertainty – were invaluable. From the very beginning, with AMS supporting and motivating us. Then came the “snowball effect” – more people, broader and deeper topics, and an increasing sense that we were not only part of change but also its driving force.
And that’s what we want to remember most strongly: that building DEI from scratch was only possible because we did it together – with you and with the whole community that joined us step by step.

Jola Gantkowska, AMS: First of all – access to the best DEI practices.

Thanks to our cooperation with Diversity Hub, we gained a deeper understanding of the subject, the opportunity to explore truly important issues, and tools we could never have developed on our own.

DH (TD): The community that has formed around Diversity Hub gives us the sense that our work truly matters. What we started as a somewhat niche, “idealistic” project has today become a real movement – present in companies’ language, strategies, and employees’ awareness.
These 10 years are proof for us that change happens not only in reports or at conferences, but in people’s everyday experience.

For us, it also confirmed that from the very beginning we were right to bet on community rather than a classic consultancy or training model. We never wanted to be just another company selling services, but a place that connects people – experts, managers, institutions, and NGOs – around shared values.

This community consists of people who share knowledge with us, write reports, speak at conferences, lead meetings, and support us with their energy and ideas. Thanks to them, we’ve built a space based on trust and the belief that together we can achieve more.

DH: For us, it is the sense that our shared work truly matters. What we once started as a somewhat niche, “idealistic” project has today become a real movement – present in the language of companies, in strategies, and in employees’ awareness. These 10 years are proof for us that change happens not only in reports or at conferences, but in people’s everyday experiences.

…that we have managed to create a space where different organizations can meet, exchange ideas, and learn from each other – without competition, but with a genuine sense of community.

Gosia Leśniak, AMS: Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are growing dynamically and gaining increasing representation in Poland as well. Their goal is not only to provide mutual support and build a sense of belonging, but also to actively promote diversity and collaborate with the company to create a more inclusive work environment.

Today, we can clearly see that both our employees’ awareness and management’s engagement in DEI issues have significantly increased – which makes us proud. Employees appreciate our initiatives, such as recruitment campaigns focused on neurodiversity and events dedicated to various employee groups, including those organized through the Women’s Network.

DH (TD): After 10 years, we are proud that from a small, somewhat niche project, we have become a leading organization in Poland that genuinely drives change in the DEI field. Today, we talk about collaborating with over 400 corporations, supporting them on their journey toward creating open, welcoming, and inclusive workplaces.

At the same time, we have preserved something that has been key for us from the beginning – authenticity and mission. What we do is meant to be valuable, but also simply human and joyful. We work long-term – accompanying companies for years, such as AMS, as well as those that joined later – and we can see how their organizations evolve.

Looking at the market today and comparing it to ten years ago, it is clear that tremendous progress has been made. Topics that were once marginal – such as mental health, age-related issues, or gender equality – are now embedded in strategies and everyday conversations. This gives us the greatest satisfaction: knowing that we have a real impact – not only on organizations, but, most importantly, on the lives of many people.

DH: Looking at your journey, we feel immense pride that we could be part of it. For us, AMS is an example of how DEI ideas can be translated into concrete actions – initiatives that genuinely transform an organization.

From our perspective, we are proud that over these 10 years we have managed to maintain our independence and authenticity. That we have stayed true to the values that have guided us from the very beginning, and that despite pressures or moments of doubt, we can still say: we do this in a way we believe in.

Gosia Leśniak, AMS: Thanks to regularly sharing knowledge during meetings, we had the opportunity to observe how to authentically build an inclusive organizational culture – one adapted to our local realities. This experience also allowed us to adopt a more strategic approach to inclusion, drawing on the best practices and experiences of other teams.

DH (TD): We have learned that true change comes from collaboration. It is not enough to create a report, a tool, or a workshop – they must be given meaning together, tested in practice, and adjusted where needed.

But we also learned something else: how important relationships are. Not just from project to project or from one internal initiative to the next, but everything that happens around them – getting to know each other, conversations, mutual support. Sometimes we carry out specific actions; sometimes we are simply present – as a partner who accompanies, listens, and invites dialogue.

And I think that is the foundation of our success: Diversity Hub does not impose itself on organizations, but continuously accompanies them. We are present when they need us, while constantly building connection and trust. We give a lot of ourselves – organizing meet-ups, writing reports, preparing publications, providing valuable inspiration, and connecting people with one another.
That is why we value partnerships like the one we have with AMS – because it is reciprocal. They support our initiatives just as we support theirs. This makes us not only partners, but also good friends.
It is thanks to partnerships like ours that we have understood that DEI is not a one-off action, but a process that continuously requires attention, patience, and courage.

DH: We have learned that true change comes from collaboration. It is not enough to create a report, a tool, or a workshop – their meaning must be shaped together, and it must be evaluated what works and what needs adjustment. Partnerships like ours have helped us understand that DEI is not a one-time initiative, but a process that continuously requires attention, patience, and courage.

Gosia Leśniak, AMS:
We feel that social awareness around diversity and inclusion has increased significantly over the past ten years. Inclusion is increasingly reflected not only in language, but also in its widespread recognition as one of the key priorities for modern employers.

However, we still have important goals ahead of us. We wish for:

DH (TD): Today, above all, we wish for DEI to be a truly lived part of organizational culture – so that inclusion is no longer something to fight for, but something taken for granted in every company.

We wish for the courage to engage in conversations – including difficult, uncomfortable, or controversial ones – because they are essential for real change to happen.

We would like DEI not to be seen as a project supporting only one group – disadvantaged, minority, or requiring special attention. It is an issue that concerns absolutely everyone, regardless of who we are, where we are in life, or what experiences we have had. Our shared goal is to create a workplace that is good and welcoming for all – a place that supports growth, harnesses talent, and is never “against” anyone, but always “for” everyone.

We also wish for consistency – so that the energy for change does not fade at the end of an event, but transforms into lasting change and a real difference within the organization. It is a journey – often long, requiring courage and determination – and it is precisely this journey and the way we navigate it that are crucial.

Ten years ago, we did not imagine that we would reach this point. Back then, diversity & inclusion was not yet strongly present in organizational language – we spoke more about humanizing work or taking a human-centered approach to management. Today, we know that this is exactly what it’s about: creating an environment where work and the lives of many people can come together in harmony.

DH: Today, above all, we wish for DEI to be a truly lived part of organizational culture – so that inclusion is no longer something to fight for, but something taken for granted in every company.

We also wish for courage – so that we are not afraid of difficult topics, even if they are uncomfortable or controversial. Only then can we speak of real change.

And what did we not wish for 10 years ago? Perhaps precisely this authenticity. Back then, we were fighting just to secure a seat at the table for DEI. Today, we want there to be no doubt that this place is permanent – and that no one is trying to reduce diversity to an empty slogan.

Respondents: Jola Gantkowska (Director of AMS Global Client Service Centres and People Operations), Gosia Leśniak (Global Head of Talent Acquisition).