Bremen, December 11, 2023 – The HEC team prevailed against 95 other projects in the Diversity Challenge and won two prizes: They took third place in the “Living Diversity” category with their simulation game “cHECk your privilege.” They also received the audience award in the same category. The Diversity Challenge was initiated by the Diversity Charter. The aim is to promote ideas that strengthen diversity in the workplace. “The ‘cHECk your privilege’ simulation game helps to raise awareness of diversity in companies by changing perspectives,” says Thorsten Haase, Managing Director of HEC GmbH – a company belonging to the digital group team neusta.

“The first version of the simulation game was developed by our employee Sophia Feldmeyer as part of her master's thesis. Our Diversity AG team, consisting of Wiebke Rehfeldt, Lara Post, Stefan Geidies, and Sophia Feldmeyer, then expanded it to include all the missing core dimensions of diversity. We are proud that this idea has been recognized by both the jury and the audience,” emphasizes Haase. “People think and act within their own mental frameworks. Breaking through these, perceiving other realities of life, and putting oneself in the shoes of others is achieved playfully and without finger-pointing in the simulation game. This creates mutual understanding and establishes diversity as a driver of creativity,” Haase emphasizes.

About the simulation game

In the simulation game, participants are assigned different roles with different diversity characteristics. Together, they have to organize a project as a team. The aim is to always adhere to the assigned role and behave accordingly. In this way, they playfully change their perspective and sharpen their awareness of inequalities and discrimination. Afterwards, everyone discusses their experiences. “cHECk your privilege” is currently being played within the digital group with employees. An external offering is also planned. In addition, a digital version of the simulation game is currently being developed so that it can be offered remotely and in a resource-efficient manner.

Diversity Challenge of the Diversity Charter

The Diversity Charter is a non-profit organization that has been in existence since 2006. It is committed to bringing more diversity into the world of work. team neusta has signed the Diversity Charter and is thus making a voluntary commitment to promote diversity through concrete measures. These include annual campaigns on German Diversity Day and participation in the Diversity Challenge. A total of 95 teams submitted ideas for the 2022-23 challenge. Thirty of these made it onto the shortlist for the awards. Participants had to be between 16 and 27 years old. “This year, team neusta participated in the Diversity Challenge with two teams. We think this initiative by the Diversity Charter is great. It awakens creativity and innovative spirit in young people on the topic of diversity,” said Haase.

Photo from left to right: Faranak Hadi Soudarjani, Lara Post, Stefan Geidies, Wiebke Rehfeldt from the Diversity AG.