Bremen, 11.12.2023 - The HEC team came out on top against 95 other projects in the Diversity Challenge and won two prizes: They came third in the "Living Diversity" category with their simulation game "cHECk your privilege". In the same category, they received the Audience Award. The Diversity Challenge was initiated by the Diversity Charter. The aim is to promote ideas that strengthen diversity in the workplace. "The simulation game 'cHECk your privilege' helps to raise awareness of diversity in the company by changing perspectives," says Thorsten Haase, Managing Director of HEC GmbH - a company of the digital group team neusta.
"An initial version of the simulation game was developed by our employee Sophia Feldmeyer as part of her Master's thesis. Our Diversity AG led by 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 was appreciated by both the jury and the audience," emphasizes Haase. "People think and act in their own mental system. Breaking through this, perceiving other realities of life and putting oneself in the shoes of other challenges is achieved with the simulation game in a playful way and without pointing a finger. This creates mutual understanding and establishes diversity as a driver for creativity," emphasizes Haase.
About the simulation game
In the simulation game, the participants are assigned different roles with different levels of diversity. Together, they have to organize a project as a team. The aim is always to adhere to the assigned role and behave accordingly. In this way, they playfully change their perspective and sharpen their awareness of inequalities and discrimination. Everyone then discusses what they have experienced. "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-saving way.
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 has therefore made a voluntary commitment to promote diversity through specific 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. 30 of these were shortlisted for the award. Participants had to be between 16 and 27 years old. "This year, team neusta took part in the Diversity Challenge with two teams. We think this initiative of the Diversity Charter is great. It's a great way to inspire creativity and innovation in young people on the subject of diversity," says Haase.
Picture from left to right: Faranak Hadi Soudarjani, Lara Post, Stefan Geidies, Wiebke Rehfeldt from the Diversity AG.
