The Women Empowerment Dialogue is a project aimed at companies; we want to help entities that want to address the issues of women and inclusivity – said Maryjka Szurowska, creative editor of 300Gospodarka portal, at the Impact’21 conference on Thursday. The promotional campaign for the project will cover language and feminatives; a lexicon of female job titles and professions is planned. Some women feel uncomfortable when colleagues address them using feminatives, but Maryjka is certain that this is merely a matter of linguistic habits that, once adopted, will remain for many years. As creators of the Women Empowerment Dialogue, they observe that "women's issues are lumped into the basket of minorities – such as non-heterosexual individuals or people with disabilities – while women are not a minority," they even constitute the majority of the population. We believe that women's issues also concern men, have social consequences – they affect demographics – and economic consequences: women are not giving their all to the environments in which they work. "This project was born out of a need we observed in the market. In conversations with many organizations, we hear that companies very often want to do something for women, to increase team diversity, but they don't always have ideas about what they can do," says the editor of 300Gospodarka. She states that supporting women does not end with introducing maternity leave and equal pay for the same positions; there are still many actions that companies can take for women. According to the originators, the key to further development – both economic and social – is inclusion and inclusivity, especially towards such a significant group as women. The Women Empowerment Dialogue is intended to be a tool to help with this.

The spring edition of Impact’21 has concluded. Two days, three stages, and nearly 300 speakers – from the worlds of business and politics – alongside tens of thousands of online viewers. The takeaways? Global leaders acknowledge that the accelerated world of technology requires deeper reflection and a social perspective. If we don’t want to take a step backward in a few years, we must remember today to invest and think locally, more broadly involving talented women in these processes. According to the speakers at Impact’21, we need to start preparing for further crises with pandemics in the background right now. "Let’s be honest – we should have been better prepared for this pandemic crisis and had mechanisms that responded more effectively to such sudden events. That’s why, as AstraZeneca, we’re rolling up our sleeves, and Poland is playing an important role in our plans for developing science for healthcare systems,” – this was the declaration by Leif Johansson, CEO of AstraZeneca, kicking off the second intensive day of Impact’21. This approach perfectly captures the awareness of the changes being introduced by the many managers present at Impact’21. Inclusive, local, and still dynamic action: this is the recipe for taming the sprint that the global economy is set to embark on after the pandemic has been subdued. "Why are Poland and Europe lagging behind in the race for innovation, the pace of change, and the implementation of creativity compared to China or the United States? Because they invest too little in local entrepreneurs. In Poland, which has an incredible, unique potential in its young generation, a positive explosion is simmering, capable of leading it to become a leader in innovation in Europe. However, this requires the courage of domestic capital in investments beyond traditional industries and a cohesive narrative for the world, of which unicorn startups will be a part. It is also worthwhile to encourage women at every step to participate more broadly in this sector of the economy; this will bring mutual benefits,” – said Natalia Brzezinski, the American head of strategy at Sweden's Klarna. Swift Action, Responsible Decisions Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, another guest at Impact’21, emphasized that in the face of current opportunities and challenges, we need responsible leaders making long-term decisions more than ever. "As long as the pandemic continues, we are ready for enormous financial sacrifices to improve healthcare, but over time, acceptance for them will begin to fall. However, responsible leaders must constantly think long-term. This doesn’t necessarily always mean larger budgets,” – said Borysiewicz, a global authority, one of the most influential managers in the healthcare industry, and also the head of Cancer Research UK and a long-time Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. The Briton with Polish roots very clearly highlighted what was also echoed in the subsequent speech by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki: societies emerging from the pandemic do not need sacrifices. Billions of people expect efficient mechanisms connecting the state and business, allowing for progress and a sense of secure development.

We must carry out the energy transformation in a thoughtful and just manner. So that no one is left behind – said Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, who was a guest on the Impact’21 stage on Thursday in the Green Economy track. How to Implement the Green Deal? A sustainable economy is a call to act in a way that ensures future generations also have access to the resources we use today. This goal requires the introduction of systemic solutions, such as strictly targeted policies encompassing social and economic responsibility, and systematic technological development. New business models and changes in consumer behavior need to be developed – said Małgorzata Jarosińska-Jedynak, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy. "This can bring benefits to the economy and the environment, but it requires great commitment from all stakeholders," she said. As she stated, the European Green Deal covers various sectors of the economy. One of the biggest challenges facing Poland today is the implementation of the Paris Agreement goals and stimulating investment in energy transformation. "Poland will strive for an environmentally friendly economy that fits the circular economy model," she said. What Will We Spend EU Funds On? Jarosińska-Jedynak also said that a significant portion of funds from the European budget will be allocated to the goals outlined in the Green Deal. This includes, for example, the Clean Air program, investments in low-emission transport, and the development of alternative fuels. In total, 37% of the funds from the National Reconstruction Plan and 30% of the funds under cohesion policy will be dedicated to climate protection. "An important part will be improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings – the main source of so-called low emissions. New investments in RES will contribute to achieving the European Union's climate goals and create green jobs," said the Deputy Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. She added that it is important for the implementation of solutions that realize the economic transformation to take into account national socio-economic conditions. She also stated that European and national goals should be approached rationally to avoid disrupting other economic processes dependent on the energy sector. Just Transition Therefore, the European Just Transition Fund (JTF), directed solely to mining regions, will be important – the minister said. Its goal is to mitigate the negative social, economic, and environmental consequences of the energy transformation. It can finance, for example, retraining, changes in the profile of vocational and higher education schools, and the reclamation of areas affected by mining damage. And will Poland declare that it will achieve climate neutrality by 2050? "These dates have been mentioned many times, and we are not shying away from them – we are talking about neutrality for the entire EU. However, we must always keep in mind Poland's current position regarding the energy sector. We must carry out the transformation in a thoughtful, just manner, so that no one is left behind," said Jarosińska-Jedynak. Challenge or Opportunity? According to the Deputy Minister, the biggest challenge in spending EU funds will be the climate actions defined in the Green Deal. Almost 67% of the budget available to Poland must be allocated to these. "We can turn this challenge into an opportunity for our businesses. They will create green jobs and build an economically viable circular economy," said Jarosińska-Jedynak. The Deputy Minister also announced that work is underway on regulations that allow the implementation of investments from European funds. She explained that "on the one hand, it will be possible to receive funds for replacing a furnace or for the thermal modernization of a building, and on the other hand, legal regulations will continue to penalize the emission of dust into the atmosphere."