Equality of Opportunity: Data, Stories, Corporate Life
The session "Equality of Opportunity through Numbers, Stories and Corporate Life" will present the first results of two international surveys on diversity, inclusion and discrimination in the workplace, conducted by Alma Career Slovakia in cooperation with PwC through the portal Platy.sk in 2025. Participants will see how employee attitudes, concrete company actions and new regulations translate into everyday reality – from data and reporting to corporate culture, people's stories and practical tools for a fairer work environment.
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Profiles of Speakers for the Conference Alma Inclusive 2026 (February 3, 2026)
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Equality of Opportunity: Data, Stories, Company Realities
(11:15 - 12:40 hrs)
International Workplace Inclusion Survey
At the conference, the results of two international surveys on diversity, inclusion and discrimination in the workplace will be presented for the first time, conducted by Alma Career Slovakia in cooperation with PricewaterhouseCoopers Slovensko via the portal Platy.sk between September and December 2025.
The first part of the survey, “Acceptance of Difference”, maps employees’ attitudes towards different groups of colleagues, their comfort level with diversity, workplace atmosphere, and perceived fairness and benefits of DEI*. The second part, “Diversity and Discrimination”, tracks concrete employer actions in the area of DEIB**, experiences with unfair treatment, awareness of procedures for dealing with discriminatory behaviour, and perceptions of the impact of DEIB on company performance and results.
The data come from eight countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and include responses from more than ten thousand respondents.
*DEI = Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, ** DEIB = Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging
How Is a Fair Labour Market Created?
Panel Discussion: Miroslav Dravecký (Alma Career Slovakia), Erik Forgáč (main host of the talk show “A sme tu” broadcast on TV JOJ), Lýdia Handzová (Kyndryl Slovakia)
Miroslav Dravecký is a Product Manager at Alma Career Slovakia and a long-time expert on salary surveys for the portal Platy.sk and the international platform Paylab. He studied teaching (mathematics and physics), worked briefly as a teacher, and then moved into HR and data research, where since 2007 he has been instrumental in establishing the online salary survey Platy.sk and continues to be responsible for its development and methodology.
In the panel discussion, Miro will respond to new EU directives on equal pay and to upcoming legislative changes in Slovakia that introduce stricter requirements for salary transparency and reporting of pay gaps between women and men. From a data perspective, he will show how companies can use salary surveys and analytics to identify inequalities, establish fair salary bands, and prepare for obligations arising from the new equal pay law.
Erik Forgáč is the main host of the talk show "A sme tu" (We Are Here), broadcast on TV JOJ, which is based on the French format "Les Rencontres du Papotin". In the show, editors on the autism spectrum conduct interviews with well-known personalities authentically, without pretense or performance, in their own natural way. He studied special education pedagogy at Comenius University in Bratislava. For over 14 years, he has worked as a special education teacher at the Professor Karol Matulaya Center for Social Services, where he works with people with intellectual disabilities and autism. In his practice, he specializes in drama therapy and occupational therapy, and uses creative processes as tools for development, communication, and self-expression.
He is a co-founder and currently one of the coordinators of Divadlo Dúhadlo (Rainbow Theatre) – an inclusive theatre where actors with Down syndrome have been performing for many years. The theatre creates a space for artistic work that emphasizes authenticity, partnership approach, and genuine artistic value, rather than focusing on disability as a theme in itself.
In the discussion, he will bring perspectives from the TV show “A sme tu”, as well as from his long-term practice in social services and inclusive theatre. He raises the question of what happens when people with disabilities are given the opportunity to be creators of content, not just objects of care, and what potential this approach has for society, culture, and the workplace.
Lýdia Handzová works at Kyndryl Slovakia, where she is one of the key figures shaping internal culture and actively supports topics of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). She connects people across teams and creates a safe space for open conversations about values, mental health and an inclusive environment, and her colleagues have recognised her contribution by awarding her the title Kyndryl Way Champion, confirming her long-term role in building an open and people-centred company culture.
Lýdia will bring a practical perspective from a large international company on how diversity, equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging can be translated into everyday corporate culture. As a recognised Kyndryl Way Champion, she is able to connect formal HR policies with the real experiences of employees and highlight what truly works in supporting equal opportunities and what remains only “on paper”. Kyndryl Slovakia is also a member of Profesia Lab.
Jurgita Kuprytė is the co-founder and director of SOPA, a Lithuanian organisation working in the field of employment mediation for people with disabilities. Most of her work focuses on collaboration with employers: consulting companies on inclusion and diversity, delivering trainings and helping organisations take practical steps towards more inclusive workplaces. Jurgita actively works with employers to challenge stereotypes, build confidence, and create real opportunities for inclusive employment.
In her presentation Jurgita Kuprytė will present job shadowing initiative DUOday as a practical tool for inclusive employment. How can direct workplace experience help reduce stereotypes about people with disabilities? What do employers really discover when they open their doors for one day? Can a short job-shadowing experience change attitudes, organisational culture, or even hiring decisions?
