Oslo Pride Business Forum 2026

Oslo Pride Business Forum 2026

Under Pressure - do you dare? 
‍In a time where Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts are increasingly challenged, questioned, and in some places rolled back, one question remains: Do you dare to keep going?

This year, we’re bringing together the voices that choose action over silence. Through bold keynotes and insightful discussions, we’ll examine what credible, authentic inclusion looks like today. 

‍What to expect?
‍Inspiring keynotes, honest conversations, and practical insights from leaders, academics and minority voices who are actively navigating these challenges. Together, we’ll explore how to turn values into action, how to stay authentic under pressure, and how to build workplaces where LGBTQIA+ people are genuinely included and not just represented.
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SCHEDULE:

09:30 - Doors open
10:00 - Conference start
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10:10 - Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Kjersti Stenseng

10:20 - Do you dare to lead? 
Participants: Dennis Højland Nyegaard (CEO, Bauer Media), Kathrine Mehlin (CEO, Boots Apotek)
Moderator: Brita Møystad Engseth
‍As diversity and inclusion efforts face growing scrutiny, some organisations are stepping back, while others continue to stand firm.In this panel, Dennis Højland Nyeagaard (CEO in Bauer Media) and Kathrine Mehlin (CEO in Boots Apotek) discuss what it means to publicly support LGBTQIA+ inclusion in today’s climate. From corporate responsibility and employee expectations to backlash, leadership, and authenticity, this conversation examines the realities of leading under pressure, and why courage matters more than ever.

10:45 - Professor Jojanneke van der Toorn
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11:30-12:30 Lunch

12:30 - What are values worth?
Participants: Torgeir Silseth (CEO, Strawberry), Siri Martinsen (State Secretary, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Dan Bjørke (Leader, Oslo Pride) 
Moderator: Brita Møystad Engseth
What happens when values become inconvenient?As political pressure, economic uncertainty and global competition intensify, governments and businesses are increasingly forced into difficult compromises. Western democracies speak loudly about human rights, diversity and inclusion — while depending on partnerships, markets and resources tied to countries where those same rights are under pressure.So what happens when values collide with political and economic realities? Which principles remain non-negotiable when the pressure increases — and which quietly become flexible?Bringing together perspectives from politics, business and civil society, this panel explores the growing tension between values and pragmatism in today’s world.

13:15 - From policy to practice: How two Norwegian companies made LGBTQIA+ inclusion real
Participants: Tove Selnes Anne Bogen (Head of HR, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen), Tove Selnes (Executive Vice President for People, Brand & Communications, Storebrand)Moderator: Marie Louise Sunde
Most organizations have an inclusion policy. Very few have data to show it's working.Thommessen and Storebrand are the only two companies in Norway where LGBTQ+ employees score equally high on inclusion as their non-LGBTQ+ colleagues measured through the Equality Check employee survey. In this session, their HR leaders share what they actually did — concrete initiatives and organizational choices that moved the needle on belonging.

14:00 - Under pressure, who pays the price?
Participants: Sumeet Singh Patpatia (Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, Vend) Paal Sprakehaug (People Sustainability Expert, Nordea) and Sandra Krogh-Bjerke (Project Manager, Prosperastiftelsen)
Moderator: Kathrine Holter Nygård
As diversity and inclusion efforts are under increasing pressure, the consequences are felt far beyond corporate strategies and public messaging. For many LGBTQIA+ people and other minorities, workplace inclusion is directly connected to safety, belonging, opportunity, and the ability to thrive professionally.Through personal experiences, data, and reflections from both lived experience and business leadership, the panel examines what happens when people no longer feel seen, valued, or able to use their full potential at workAre companies underestimating the cost of inclusion fatigue?

14:30 - Nora Sofie Samdal

15:00 - End of conference