The future of work won’t be shaped by technology or AI alone, but by whether companies are willing to upgrade to Inclusion 2.0. The old model, Inclusion 1.0, relied on one-off initiatives, symbolic actions, and programmes that lived outside the core business and purpose. Inclusion 2.0 changes that. It treats inclusion as infrastructure: something designed into how decisions are made, how people work together, and how companies are run. When inclusion becomes infrastructure, organizations don’t just become fairer — they become places where people and performance can thrive at the same time.

A few weeks ago at our Inclusion 2.0 side event at Slush, one thing became unmistakably clear: The conversation about inclusion is changing – and it needs to. Because while companies have made progress, most are still running on an outdated operating model.

This is the shift from Inclusion 1.0 to Inclusion 2.0.

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What Inclusion 1.0 got right and what it didn’t

Over the past decade, Inclusion 1.0 helped companies understand why inclusion matters. It created awareness. It opened conversations. And having worked in this field for almost ten years, I have seen first-hand how important that foundation has been. It opened the pathway for this work. But Inclusion 1.0 often relied heavily on individual, one-off actions rather than the systems that shape everyday work.

For many organizations, inclusion became a series of moments. A workshop. A training. A campaign. A celebration. These actions have value, but they don’t really transform how a company functions. When inclusion sits outside the business, it struggles to influence decision-making, everyday leadership, and long-term strategy. That gap has led some people to experience the work as symbolic or performative, and some leaders to question whether it creates meaningful impact, and what the ROI is.

In other words: Inclusion 1.0 created awareness, but it didn’t change how companies function.

Inclusion 2.0 is about shifting from moments to systems

Inclusion 2.0 asks companies to embed inclusion into the core of how they operate. It’s not about doing more activities. It’s about redesigning and recalibrating the systems that shape everyday work. The shift begins with people and their willingness to learn, unlearn, and grow, but it extends far beyond that. It moves into teams, processes, leadership practices, and the decisions that shape how work gets done.

When inclusion becomes infrastructure, it no longer depends on individual enthusiasm. It becomes something you can design, scale, and sustain. And when that happens, individuals can reach their full professional potential, and teams thrive, collaborate more effectively, and perform at a higher level – driving the business forward.

Why this shift matters now

Across European tech companies, there are some signs of progress. Representation in leadership is improving. Policies are more common. Leaders are speaking about inclusion more openly. But beneath every dashboard lies the same challenge. Inclusion still sits too far from the core business.

Awareness has served its purpose. Now we need integration.

We need alignment with strategy.

We need capabilities that scale.

We need inclusion embedded into how companies are run every day.

This is what makes the move to Inclusion 2.0 essential.

The heart of this work is people

Even as we talk about systems and operating models, the foundation remains human. Inclusion equips individuals and teams to create environments where everyone can contribute and succeed. Belonging gives people the trust and safety to show up fully. Together, they help rebuild the sense of community many have longed for in the post-pandemic years and create workplaces where people feel grounded, connected, and able to thrive. That is what enables growth that is both meaningful and sustainable.

If the last decade helped us understand why inclusion matters, the next one should redefine how we build it. The conversations we had at Slush made that clearer than ever.

How we build world-changing companies, while strengthening the well-being and sustainability of our people and societies, will depend on this:

Do we upgrade our operating system,

or stay on the old one?​​

Jasmin Assulin CEO & Co-founder, deidei