Award Night 2026
In the Spotlight of Diversity and Inclusion
On Saturday, October 17, 2026, for the first time, it will not be the Kursaal Bern but Bern Minster that will shine in the glory of the Swiss Diversity Awards. For the eighth time, individuals, projects, and organizations will be honored for their outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. An evening full of emotion, exciting encounters, and inspiring speeches awaits.
On this special evening, the stage belongs exclusively to projects, organizations, and individuals who advocate for visibility, inclusion, and diversity. Each year, the Swiss Diversity Award Night demonstrates anew what the power of diversity can achieve. “We are proud to be able to contribute to bringing these issues into the spotlight and to provide guests with valuable insights that inspire action,” said Michel Rudin, founder of the Swiss Diversity Association, as he welcomed nearly 300 guests in 2025.
To further promote dialogue on equality and acceptance in Switzerland, nine awards are presented in various categories.
Jury 2026
Two independent juries will select the winners of the Swiss Diversity Award from among the projects submitted to Swiss Diversity in the categories “LGBTIQ+ Inclusion,” “Gender Equality,” “Age Diversity,” “Disability,” “Education & Social Background,” “Nationality & Ethnicity,” and “Religion & Spirituality.” Download detailed guidelines (PDF)
Nicole Niedermann
Nicole Niedermann is Associate Director at the Competence Center for Diversity, Disability & Inclusion (CDDI) at the University of St. Gallen. She oversees corporate projects and co-leads the annual HSG Diversity Benchmarking Study. At the intersection of research and practice, she drives the development of holistic strategies, the design of fair HR processes, and the conception and implementation of DEI programs for specific industries, associations, or target groups. In addition to her consulting work for companies and associations, she serves as a trainer, lecturer, and specialist coach. Nicole has been committed to equitable workplaces and inclusive leadership cultures for many years. She says: “For me, the goal is the inclusion of everyone. It arises where people are seen and valued, where they can contribute their individual perspectives, and where structures enable a sense of belonging.”
Hans-Peter Nehmer
Hans-Peter Nehmer is responsible for internal and external corporate communications at Allianz Suisse. His role involves ensuring effective, clear, and targeted communication with internal and external stakeholders. The goal of his work is to strengthen Allianz Suisse’s reputation, build trust, and actively shape its relationships with the public. He serves as the point of contact for all strategically relevant communication matters.
As president of the CCO network in Switzerland (HarbourClub), Hans-Peter Nehmer advocates for strong, strategic communication management in a digitalized public sphere and promotes dialogue on trends, key issues, and the role of the CCO in companies and organizations.
Vanessa Grand
Vanessa Grand is a name that has long held a firm place in the folk music and pop scene. Born with a disability, it is now her second to perform on stage in a wheelchair. Her musical biography is well worth reading, highlighting achievements such as: countless live performances at home and abroad, open-air festivals, winning the title of “Musikantenkönigin,” and the production of six successful albums.
Florence Schelling
Florence Kunz-Schelling is one of the most influential figures in Swiss ice hockey. As a longtime national team goalkeeper, she won an Olympic bronze medal and received international recognition for her leadership. After retiring from competitive play, she made history as the first woman to hold a general manager position in professional men’s hockey. Today, she is dedicated to the sport’s development as a coach, podcaster, and expert. With her courage to blaze new trails, she embodies true pioneering spirit and diversity in competitive sports.
Eleonora Em
Born in Uzbekistan to Korean parents, Eleonora Em grew up in a complex cultural environment shaped by diverse languages, identities, and soundscapes. At the age of four, she discovered the piano as her artistic medium, where freedom, depth, and emotional authenticity converge. After completing a prestigious music education in Moscow and Zurich, she found her second home in Switzerland. Since then, she has shaped the Swiss music scene as a pianist, educator, and cultural mediator. In her artistic work, she blends tradition and modernity, East and West, academic excellence and personal expressiveness. Her biography exemplifies lived diversity: for Eleonora Em, music becomes a language bridging cultures, generations, and identities — a space where difference does not divide, but unites.
Alexander Ott
For decades, Alexander Ott not only led the City of Bern’s Immigration Police but also left an indelible mark on the agency. Building on his career with the Border Guard Corps, he became one of Switzerland’s most prominent experts in the fight against human trafficking. His work combines operational rigor with in-depth training in law, leadership, and — unusually, yet influentally — philosophy. This gave rise to an approach that combines consistent law enforcement with genuine humanity and provides guidance even in complex situations. Today, he continues to contribute his experience as an expert and co-president of the VSED, shaping the discussion on migration and exploitation beyond the city of Bern. And he does so under the motto: Solutions arise where attitude, knowledge, and humanity come together.
Jury Religion 2026
In the current global climate, we are increasingly confronted with religious conflicts, which is why we feel a particular need to take action in this area. At Swiss Diversity, we have deep respect for religious freedom and place our full trust in the expert advice of our religious experts on the jury when selecting our nominees. We are convinced that the dimension of religion and spirituality possesses a unifying power that can help break down barriers. For this reason, we have established a separate jury for the DE&I dimension “Religion & Spirituality” to ensure that this important topic receives the attention it deserves.
Judith Pörksen Roder
Judith Pörksen Roder is a Protestant Reformed pastor and president of the Synodal Council of the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn. She views the regional church as a church of the people, serving everyone regardless of lifestyle, background, or social status. She is committed to a church that engages in social dialogue and advocates for social cohesion, justice, and diversity. Through “marriage for all” and offerings such as queer worship services, the Reformed Churches of Bern-Jura-Solothurn actively support social diversity.
Sabine Stalder
Sabine Stalder is 53 years old and originally comes from Augsburg in Bavaria. After completing her architecture degree, she moved to Switzerland 23 years ago. After 21 years working as a client consultant at a large engineering firm, she decided to change careers — in part because she had expanded her knowledge by studying theology a few years prior. This led her to take on a new role as Deputy General Secretary of the Roman Catholic Central Conference of Switzerland. She is looking forward to the challenges ahead and the opportunity to actively help shape the church. Sabine Stalder lives with her family in the canton of Aargau.
Omar Kassab
Dr. Omar Kassab works at Swisscontact, the Swiss Foundation for Technical Development Cooperation. Previously, he served as a lecturer and sustainability officer at ETH Zurich. He is co-founder of the NGO “recollect Syria,” which supports Syrians who have experienced war, violence, and displacement in their efforts to come to terms with the past and build a future. As a member of the Board of Trustees, he is also actively involved in the Zurich Institute for Interreligious Dialogue (ZIID).
Marc Blumenfeld
Marc Blumenfeld is the founder and managing director of Alithis and has worked in the fields of ethics, compliance, and governance for many years. He is also passionately committed to his role as president of the association “Athletes for Openness and Diversity” (VSOV), which advocates against racism and discrimination in sports. He also serves on the Zurich Centre Committee at STEP, the professional organization for family wealth advisors.
Acharya Vidyabhaskar
Acharya Vidyabhaskar is the Secretary-General of the Swiss Federation for Hinduism and a Sanskrit scholar in the non-dual tradition of India. Having grown up in Switzerland, England, and India, he was trained in Sanskrit, the Shastras, and classical Hindu philosophy at the traditional Kailas Ashram. He also studied comparative religion and theology — thus bridging the gap between Eastern and Western traditions of thought. He teaches Sanskrit, Maitri meditation, and Atiyoga at the Sarvamangala Foundation and is involved in educational projects in India and Nepal.
Laila Sheikh
Laila Sheikh is the director of the House of Religions – Dialogue of Cultures in Bern, a unique institution where eight religious communities come together under one roof to actively foster interfaith dialogue. Prior to this, she worked for over twenty years as a diplomat at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) — including in the Middle East, Kenya, and Mozambique, as well as serving as Regional Head of International Cooperation for the Horn of Africa. Today, she channels her extensive international experience into fostering an open, diverse, and dialogue-oriented society in Switzerland.
Catherine Berger
Catherine Berger is a Swiss Bar Association (SAV) certified family law attorney and mediator, and has been practicing as an independent attorney in Rheinfelden (AG) for over two decades. She is actively involved in church affairs at the cantonal and national levels: Since 2023, she has served as Vice President of the Council of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Switzerland (EKS), where her responsibilities include overseeing the Department of Diaconal Work and Pastoral Care. At the cantonal level, she serves as president of the Pension Fund of the Reformed Church of Aargau and as vice president of the Church Council, overseeing the portfolios of parishes, pastoral care, palliative care, and human resources development. Her commitment is characterized by a strong sense of social responsibility and a dedication to actively shaping the church in a contemporary manner.
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