Helsinki Pride Business Forum

With Helsinki Pride Business Forum 2026 (vol 2), we are moving past symbolic inclusion toward ethical leadership, and examine what power, accountability, and corporate courage mean for LGBTQIA+ futures in business.

We welcome an audience of engaged executives, board members and start-up leaders who are interested in LGBTQIA+ inclusive leadership and are ready to take accountability from visibility to responsibility: to engage in the power of Corporate Responsibility in a Fragmenting World.

Pride is not a celebration without responsibility.

This leadership focused forum positions inclusive and ethical leadership as a human rights issue, an integrity issue, a future-of-work issue and a way to manage reputational risk.
We will continue challenging leaders to confront where corporate neutrality causes harm, and what ethical leadership looks like in 2026 and beyond. The event is supported by Helsinki Pride partners such as Dottir, Strawberry, Lidl, Accenture, Tieto, IDA WARG Beauty & Lumene Group, Bauer Media, Happy Joe & Startup Refugees.

Why join? We offer thought provoking, fresh, and most importantly sustainable, inclusive ideas to reflect and share back to your own organisations. Hearing about lived experiences, case studies and different ways of tackling social responsibility, as well as you sharing your experiences with other leaders and experts in different fields, supports your leadership with new, fresh insights and solutions. Co-learning and brainstorming don’t remain at the level of theory. You’ll start your Pride business kick off with real awareness of situations and thoughts that you can take back to developing your own responsible and ethical leadership and inclusive operations of your organisation. You will notice how much power comes from sharing thoughts and your own authenticity, and in return you receive understanding, encouragement and new perspectives.

Some of our Featured Speakers

Akseli Mäkisalo, Senior Director, Lidl Finland

Akseli Mäkisalo leads Lidl Finland’s West & Southern Finland region, overseeing business operations and a workforce of more than 1,500 employees. With leadership experience across multiple European markets, he brings practical insight into culture, leadership and large-scale business transformation.

Unni Kvisvik, Head of People & Culture, Tietoevry Care

Unni Kvisvik is a people-focused leader with extensive experience in the health sector and organisational transformation. She is known for building inclusive, high-performing teams and inspiring new ways of thinking about leadership, technology and growth.

John Hermansson, Marketing Director, IDA WARG Beauty (Lumene Group)

John Hermansson works at the intersection of brand, creativity and growth for one of the Nordics’ fastest-growing beauty brands. He is passionate about building commercially successful brands that connect with audiences through authenticity, inclusivity and community.

Arto Sivonen, Impact Strategist, Common Ground

Arto Sivonen is an impact strategist and creative director specialising in sustainability, climate and human rights. He helps organisations create meaningful impact through responsible strategy, communication and innovation.

Mari Luukkainen, Founder & Builder

Mari Luukkainen is a founder, builder and advocate for AI-powered creation. Through the Vibe Coding session, she will help participants turn ideas into prototypes using modern no-code and AI-assisted tools — no previous coding experience required.

successful brands that connect with audiences through authenticity, inclusivity and community.

Pauli Waroma, CEO & Founding Partner, Sherpa

Pauli Waroma is the CEO and founding partner of Sherpa, with over 20 years of experience in business, branding, customer experience and organisational transformation. He is known for helping organisations navigate change and build sustainable growth through innovation, responsibility and human-centred leadership.

Initial Program & Tickets here.