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Diversity and inclusion (D&I) have been a core priority for businesses in recent years. But unfortunately, were now at a crossroads where politics and progress are increasingly at odds. Recent executive orders have eliminated D&I roles and slashed equity-related grants. In addition, private companies, nonprofits, and educational institutions are feeling the pressure to scale back their inclusion efforts. As a European founder watching these developments unfold, Im deeply concerned. The ripple effects are real, and they risk undermining global progress. At the same time, the rise of AI in hiring has also introduced new risks and can potentially reinforce bias in the workforce. Were seeing a quiet erosion of the progress weve made so far. And its up to us, as leaders, to make sure that we dont lose the fight for fairness. We cannot live in a world where equal treatment and opportunities are negotiable. Ive faced my share of systemic bias as a woman in tech. It chips away at your confidence and makes you question your credibility. But having challenged norms, risen to senior leadership, and cofounded my own company, Im determined to ensure the next generation doesnt experience the same thing. Here are the key ways Ive worked to overcome bias and ensure discrimination has no place in my business. 1. Normalize salary transparency If youre unaware that youre underpaid, youre less likely to ask for more. Studies show that the gender pay gap ison average18% smaller in companies with high pay transparency. Many companies have long viewed salary secrecy as a strategic business advantage. However, its also a barrier to equality and fairness. Its on businesses to put progress ahead of profits and break the culture of silence. During my time at a leading fintech company, for instance, we created internal communities where individuals could openly discuss salaries, promotions, and evaluations. These communities were safe spaces where everyone felt comfortable. This doesnt just promote fairness, but also benefits team cohesion, morale, and employee turnover. It pays to be transparent. 2. Challenge bias in every instance Bias is prevalent and persistent in business. It doesnt subside with age, experience, or seniority. Despite my role as chief scientist, people still often default to addressing my male cofounders. Fortunately, my cofounders actively challenge such bias by redirecting questions that are related to my area of responsibility and expertise to me. I get that it can feel easier to stay silent for the sake of preserving relationships. However, this only reinforces bias and contributes to another generation of talented individuals enduring the same unfair treatment due to their gender, color, or background. That doesnt mean every meeting has to descend into an argument, but nothing will change if you leave discrimination unchecked. The key is making bias interruption feel natural and constructive. Simple phrases like That builds on the point Irina made earlier can redirect without creating confrontation. When challenging bias becomes part of your teams DNA, it stops feeling awkward and starts feeling like good leadership. 3. Carefully consider every candidate As a founder, Ive seen how few of those who identify as women apply for forward-looking, deeply technical roles. And those who do often downplay their abilities and achievements. One study found that 84% of women feel uncomfortable discussing their professional achievements, and 69% actively downplay their accomplishments. Likewise, job interviews can be a considerable source of stress for neurodivergent candidates, which impacts their ability to present themselves effectively. But here’s what many leaders miss: the best talent is already making decisions about you before they even apply. When potential candidates look at your team, leadership, and board and don’t see people who look like them or share their experiences, they’re ruling you out. They don’t see your organization as a place where they can thrive, advance, or belong. This means you’re not just missing out on individual candidates, you’re systematically excluding entire talent pools from even considering your opportunities. Factor this into your recruitment process. Make sure you evaluate every candidate thoughtfully, especially those who are likely to be impacted by bias. Its also equally important to ensure (and showcase) that diverse talent can succeed at every level in your organization. When underrepresented groups see themselves reflected in your leadership and decision-making roles, youre signaling that they have a future in your company. 4. Use inclusive language consistently In job advertising, using specific pronouns in job listings is strictly forbidden. However, research shows that even gender-coded words, whether that be competitive for men or supportive for women, can significantly reduce the appeal of a role and continue to promote gender inequality in the workforce. As business leaders, its our responsibility to make gender-neutral language the default, not just in hiring but in how we speak about users, customers, and colleagues. Remember that inclusive language goes beyond avoiding gendered terms. You need to be intentional about accessibility, using plain language that doesn’t exclude people based on educational background, avoiding unnecessarily complex jargon, and being mindful of cultural references that might not resonate globally. For neurodivergent candidates, this might mean being specific about expectations rather than using vague terms like “fast-paced environment” or “wearing many hats. This simple change sends a powerful message: Everyone is welcome, included, and valued, regardless of gender. In industries where most applicants identify as male, our choice of language can either widen or narrow the door. 5. Foster a unstructured environment Shaped by years in the workforce and taught to think and act in a certain way, hiring managers are often unaware of their biases. As a result of such unconscious bias, microaggressions occur, like disregarding certain voices and making assumptions about seniority. These habits are deeply ingrained and difficult to recognize, and can be especially hard to unlearn. And reprimanding wont overcome it. You need to rewire how your team thinks, which takes time and understanding. When we launched Gradient Labs, we didnt jump on Zoom and get to work. We spent two weeks living and working under the same roof, which was crucial to creating a basis for a culture built on mutual respect. Moving in together might not be practical for every team, but finding time and space for in-person interaction, especially across levels of seniority or cultural lines, has helped us with combating unconscious bias in the workplace. This doesn’t require grand gestures. Regular coffee chats, cross-functional lunch groups, or even starting meetings with brief personal check-ins can create those human connections. The goal is to move beyond transactional relationships to genuine understanding, because it’s much harder to dismiss or underestimate someone when you truly know them as a person. Inclusion starts with you The erosion of D&I progress isn’t inevitable; it’s a choice. Every time you redirect a question to the overlooked expert, rewrite a job posting with inclusive language, or create space for genuine human connection, you’re slowly building a different future. The five strategies outlined here represent real, actionable paths forward that any leader can take starting today. Companies that embrace everyone don’t just do the right thingthey unlock innovation, creativity, and performance.
Category:
E-Commerce
Concert barriers are built to be baked in the hot sun, transported through busy venues, battered by excited concert-goers, and, ultimately, disposed of. A company in Paris is giving them a second life. Maximum, a French furniture designer that specializes in turning industrial and municipal waste into luxe home goods, has now transformed defunct concert barriers into customizable, office-ready bench seating as part of its latest project called Bultan. The firm works by first identifying industrial surplus that, because of overproduction, imperfections, or wear and tear, can no longer serve its original purpose. Then, they find a way to extend the lifetime of that material by fashioning it into something entirely new. Past projects include a line of chairs made from discarded ground plastics, a stool fashioned from imperfect banknotes, and a chic lamp built out of used fluorescent tubes. [Photo: courtesy Maximum] Yesterday’s concert barriers become today’s found material While concert barriers may be built to withstand force, theyre surprisingly susceptible to fatal flaws, according to Maximum. Their legs are their Achilles’ heel, the Bultans product description reads. Often crushed, they condemn the entire frame to the dumpster, even when it remains intact. A few bends are enough to transform a Vauban barrier into a structure for Bultan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maximum (@maximum_officiel) Maximum is rescuing these out-of-commission frames to serve as the structure of its Bultan benches, offering them in either a colorful powder coated option or a sleek galvanized steel. And the company isn’t stopping thereevery other element of the Bultan seat is also fashioned from a recycled material. [Photo: courtesy Maximum] Repurposing unappealing wood and plastic scraps into works of art To structurally support the benches seating and back rest, Maximum sourced wood from local workshops that was discarded due to the presence of wood knots, which caused them to be deemed aesthetically unusable. Because these slats are hidden under the Bultans cushions, theyre perfectly suitable for the task. For the cushions themselves, Maximum turned to La Maison de la Mousse et du Caoutchouc, a rubber goods supplier. [Photo: courtesy Maximum] Below a certain size, the production waste from La Maison de la Mousse et du Caoutchouc is deemed unusable, the product page reads. As thin and elongated as they are, the Bultan cushions fit between the bars and exploit this waste, which results in the scrapping of several cubic meters of high-quality foam every day. [Photo: courtesy Maximum] As a finishing touch, the company pulled rejected fabrics from the automotive interiors company Tesca to serve as the chairs dark-toned upholstery. The result is a chair that visually evokes its origins as a concert barrier, but also appears perfectly suited for a professional or commercial setting. Its a compelling case for reimagining how we might use industrial waste to more sustainably furnish our offices, waiting rooms, and public spaces.
Category:
E-Commerce
In late July, the Trump administration released its long-awaited AI Action Plan, which includes steps to cut environmental requirements and streamline permitting policies to make it easier to build data centers and power infrastructure. But even with massive deregulation, the fact remains: we have no idea where well find all the energy, water, and grid capacity to meet the enormous speed and scale of the emerging AI revolution. Recently, experts from the International Energy Agency estimated that electricity use from data centers could more than double in the next five years. By 2030, these facilities could use nearly 9% of all electricity in the United States. Without major investments, this growth will strain our power grid and lead to higher energy bills for everyone. And its not just energy. Globally, by 2027, water consumption from AI alone is estimated to reach the equivalent of more than half the annual water usage of the U.K. Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, estimate that a ChatGPT user session that involves a series of between 5 and 50 prompts or questions can consume up to 500 milliliters of water (about the amount in a 16-ounce bottle). Google used a fifth more water in 2022 compared to 2021 as it ramped up its artificial intelligence work. Microsofts water usage increased by 34% over the same period. On top of all this, many communities are protesting or rejecting data center construction due to factors like noise disturbances and limited job-creation benefits. Its easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the task before us as a nation, especially considering that winning the AI race with China requires overcoming all these constraints, quickly. But the answer isnt despair, or even just deregulation. We need to innovate. Lets imagine and build data centers that stack as many functions as possible for sustainability, efficiency, and even social good. While the most obvious sustainability move for data centers is clean energy, permitting wait times and baseload requirements mean many new constructions are developing behind-the-meter power plants with natural gas. Even these systems can transform their environmental impact. Imagine if data centers could capture waste heat and CO and put it to the best possible usefor example, fueling nearby industrial-scale greenhouses that grow fresh, high-quality food. The CO emissions, when introduced into greenhouses, could accelerate photosynthesis, significantly boosting crop yields. Heat captured from servers can also keep greenhouses warm year-round. In other words, you could grow local tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs in the middle of a Northeast or Midwest winter by harnessing data center emissions. Because data centers often choose less populated areas for affordable land and available space, these projects could provide fresh produce to rural food deserts, addressing nutritional gaps and stimulating local economies. In summer months, when greenhouses require less CO, innovative data centers could convert excess emissions into clean hydrogen fuel. Emerging carbon-capture and electrolysis technologies can transform emissions into hydrogen, which could power backup systems, fuel cells, or even local transit. Likewise, organic waste from the greenhouses could be composted or converted into biochar onsite, enriching soils, sequestering carbon, and further contributing to local agriculture. Multiple sustainability functions can be creatively stacked, maximizing environmental benefits and turning traditional liabilities into assets. Data centers also offer major untapped potential for sustainable water solutions. Their expansive, flat roofsoften exceeding 100,000 square feetare ideal for rainwater harvesting. Just one inch of rain on a 50,000-square-foot roof can yield over 31,000 gallons of water, significantly offsetting cooling demands and reducing dependence on local municipal sources. This harvested rainwater can directly irrigate adjacent greenhouses, creating further efficiencies. Tech giants like Google and Microsoft are already starting to demonstrate the value of this straightforward yet promising approach. Traditionally, data centers are criticized for providing few long-term jobs. Construction might employ up to 1,500 people temporarily, but ongoing operations usually support only about 50 permanent workers. By integrating greenhouse agriculture and carbon capture, data centers can significantly expand employment opportunities. These integrated campuses could provide apprenticeships, educational programs, and hands-on training in data operations, energy management, sustainable agriculture, and related fields. This approach would promote diverse, long-term job creation and deeper community integration, ensuring more meaningful local benefits. Right now, were embarking on the biggest infrastructure development project in multiple generations. We need to think seriously about the choices were making regarding emissions, water, and local economies. Weve done this kind of big thinking before.When America needed cheap power in the 1930s, we built the TennesseeValleyAuthority and strung wires to virtually every farmhouse through the Rural ElectrificationAct.When commerce demanded speed, we carved the ErieCanal and later laced the continent with the Interstate Highway System.When the ColdWar caled for a moonshot, we answered with Apolloturning slide-rule sketches into a lunar landing in less than a decade and achieving scores of technological innovations along the way.Each project looked audacious at the outset. Each rewrote what was possible. AI infrastructure now demands a leap of similar scale.If we pair data center capacity with on-site microgrids, rain-harvesting roofs, carbon-fed greenhouses, hydrogen production, workforce academies, and other innovations, we can meet the demands of AI without undermining communities or nature. President Trumps new AI Action Plan includes some sensible and important steps, including expediting permitting for some data centers and semiconductor fabs as well as new initiatives to boost needed occupations like electricians and HVAC technicians. Yet any comprehensive plan to address the AI challenge needs much more serious attention to questions like energy and water sustainability as well as community resilience. The AI infrastructure race can be a positive opportunity for society, but we need to get creative
Category:
E-Commerce
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