On 1 September 2026, we took part in the final conference of the CONSIDERATION project at Roskilde University in Denmark. The hybrid event focused on the skills small and medium-sized enterprises need in the era of the twin transition, that is, simultaneous digitalisation and the shift towards a sustainable business model. It brought together representatives of businesses, academia, public administration, business support organisations and educational institutions from the South Baltic region. Our Cluster was represented by dr Magdalena Ławicka and Marta Lamenta, and the second Polish project partner, the University of Szczecin, by dr Aleksandra Rudawska and dr hab. Katarzyna Gadomska-Lila, Professor at the University of Szczecin.
After morning registration, the conference was opened by Margit Neisig, the project leader, and the guests were welcomed by the Rector of the University. The whole day was moderated by Kristian Sund of Roskilde University.
The first keynote was delivered by Prof. Julian Kirchherr, a researcher in sustainability transitions and co-author of the HR Monitor 2026 report. He spoke about how combining green and digital change is reshaping companies’ skills needs, their organisational structures and their expectations of employees.
This was followed by an international panel with entrepreneurs from Denmark, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Sweden, some of whom joined remotely. The discussion focused on what SMEs really need to get through the transition. For us, it was one of the most interesting items on the agenda, as it allowed us to compare the challenges faced by Polish companies with the situation in other countries of the region.
Magdalena Ławicka, COO of our Cluster, presented the perspective of Polish businesses and spoke about their potential in digital and sustainable transformation. She also presented the West Pomerania region, its economic profile and the opportunities for cooperation with partners from across the South Baltic area. In addition, she introduced the work of Klaster IT: who we are, whom we bring together, and how we support the growth of technology companies and cooperation between business, science and business support institutions. It was a good opportunity to show an international audience that West Pomerania’s IT sector is an active participant in the European debate on future skills.
During the lunch break, we had the chance to talk with project partners and other participants, while those joining online took part in their own networking session. The next part of the programme presented the project’s results in practice: the CONSIDERATION platform, which supports small and medium-sized companies in defining a long-term path of digital and sustainable development, known as the Twin Transition. The platform covers five areas: CON-Eco (sustainability, ESG and EU reporting standards such as VSME and CSDDD), CON-Tech (digital transformation, data management and data visualisation), CON-Biz (business models combining both areas, e.g. the circular economy), CON-Skill (competence management and skills gap analysis) and CON-Know (knowledge management within the organisation).
The second keynote was given by Susanne Stormer, an expert in sustainability and organisational transformation. She focused on organisational readiness for change: the role of leadership, organisational culture, and the competences that enable companies to turn strategic goals into everyday practice.
The day closed with an interactive discussion, “What’s next after CONSIDERATION?”, followed by a summary and networking.
The next day, the CONSIDERATION project partners met at Roskilde University. After a conference that gave us the chance to present the results to a wider audience, it was time for a conversation among those responsible for delivering the project. We took stock of where we currently stand, discussed the main challenges still ahead and agreed on what remains to be completed before the formal close of the project. An important item on the agenda was the future of the platform after the project ends: how to ensure that the tools and content developed continue to serve businesses and institutions in the region. We also explored new opportunities for cooperation that may arise from the relationships built during the project, so that this potential can be used in future initiatives.
The meeting took place as part of our project CONSIDERATION, co-funded by the Interreg South Baltic programme.
