On 24 November 2025, Kyiv hosted the National HR Conference 2025 — the concluding event of the nationwide project “HR Boost for Better Employment: Enhancing HR Practices for Inclusive Employment of Skilled Workforce”, implemented within the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery.
More than 120 participants — HR specialists, representatives of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Employment Service, international partners, educational institutions and civil society organisations from across Ukraine — discussed modern HR approaches that help businesses adapt to wartime challenges and ensure equal access to employment and professional development for veterans, internally displaced persons, young people, women and persons with disabilities.
“During a time when Ukraine is undergoing its most difficult transformations, HR specialists are the ones who uphold the backbone of business — its people. Much depends on their decisions: whether we can preserve human capital and ensure the country’s sustainable development throughout the recovery process,” emphasised Natalia Starodub, Deputy Head and Project Manager at the NGO “Mentor Centre”.
In 2025, the HR Boost for Better Employment project achieved significant results that are already shaping HR functions and inclusive employment practices in Ukrainian companies:
- 100 HR specialists completed in-person training and received modern tools and practical instruments for working with personnel
- An online video course for self-paced learning was developed.
- Inclusive HR approaches were implemented — partner companies introduced new models of adaptation and support for veterans, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities, and other groups affected by the war.
- A professional HR community was formed and continues to exchange experience and support one another beyond the training programme.
- The guide “Inclusion in Action” was developed — a practical tool for employers that systematises inclusive HR methods and helps integrate them into the daily operations of companies of all sizes.
- The Better Matching service was launched to analyse job vacancies and enhance their appeal for different population groups.
“The highest value of this project for me is its practicality. The trainers shared not just theory, but actionable models that can be implemented the very next day. We changed our internal communication approach, began working more systematically on staff development, and revised our HR strategy,” noted Bohdan Atamanskyi, project participant and Head of HR at Fit Voltaira Ukraine.
The conference demonstrated that cooperation between businesses, educational institutions, civil society and regional organisations, and the public sector is essential for improving human capital management, scaling effective HR practices, and expanding labour market opportunities.
The professional community established during the project will continue to collaborate beyond the event, supporting the development of modern, inclusive HR solutions across Ukraine.
Background:
The HR Boost for Better Employment project is being implemented by the NGO “Mentor Centre” within the Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery. It aims to strengthen the HR capacity of Ukrainian companies and promote inclusive HR practices.
The Multi Donor Initiative Skills4Recovery is jointly co-financed by the European Union, Germany, Poland, Estonia, and Denmark. It is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Solidarity Fund PL (SFPL).
