Worldspan has won a top social impact award for a project that has helped almost 7,000 refugees towards employment.
Project Sunflower began as an urgent request from recruitment platform Indeed, which asked Worldspan to deliver two job fairs in Poland within just eight weeks in response to the war in Ukraine. What started as a rapid crisis response quickly escalated into a six-city hiring initiative across Paris, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Milan and Dublin.
Now Worldspan has been honoured with the Project
Management Institute (PMI) Social Impact Award 2025 at the PMI Awards 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona, attended
by MD Sophie Morris, alongside Indeed. Project Sunflower
was also named as one of three finalists for the PMI Project of the Year out of more
than 200 global entries.
The Project Sunflower events placed
candidates at the heart of every decision, offering face-to-face interviews,
immediate job offers, CV and career coaching, translators, childcare, wellbeing
support, and fully inclusive, accessible venues.
Across the six
events:
- 6,939 refugees attended, with 4,274 interviews conducted
- 426 immediate job offers were made
- Over 1,100 CVs were written on-site
- Over 240 employers participated
Worldspan delivered seamless, high-impact events across
multiple locations, combining a decentralised local team structure with a
central PMO, ensuring precision, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity.
Sophie Morris said:
"Receiving the PMI
Social Impact Award for Project Sunflower is an incredible honour. Our team
approached this initiative not just as events, but as opportunities to change
lives. Working alongside Indeed, NGOs, and local partners, we were able to combine
meticulous planning with compassion and creativity to make a real impact for
thousands of refugees."
An example of how events can drive tangible social change, Project Sunflower has helped
nearly 7,000 refugees towards employment to date, with Indeed pledging to
support 15,000 refugees over the next three years.
The Project Management Institute said: "Project Sunflower is a beautiful illustration of
how purpose-driven project management can shape the future at scale. At PMI, we
love seeing our profession and principles leveraged to create meaningful impact
around the world, and we are thrilled to champion the work of Worldspan,
Indeed, and this truly inspiring initiative. Project Sunflower demonstrates the
agility, adaptability, and rigor that project professionals bring to solving
real-world challenges."
