KPN will sail on all boats during Pride Amsterdam this year

As a trusted partner, KPN is sailing not only on one but all boats at Pride Amsterdam this year. This year, the boats at the Canal Parade will be equipped with smart sensors provided by KPN. These ensure that the boats stay at the right distance behind each other and that they can be located at any time. In this way, KPN contributes to the safety of the Netherlands’ largest boat parade.

Safer on the canals thanks to IoT
KPN will equip all 140 boats – both the organization’s 60 boats and the participants’ 80 boats – with smart sensors, communicating over a stable internet connection via IoT (“Internet of Things”). These sensors indicate the exact location of the boats and the distance between them. This makes it possible for Pride Amsterdam organizers and all security forces to ensure that the parade proceeds in a safe and controlled manner. “We are delighted that we can use IoT and the power of our network to enhance the security of this event – one in which KPN feels closely involved,” says Carolien Nijhuis, director of IoT at KPN.

KPN and Pride Amsterdam
Official Technology Partner is not a title that was earned unexpectedly. As a participant in Canal Parade in previous years, KPN has always made the link with technology. In 2015, for example, KPN won a prize with an empty boat equipped with an on-board 360֯° camera. Live streaming made Pride accessible across the globe for the first time. Last year, KPN made its presence felt “Loud and Proud” with live DJ controllers on the boat operated by DJs from LGBTQIA+ unfriendly countries. This live stream was also broadcast worldwide and can still be viewed here.

Inclusiveness is important to KPN
KPN has an active policy on diversity and inclusion and strives to create a safe and free environment for all employees. The KPN Pride team is dedicated specifically to the interests of LGBTQIA+ employees. For example, the Collective Labor Agreement enshrines that birth leave also applies to rainbow families and that employees in transition are entitled to leave. Partly as a result of this policy, KPN won the Winq Workplace Award, which is intended for companies who actively promote a safe working environment for everyone.

As part of its social engagement, KPN also champions the LGBTQIA+ community outside the company. In partnership with the KPN Mooiste Contact Fonds, KPN Pride helped make the first Pink Seniors’ Christmas Dinner at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam a resounding success. This special evening, dedicated to lonely seniors and to connecting generations, will be held again this year. Last but not least, KPN has during the past five years been lead sponsor of a Chair at Leiden University for the acceptance of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders in the workplace.