From promise to policy. From policy to practice.
This was where practical sessions brought ideas to life - showcasing how to design workplaces that are truly fit for purpose. Attendees left with actionable insights on the policies, systems, and structures that support equity at every level.
10.00AM
What it really takes to keep women’s careers on track after children
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SPEAKERS:
Jessica Heagren - CEO & Founder, Careers After Babies
Susan Hope - Business Development Director, Scottish Widows
Francisca Beloso - EMEA Inclusive Diversity, Associate Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Vivien Struthers - Senior Manager, CIPD Employer Solutions
Too often, women take a step back after having children. Not because they want to. But because the workplace doesn’t flex. Thankfully, some progressive organisations are changing that. We’ll explore what’s working when it comes to part-time leadership, returner programmes, job shares, and hybrid working, as we hear from women who’ve stayed, grown, and led on their own terms. Because motherhood shouldn’t mean a career downgrade.
10.25AM
From generous leave to genuine culture change
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SPEAKER:
Tom McEvoy - Senior Associate, Lewis Silkin
Sophie Maunder - Founder, MATRI Coaching
Mandy Rawlinson - Head of UK & EMEA, Aberdeen Investments
Katie Stickland - Knowledge Exchange Manager, CIPD
More and more organisations now offer enhanced parental leave, but real progress comes when people feel supported to take it. In this session, we’ll hear from companies that have moved beyond policy to shift the day-to-day culture. How have they increased uptake, especially among dads? What’s worked, what’s been a challenge, and how have they measured the impact on returners, retention, and trust?
11.45AM
Why midlife women are walking away, and what it takes to keep them
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SPEAKERS:
Ann O’Neill - CEO & Founder, Adora Digital Health
Tina Backhouse - Vice President (Government Affairs & Policy), Thramex
Aimee Spector - Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing, University College London (UCL)
Caroline Cornabé - Director of Strategic Partnerships & New Business Development, QVC UK
Vivien Struthers - Senior Manager, CIPD Employer Solutions
Women in midlife are the fastest-growing group in the workforce and often the most experienced. But too many are leaving at the peak of their careers due to a lack of support, taking valuable skills and expertise with them. In this session, we’ll hear from women who left, those who stayed, and the organisations doing an exceptional job to keep them. Plus, we take a look at what government and policy leaders are planning to shift the dial.
12.10PM
How to show up for women’s health at work
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SPEAKERS:
Daria Preston - Change & Transition Lead for the Bank-wide Skills & Talent, Bank of England
Emma Sharland - Head of Health Research Group, Office for National Statistics
Dr Ade Adeniyi - Lead Physician & Associate Clinical Director, Bupa Healthcare
Sophie Sulehria - Presenter, Journalist & Event Host
Too many women are still suffering in silence when it comes to periods, fertility struggles, pregnancy loss, and the physical and emotional demands of postnatal health and returning to work after having a baby.
14.50PM
What happens when you change the rules on who gets in
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SPEAKER:
Orianna Rosa Royle - Success Associate Editor, Fortune
Lutfur Ali - Senior Policy & Practice Advisor, CIPD / Non-Executive Director, Business Continuity Institute (BCI)
Matthew Baird - Senior Staff Economist, LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute
Dr Tracey Leghorn - Chief Business Services Officer, SUEZ UK
Bias starts long before someone walks through the door for their interview. Join us as we dive into how organisations are rethinking job ads, shortlisting, interviews, and assessments to remove barriers and hire for potential. We’ll hear from teams that have embedded inclusive hiring practices and seen measurable change in who joins, who stays, and how they continue to thrive while boosting commercial outcomes.
15.15PM
Equity means designing for every woman - from first payslip to pension
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SPEAKERS:
Claire Reindorp - CEO, Young Women’s Trust
Stef Goodwin - Senior Education Consultant, Mercer
Lutfur Ali - Senior Policy & Practice Advisor, CIPD / Non-Executive Director, Business Continuity Institute (BCI)
Inclusion that only serves some women, serves no one. True equity means recognising how race, class, disability and other factors intersect to shape every stage of a woman’s working life - including her financial future. From pay and progression to pensions and wealth planning, this session explores how organisations can build inclusive strategies that empower women to make informed financial decisions from day one - and why it matters.