2020 Agenda Day 1 – Diversity Network's INCLUSION Festival: October 2-6 2023

DAY ONE:

Tuesday 1stDecember 2020: Igniting Change

If you have a burning desire to sharpen your company’s D&I practices and increase opportunities for all, today’s presentations and panels are here to help you to determine how to ignite change and put new initiatives in place. Get hands-on advice from prominent individuals at the forefront of their professions who are making a real difference on the ground and join our evening networking meetup to connect with speakers and your fellow attendees.

Morning Keynotes

9:00am GMT

Event Welcome and Launch of the Diversity Network Learning Portal

Introduction to INCLUSION 2020 and what to expect over the next three days
Diversity and inclusion in society today and what this means for the workplace
Launching the Diversity Network Learning Portal, including videos, podcasts, whitepapers, latest D&I news, discussion, networking sessions and more

Inclusion 2020 Event Director, Diversity Network

9:30am GMT

Lessons Learned from 2020: Focusing on Connection, Engagement and Wellbeing

What we have learned from the events of 2020 – how this will impact D&I strategy and focuses going forward
Why connection, employee engagement, wellbeing and mental health are so important to prioritise for the year ahead
Gender balance in the home, and how this relates to workplace inclusion and wellbeing

Louisa Lombardo, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Europe, Eurasia and Africa, Chubb

10:00am GMT

Company Case Study: People First: Building an Inclusive Culture

Highlighting National Grid’s ‘Remarkable’ series, celebrating talent and diversity in the organisation
Featuring real-life stories from role models and emphasising National Grid’s commitment to putting its people first
Why this approach has helped the organisation to drive its D&I activities forward and create a truly inclusive culture and sense of belonging for its people

Emma Ford, Head of Gas Construction and Diversity Ambassador, National Grid

10:30am GMT

Bringing Intersectionality into Focus

Sharing learnings from working with leading ERGs to emphasise the importance of recognising intersectionality
Determine how intersectionality helps to create a culture where everyone feels able to bring their true selves to work
How you can bring intersectionality to the forefront of your own workplace and make it a key part of your D&I strategy

Bhavik Pancholi, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant

11:00am GMT

Fireside Chat: Ally is a Verb, Not a Noun

We all want to be an ‘ally’ but what does that really mean? What does it take to be a good ally? And is saying you are an ally enough? During this fireside chat with Sacha Thompson, Founder & CEO of The Equity Equation, LLC, we will discuss allyship in action, ways allies can ‘show up’ at work and in the community, and what she hopes to see in the future. Join Sacha as she outlines:

How to be an active ally
How to be an advocate for change
How organizations can support allyship at the individual and systems level

Sacha Thompson, Founder & CEO, The Equity Equation LLC

11:30am GMT

Menopause at Work: The Last Taboo

Menopause – the different phases, how long the transition lasts for and tell tale signs
Hormones and Impact on Work – a look at the big 5 hormones and how they impact physically, emotionally and cognitively
Support in the Workplace – a few ideas to support those going through menopause and their colleagues

Lesley Salem, Founder, Over The Bloody Moon

Interactive Workshop hosted by Aisha Suleiman from Amazon UK

12:00pm – 1:00pm GMT

Interactive Workshop: Getting the Most Out of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. Other benefits include the development of future leaders, increased employee engagement, and expanded marketplace reach.

Join Amazon’s Aisha Suleiman for this interactive workshop session, as she details the pathway to ERG success, step by step.

Aisha Suleiman, Education Program Manager and Chair, Black Employee Network, Amazon UK

1:00pm GMT

Lunchtime Keynote: How can Organisations be More Trans-Inclusive?

Katie Neeves came out publicly as being transgender after living for 48 years as a man. Katie founded Cool2BTrans to support and inspire other trans people and also to educate the general public and organisations on trans issues. In this session, Katie will:

Tell the story of her long walk to womanhood, which will give an insight of what it’s like to be transgender
Share some actionable ideas of how to prevent trans discrimination in the workplace
Provide advice on what workplaces can do to ensure a culture that is fully inclusive of trans employees

Katie Neeves, Trans Ambassador, Cool2BTrans

Online Exhibition Visit and Networking

1:30pm - 2:00pm GMT

Visit INCLUSION's online exhibition and make new connections

Come and explore our online interactive Diversity & Inclusion exhibition with prizes on offer for all those who make it round all the stands!

Afternoon Panel Sessions

2:00pm – 3:00pm GMT

Panel Discussion: Achieving Racial Equity in the Workplace

How has the prominence of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 impacted our thinking around racial equity in the workplace?
What progress has been made to date and where are the remaining gaps?
How can employers tackle racial stereotypes and set a more inclusive culture?
Does legislation need to change in order to secure further progress?

Lila Thompson, Chief Executive, British Water
Richard Odufisan, Consulting Black Action Plan Implementation Lead, Deloitte UK
Jackie Anyango, Senior Business Development Coordinator and BAME+ Network Lead, Skanska

3:00pm – 4:00pm GMT

Panel Discussion: Addressing Gender Equality at Work: Achievements So Far

What is it like to be a woman in the workplace in 2020?
What concrete steps can leadership take to reach gender equality within the workplace?
What are the chief obstacles in your organisation to achieving greater gender equality?
Is there room to increase gender awareness in hiring practices, salary negotiations, promotions or when dealing with sexual harassment?
Can work/life balance be increased to meet the needs of both mothers and fathers?

Hazel Little, Client and Programme Director, Women Returners
Shannon Conway, Residential Director, Glenbrook Property, and Chair, Women in Property NW
Jennie Koo, Head of Operations Risk Management, Capital One

4:00pm – 5:00pm GMT

Panel Discussion: What makes an effective ERG?

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) now exist in many organisations, but how do you ensure it is not just a tick box exercise?
How do you make sure that ERGs impact senior management and drive towards actual change?
Should ERGs set measurable targets should be set
Top tips on how to maximise the involvement of allies and more

Babu Maya, ENRICH Network Lead, Allianz Insurance
Guinevere Taylor, Director, EMEA Distribution, RBC Global Asset Management
Amanda McKay, Quality & Assurance Director, Balfour Beatty
Marion Bentata, VP – Leveraged Loans Analyst, State Street

5:00pm – 6:00pm GMT

Panel Discussion: Being a Witness: Strategies for Being a Better Ally

How important a role do allies play in the drive towards inclusion and belonging?
How do you create a culture of allyship in your organisation?
How to put effective strategies in place to minimise unconscious bias
Discussing tips and tools to help you to educate and train your staff
Ensuring that bias does not negatively impact upon hiring decisions, career development opportunities and more

Saskia Bewley, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Hachette UK
Rich Jones, Senior Adviser, Acas
Capt. Jamie Carrahar, Captain, British Army, and Chair, British Army LGBT+ Forum
Annie Lummis, Global Diversity and Inclusion AVP, Barclays

Mark the date: Tuesday 1st December

join OUR growing community of D&I Focused Professionals for the D&I event of the year!

Claim your FREE ticket today!

Register online

Click the Registration link below to enter your details and reserve your FREE place at INCLUSION 2020

Add to your calendar

Add INCLUSION: 1-3 December 2020 to your calendar so that you can attend the sessions live and join our live networking too

Join us on the day

As the event approaches, we will send you all the links you need to access the event portal and access the sessions online

Access on demand

Post-event, we will send you all the links post-event for you to be able to catch the sessions again on demand.

DAY ONE: Tuesday 1st December 2020: Igniting Change