• EDI Priorities in 2026 – understanding the impact of recent events
• Going beyond the employer’s basic EDI responsibilities
• How do we move EDI forward in the UK?

• The purpose and benefits of prioritising EDI
• An insight into the vision, priorities and progress
• The importance of staff voice, experiences and co-design
• Measuring impact and outcomes

This session explores how organisations can move beyond traditional, one size fits all wellbeing initiatives and instead design health strategies that truly support every individual. Kelly will provide practical steps and diagnostic prompts to help you assess your current strategy and identify ways to build a more equitable, inclusive and impactful health and wellbeing culture.

• Why a proactive focus on a culture of inclusion is more effective than traditional, and often divisive, diversity initiatives.
• The essential role of a leader as the primary custodian of organisational culture, especially during turbulent times.
• How to apply the four key pillars - respect, belonging, empowerment, and progression - to build a resilient and thriving workplace.
• Practical methods for identifying and dismantling the hidden barriers that prevent people from doing their best work.
• How to build a culture that acts as a strategic shield against external VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) forces.

• Understanding the different forms of bias and microaggressions, as well as their origins
• How do microaggressions impact employee wellbeing, trust, and retention?
• The role of staff and leaders in tackling microaggressions in a constructive way

• Why equity goes beyond equality, and how systemic barriers shape outcomes
• How policies, practices, and workplace culture can impact racial inequities
• Strategies to track progress and ensure equity commitments lead to meaningful change
• Practical steps individuals and teams can take to advance race equity every day

• Understanding how overlapping identities (race, gender, class, disability, sexuality, etc.) shape experiences of privilege and discrimination
• Examples of how single-issue approaches to equity and inclusion can overlook people at the intersections
• How institutions can design policies and initiatives that acknowledge and support the full spectrum of lived experiences
• Practical steps leaders and teams can take to build inclusive environments that embrace the complexity of identity

Speakers:

• Naheed Nazir, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Su Matthews, Head of Culture and Inclusion, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Toby Mildon, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant
• Lisa Shoko, Head of EDI & Anti-Racism, Race Equity Consultant 

• Turning insights into impact – understanding how data can uncover systemic bias in workplace structures
• The role of analytics and AI in shaping inclusive workplaces
• How to assess whether inclusion efforts are leading to tangible improvements in EDI metrics

• Defining skills and capabilities of inclusive leadership
• How to embed EDI into leadership development
• Supporting leaders to manage resistance, difficult conversations, and competing priorities around EDI