Stonewall Workplace Conference Programme

While we see report after report highlighting the hugely positive impact that inclusion has on people, income and organisational success, we are also seeing hard fought wins roll back. It’s clear now, more than ever, that inclusion matters.

It matters to our staff, our clients, our customers, service users, families and the communities we are part of. This year’s event takes the theme of ‘inclusion matters’ and will bring you the latest insight, inspiration and good practice to help you navigate challenges and see real impact in your organisation.

We have three kinds of session this year to provide varied learning opportunities and plenty of time for networking. The day will be hosted by Simon Blake (he/him) the CEO of Stonewall, who’ll also share his reflections and expertise on our theme. More speakers and sessions will be added in the next few weeks so check back for updates.

Insights

During these 15-minute morning sessions, speakers will share their insights and expertise to inspire your work.

Strengthening the Case for Inclusion – Dr Heather Melville OBE, Partner, Stork and May: Dr Heather Melville OBE will be exploring how to build and strengthen the case for inclusion highlighting the crucial role inclusion plays in organisational success and sharing the tools to advocate internally and externally for inclusion.
Creating Systems Change to Drive Organisational Success – Adah Parris: Adah Parris will explore how we take a systems change approach to creating more inclusive spaces and draw learning and parallels from different movements for change that enable us to act collectively and collaboratively from a place of power.
Understanding the Impact of Inclusion – Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive, MHFA: Reflecting on how our personal and professional lives are shaped by our experiences and how we can create spaces of psychological safety that enable people to feel included at work. This session will be hosted by Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive, MHFA.

Exploring Identities

After the morning break these 30-minute panels will help you understand more about the varied experiences among the LGBTQ+ community so you can tailor your work.

Intergenerational perspectives on LGBTQ+ inclusion – hosted by Protiviti: This panel will be convened by Protiviti around their new research into the experiences of different generations in the workplace. During this panel we’ll discuss the outcomes of the research, the implications for LGBTQ+ people, and the related to attitudes towards inclusion.
Anti-racist approaches to inclusion – hosted by UK Black Pride: This session will explore how organisations can leverage their commitments to both anti-racism and LGBTQ+ inclusion in order to strengthen all of their work. We’ll explore what a commitment to anti-racism means in practice and how collaboration can support all employees to thrive. This session will be hosted by UK Black Pride.
Panel: Nurturing early career talent: All organisations are interesting in attracting and retaining the best talent, including LGBTQ+ talent. As part of Stonewall’s ongoing work around nurturing early career talent, in this panel we’ll explore how to ensure that you’re able to authentically appeal to LGBTQ+ people entering the workforce as well as support them entering your workplace and thriving.

Taking Action

In the afternoon, these mixed format sessions will provide you with the latest innovative good practice to create impact in your work.

Explainer: Maximising your support from Stonewall: We’ve spent the past six months inviting and listening to feedback and insights from the organisations that we work with. During this time we’ll share some reflections from this process on future trends for LGBTQ+ inclusion work as well as some of the actions we’re taking to provide you with the best support.
Case Study: Putting Inclusion at the Heart of Strategy – National Trust: In this session we’ll hear from The National Trust who have taken bold and innovative steps to centre LGBTQ+ inclusion in their organisational strategy. They’ll share insights from this process as well as advice for other organisations looking to embed inclusion at the heart of their strategy.
In Conversation: Using Data to Drive inclusion – Jennifer Thomas, London Stock Exchange Group: In this conversation we’ll look at innovative ways for organisations to put data at the heart of their LGBTQ+ inclusion work. We will explore how to collect and present data to drive inclusion outcomes.
Roundtable: How can LGBTQ+ networks support wellbeing in times of uncertainty? Chaired by Radius: For this roundtable chaired by Radius, we’ll convene network leads and those who support LGBTQ+ networks to discuss how your organisation can work with your network to effectively support employee wellbeing as people navigate both personal and geopolitical challenges.
Case Study: Standing firm on DEI – lessons from the USA – Erin Uritus, CEO, Out and Equal: Erin will share her wisdom and insight from many years supporting businesses in the US and around the world in her role as CEO at Out and Equal. She’ll particularly focus on what UK and global organisations can learn from the political challenges that the US is facing and how we can continue to stand strong in our commitment to inclusion.

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