Dionne Eldridge, D&I Lead, Onvero (formerly The Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion) (CONFIRMED)

• Navigating the evolving EDI landscape in the face of political shifts, public scepticism and rising resistance
• Revisiting the race equity commitments made in 2020 and understanding why progress has stalled
• Responding to organisational and societal pushback while managing risk and maintaining credibility
• Strengthening the strategic case for race equity by shifting from compliance to cultural transformation
• Supporting leaders and staff to remain engaged, informed and psychologically safe in polarised times
• Building resilient, anti-racist workplace cultures through long-term, sustainable strategies

Richard DeNetto, CEO, Change the Race Ratio (CONFIRMED)

• Defining what it means to be an anti-racist organisation and embedding race equity in organisational values and strategy
• Recognising how systemic racism shows up in workplace policies, behaviours and cultures
• Challenging performative actions by embedding anti-racism into leadership, strategy and operations
• Equipping leaders and managers to take ownership of race equity through accountability and action
• Creating psychologically safe environments where staff can speak up and be heard without risk
• Sustaining momentum through long-term commitments and transparent progress measures

Sutopa Sen, Head of Freedom from Racism/Anti-Discrimination, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (CONFIRMED)

• Exploring the latest updates from the Ethnicity Pay Gap consultation, including key proposals, timelines and the implications for public sector employers
• Reviewing existing data collection practices and identifying ways to improve data quality, disclosure rates and employee trust
• Building internal capability by strengthening data infrastructure and upskilling teams to prepare for reporting requirements
• Navigating the complexities of ethnicity classification and pay gap calculation to ensure consistency and fairness
• Planning for transparency by developing clear, responsible communication strategies around reporting outcomes
• Translating data insights into targeted, evidence-based actions that support long-term equity and organisational accountability

Dr Jummy Okoya, Dean of Office for Institutional Equity, University of East London (CONFIRMED)

• Developing a strategic EDI data framework by identifying meaningful metrics and addressing barriers such as data quality, privacy concerns and low disclosure rates
• Leveraging data analysis to identify inclusion gaps and inform targeted, evidence-based interventions
• Partnering with data specialists to design transparent, user-focused dashboards that support accountability across business units
• Embedding EDI insight into strategic planning and aligning inclusion goals with organisational objectives and priorities
• Defining success through robust KPIs and tracking progress with clear, measurable outcomes
• Positioning EDI leads as credible, data-informed influencers who drive change through evidence and expertise

Charmain Bucho, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, City & Guilds (CONFIRMED)

• Examining why employers need to take action to address the motherhood penalty
• Understanding the Diverse Motherhoods intersectional challenges from returning to work to career progression
• Designing and implementing fairer organisational policies and consistent processes, from attraction to retention
• Creating progression pathways that support mothers from diverse backgrounds at every level
• Exploring lived experience insights to inform and refine inclusive practices
• Discovering the practical toolkits for employers and parents to embed motherhood inclusion

Dr. Wenjin Dai, Senior lecturer in Leadership and Diversity, The Open University (CONFIRMED)

Kendal Wright, Lecturer in Policing in the School of Law, The Open University (CONFIRMED)

This session offers a space to share the key challenges your organisation faces in promoting race equality, and to discuss what is working well in practice. Through open discussion and shared experiences, participants will explore practical ways to create more inclusive workplaces and address racial inequality.

• Moving beyond tick-box EDI and redefining what meaningful race equity work looks like in the workplace
• Embedding anti-racism into everyday behaviours, policies and decision-making processes
• Addressing internal barriers by building buy-in across leadership, managers and staff
• Using data and lived experience to drive accountability and shape inclusive workplace culture
• Creating the conditions for lasting change: psychological safety, trust, and shared responsibility
• Leading with purpose in challenging times and sustaining momentum amid political and organisational pressure

Shareen Pavaday, Deputy Director of EDI – Policy and Mandated Standards, NHS England (CONFIRMED)

Ali Aslam, Deputy Director – EDI Education and Training Portfolios, NHS England (CONFIRMED)

• Identifying structural barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of diverse groups in senior leadership, including biased promotion practices, limited access to mentorship and non-inclusive workplace cultures
• Leveraging data-driven insights on representation, promotion rates and pipeline diversity to inform strategy and drive systemic change
• Investing in inclusive leadership development through sponsorship programmes, targeted training and succession planning to support diverse talent into senior roles
• Implementing accountability and transparency with clear goals, progress tracking, and leadership oversight to ensure sustained focus on diversity objectives
• Measuring impact and embedding diversity by evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and integrating inclusion as a core, long-term business priority

Mabinty Esho, Head of Culture and Inclusion, Comic Relief (CONFIRMED)

• Understanding psychological safety as a foundation for racial equity, where all employees feel respected, valued and safe to speak up without fear of negative consequences
• Recognising the impact of racial trauma and microaggressions in the workplace and addressing how they undermine wellbeing, trust and team performance
• Creating inclusive leadership behaviours that actively support psychological safety including active listening, vulnerability and responding to feedback without defensiveness
• Embedding equity into wellbeing strategies by tailoring mental health resources and support systems to reflect the lived experiences of racially diverse employees
• Establishing open, accountable communication through safe forums for dialogue, affinity groups, and clear reporting structures to address concerns and share experiences
• Measuring and sustaining psychological safety using feedback tools, employee engagement data and continuous learning to ensure long-term inclusion and wellbeing

Ruth-Anne Eghan, Cultural Architect, The Structural Shift (CONFIRMED)

• Exclusive insights from the co-chair of the award-winning University of Birmingham’s ERG
• Showcasing how they’ve grown from a small group of volunteers to a network with 700+ staff members, placing them as the second-best ethnicity network in Europe
• Leveraging collective power for meaningful change, and creating a partnership organisation for issues impacting staff of colour
• Expanding reach as an ERG to drive societal change, opening up events to the public and local schools, as well as partnering with community groups and charities

Alex Johl, EDI Project Manager and Co-Chair of the Race Equality Network, University of Birmingham (CONFIRMED)

Dionne Eldridge, D&I Lead, Onvero (formerly The Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion) (CONFIRMED)