Followed by the 8th Annual Awards Dinner & Winners' Announcement 18.45 - 01.00 GMT

Culture is the sum total of everyday behaviours and actions and managers are tasked with embodying the values you need to see embedded across your teams and organisation. When the daily demands of their roles are more challenging than ever, how can we ensure these lynchpins of our collective success act as positive cultural enablers of trust, empowerment, consistency and mentorship?

In this session, we’ll hear from Business Culture Awards Overall Winner Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), who, in partnership with Culture Consultancy, have created transformational change and a culture to support the strategic ambition of the organisation.

Our Speakers will:

• Explore why transformational change was vital for MAB’s organisational growth and success.

• Outline how MAB aligned their strategic ambition with a newly defined culture and values, creating a cohesive and purpose-driven environment.

• Highlight the critical role of leadership in initiating and leading this transformative change, including effective communication, setting clear expectations, and empowering teams.

• Share insights into how they built a change-ready workforce; explaining how employees and other stakeholders were effectively engaged in the process; how barriers were identified and techniques to overcome them were instigated.

• Explore the strategies they have used to sustain and measure the impact of transformational change efforts.

In an era where the urgency of addressing climate change is undeniable, organisations are increasingly stepping up their efforts to achieve carbon neutrality and mitigate their environmental impact. SwissRe, a leading global reinsurance company, is at the forefront of this movement with its innovative initiative, NetZeroYou2. This conference session delves into the success story of NetZeroYou2, showcasing how SwissRe has harnessed decarbonisation and employee engagement to create a powerful framework for sustainability and corporate responsibility. Doris will talk about the context that led to the development of NetZeroYou2, the programme in action and specifically how employee participation has become a driving force in the company's sustainability journey on a global scale.

Participants of this conference session can expect to:

• Discover effective strategies to engage and empower employees in sustainability efforts.

• Explore the measurable impact of NetZeroYou2 on SwissRe's carbon reduction goals and corporate sustainability performance.

• Be inspired to adopt innovative approaches to foster sustainable practices within their own organisations.

Aurora is a proudly people-focussed healthcare communications business with a strong track-record in supporting global pharmaceutical companies launching patient innovations. Their culture of agility and creativity, hitherto the bedrock of revenue and growth, was not holding as strong and they needed to act.

Working in partnership with consultancy Corporate Punk, they benchmarked their culture as a baseline, and designed and delivered a range of targeted interventions at the deepest levels of their business to develop their Impact Culture. The results speak for themselves!

Attendees at this session will understand the data behind culture and business performance and how to boost innovation and agility.

An engaged and empowered workforce is essential for the success of any organisation. We believe that it can be achieved only with a strong set of organisational values, and a culture focused on volunteerism. In addition, these two elements, once successfully established, create a symbiotic relationship.

Culture of volunteerism brings people together, promotes teamwork and social responsibility, and makes your company stand out from the crowd; which in turn boosts productivity, morale, and brand reputation. Meanwhile, core values give your team a compass to navigate through the ups and downs of business, a framework for decision-making, keeping them aligned with your mission, vision, and identity which is vital for creating a cohesive and purpose-driven workplace. When these two elements come together (‘confluence’) , magic happens: companies build a culture of purpose, impact, and integrity that drives success, inspires employees, and makes a positive impact on society and the world.

In other words, the employees will volunteer wholeheartedly without even expecting anything in return only if the cause for volunteering is aligned to the organisational values and personal values. As a corollary, you can channelise your team’s passion and energy to values specific initiatives (which can sustain and strengthen your value system). This is how the values and volunteerism co-influence.

While theoretical explanations are always easy, putting this into practice can be complicated. My endeavour is to provide you (based on what our team has been doing in my organisation, UST) with some tips, tricks, tools, techniques and tactics to unleash the magic of combining volunteerism culture and core values in the corporate world and fulfil the vision of your organisation.

About UST

For more than 23 years, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges, and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients' organisations—delivering measurable value and lasting change across industries, and around the world. Together, with over 30,000 employees in 30+ countries, we build for boundless impact—touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at www.UST.com

Mark will be unpacking the ingredients that have helped shape the culture he has developed at Provide. Creating a fine culture has many parallels with creating a fine meal in that it is made up of several ingredients used in different quantities, in different ways and at different times.

Mark will be looking at the key nine ingredients that he uses to cook a cracking culture and giving real life examples of what he has found to work. He will also unpack those ingredients that have simply not worked and in some cases made the culture quite “bad tasting” even though on their own they can be quite attractive. At the end of the session, you will go away with some ideas, some examples and most of all some enthusiasm to cook up a cracking future of your own!

Our panellists will explore the progress made so far, the challenges encountered, and the gaps that still exist in fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. They will share their experiences, best practices, and success stories from their respective organisations.

 Key Topics Addressed:

• Leadership's Role: How can leaders champion DEI efforts and embed them into the organisation's DNA? What strategies can they employ to create an inclusive environment?

• Breaking Barriers: What innovative approaches have organisations used to break down barriers and foster inclusivity in hiring, promotions, and career development?

• Employee Engagement: How can organisations empower their employees to actively contribute to DEI initiatives? What role does employee resource groups, mentorship programs, and allyship play in building a sense of belonging?

• Measuring Progress: How can organisations effectively assess and measure the impact of their DEI initiatives? What key metrics and indicators should be considered?

• Intersectionality: How can organisations embrace intersectionality and ensure that diverse individuals with multiple identities feel fully included and represented?

• Beyond Compliance: How can organisations move beyond mere compliance and cultivate a culture that genuinely embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion?

Through a dynamic exchange of ideas, personal stories, and collective wisdom, this panel discussion aims to inspire attendees to challenge existing paradigms, explore new possibilities, and take tangible steps towards pushing the boundaries of DEI within their organisations. Join us to embark on a journey of transforming our organisations into inclusive and empowering spaces for all!

Audience Engagement: The panel discussion will incorporate a Q&A session where the audience can pose questions to the panelists via the event App or in person.

Organisations are recognising the critical importance of fostering an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and empowered. The key to achieving this lies in amplifying employee voice, enabling individuals at all levels to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly.

This session aims to inspire leaders, managers, and HR professionals to harness the power of employee voice in order to cultivate an inclusive and participatory culture and as a catalyst for positive change and increased engagement.

Our speakers will explore topics including:

• The significance of employee voice: Understanding why it matters and how it contributes to a thriving workplace environment.

• Creating a culture of psychological safety: Discovering how trust and safety create fertile ground for employees to voice their opinions and concerns without fear of repercussions.

• Building effective communication channels: Identifying methods to establish channels that facilitate open dialogue, feedback, and idea-sharing across the organisation.

• Empowering diverse voices: Recognising the value of diverse perspectives and fostering an inclusive environment where employees from all backgrounds feel empowered to contribute their unique insights.

• Amplifying employee voice through technology: Exploring innovative digital platforms and tools that facilitate seamless communication, collaboration, and feedback loops within teams and departments.

• Overcoming barriers and challenges: Addressing common obstacles that impede employee voice, such as hierarchical structures, cultural norms, and fear of speaking up.

• Nurturing collaboration and innovation: Highlighting how amplifying employee voice cultivates an environment that encourages collaboration, sparks innovation, and enhances problem-solving capabilities.

Audience Engagement: The panel discussion will incorporate a Q&A session where the audience can pose questions to the panelists via the event App or in person.

On behalf of EMCC UK we would like to invite you to a conversation about coaching and diversity in organisations. We will be discussing the outcomes of our recent inquiry process with HR, OD and DEI specialists.

We focused on two key areas:

• • Understanding how external coaches are selected, who is offered the opportunity to become an internal coach and how their coaching services are marketed and sponsored within organisations.

  • The beneficiaries of coaching; who has access to coaching, how are they selected or sponsored, and how do underrepresented groups perceive coaches or asking for coaching.

We would love to explore our findings with you and to hear your perspectives. As a follow-up you will receive an executive summary of our discoveries, including the overarching themes, issues, challenges, opportunities, and organisational perspectives. Our shared learning will inform what we as a professional body prioritise in the future; this could be research, funding initiatives, and hosting future events or seminars.

About EMCC UK

EMCC UK works to maintain, influence, develop and progress high quality standards in coaching, mentoring and supervision in the UK. Their 3,000 members include individual practitioners, training and education providers, as well as organisations with internal coaching and mentoring capability, including in-house supervisors.

Organisations face significant challenges when it comes to finding, attracting, and retaining top talent in today's competitive market. Forward-thinking companies are now considering the wider picture by asking “based on my goals, what does my total workforce need to look like?” They are considering culture as a critical part of the decision process as to whether people choose to join, and stay at, their organisation.

In this highly participative session, our facilitators will set the scene with key talent trends and data and attendees will share their own experiences, challenges and successes; engaging in small group discussion with peers in different sectors.

About Gattaca Solutions

As a holistic Workforce Solutions specialist, Gattaca Solutions understands the critical importance of talent in driving business success and firmly believes that prioritising and investing in the creation of a positive and inclusive culture attracts and nurtures exceptional employees.

Note: This session requires active participation, and attendees are encouraged to consider real-life scenarios or challenges they have faced in aligning talent with business strategy and crafting the right culture to attract and retain employees.

With changes to how and where we work and rapid technological advancement, the impact on connection, collaboration and culture in our organisations is profound. We need to grasp the current landscape and keep pace with key shifts and trends as the future of work continues to unfold. To harness the positive impacts and minimise the negative ones, it’s crucial for HR and other business leaders to consider innovative solutions that reimagine transformation and prioritise the people experience.

During this participative workshop we’ll explore cutting-edge strategies to create a future of work that is inclusive, agile, and empowers individuals.

The workshop will be structured around the following key areas:

• Understanding the Changing Landscape: We’ll identify the current trends and forces shaping the future of work, including technological advancements, demographic shifts, and evolving employee expectations.

• Designing Engaging People Experiences: We’ll explore innovative approaches to designing people-centric work environments that prioritise employee wellbeing, engagement, growth, collaboration, creativity, and productivity.

• Embracing Agile Transformation: Traditional approaches to change management are no longer sufficient in the fast-paced world we live in. Instead, agile methodologies and strategies enable organisations to adapt and thrive in a constantly evolving environment, where leaders and teams embrace change, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and build resilient teams.

• Leveraging Technology for Transformation: Technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of work and emerging technologies can transform how we work and enhance the employee experience. We need to learn to leverage technology as an enabler rather than a disruptor.

• Nurturing Inclusive Workplaces: Inclusion and diversity are vital for organisations to succeed in the future of work. We’ll discuss strategies for fostering inclusive cultures that embrace diversity, equity, and belonging. Participants will learn how to create environments that value diverse perspectives and harness the power of diverse teams.

  
  

  This session will enable participants to consider ideas and perspectives to elevate the people experience in their organisations, in the context of rapid change. Bring your own experience and insight and learn how you can more effectively drive positive change in your workplace.

  
  

  About dragonfish

  
  

  dragonfish is an award-winning culture consultancy, and is a trusted partner for leaders in ambitious brands with plans to transform performance through culture change and employee engagement. Their team has an impressive track record of helping organisations to identify and build stronger connections between their people, brands and customers to unlock potential and growth; delivering outstanding results for clients including Cloudreach, Carnival UK, O2, National Trust, Karen Millen, Ann Summers, Cunard, Enterprise Inns and Fitness First. Their areas of expertise include Vision, purpose and values development; Culture research and insight and Service and CX improvement.

  
  

  Note: This session requires active participation, and attendees are encouraged to consider how they are designing employee experience and culture to align with their future vision and strategy.

The nature of work has undergone significant transformation, reshaping traditional working environments and practices. Organisations have experienced remote, hybrid, and flexible work, the 4-day working week, designated “no email” or “no meeting” days and more. A common approach has been simply to experiment and see; throwing things at the wall in a bid to “see what sticks”. Research over the past several months on the impact of these practices has presented us with findings that give us anything but a clear picture.

This panel session will explore the importance of where and how we work, shedding light on the various factors that influence productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall wellbeing, how to balance all of these and whether we should take a different approach depending on company size, sector, or location.

Key Questions to Be Explored:

• How do different physical environments (office, remote, hybrid) affect employee productivity and creativity?

• What role does workplace design play in fostering collaboration, innovation, and employee engagement?

• How can organisations create inclusive and equitable work environments that cater to diverse needs and preferences?

• What are the potential benefits and challenges associated with remote work, and how can they be effectively managed?

• How do flexible work arrangements influence work-life balance and employee wellbeing?

• What are the implications of emerging technologies (e.g., AI, automation, virtual reality) on future work environments and practices?

• How can organisations strike a balance between privacy and collaboration in modern work settings?

• What are the psychological and social factors that contribute to a positive work environment, and how can they be cultivated?

Join us for this engaging panel session as we explore the critical question: "Why does it matter where and how we work?"

Audience Engagement: The panel discussion will incorporate a Q&A session where the audience can pose questions to the panelists via the event App or in person.

With the advent of remote work, global connectivity, and technological advancements, it is crucial to explore how organisations can effectively bring culture to life in this digital era. How can we bring and sustain vibrancy to workplace culture in a virtual and technology-driven environment.

Key Discussion Points:

• Understanding the core elements and values that define a company's culture and how they can be adapted to the digital landscape.

• Building and sustaining culture wherever we work: Exploring strategies and best practices to foster a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and shared purpose among remote or hybrid teams.

• Examining the role of digital tools and platforms in cultivating a cohesive and inclusive work culture across geographically dispersed teams.

• Addressing the importance of effective communication channels, team collaboration, and knowledge sharing in nurturing a strong culture within a digital work environment.

• Exploring innovative approaches to translate traditional cultural practices, rituals, and team-building activities, partly or wholly, into the virtual realm.

• Discussing how organisations can ensure diversity, inclusion, and cultural sensitivity are upheld in a digital workplace, and how these factors contribute to a vibrant work culture.

• Analysing the role of leaders in setting the cultural tone, fostering employee engagement, and creating a supportive environment that thrives in the digital era.

Audience Engagement: The panel discussion will incorporate a Q&A session where the audience can pose questions to the panelists via the event App or in person.