Women's Summit

Women Accelerating Impact

Thursday 7 March 2024 | Virtual

Welcome to our Women’s Summit

Our Summit sets the stage for women leaders and change agents across the sport, tech, energy, and life sciences industries, each facing unique challenges, to coalesce and open dialogues to learn from one another how they are investing in building more equitable systems to balance people, planet, and profit.   

Women leaders and their allies continue to redefine the status quo, shifting old social contracts between employers and employees with distinct expectations about workplace environment, culture, and support. 

  Research reveals there remain gender pay gaps, mentorship and sponsorship gaps, as well as performance and promotion bias. And yet, it is women who are doing more to support employee well-being and foster inclusion.  

Our Summit champions these women leaders and change-makers, amplifying their journeys, and offering an opportunity for us to learn how they are partnering for change across their business functions to shape DE&I strategies that are responsive to and inclusive of their peoples’ needs. 

  • 00Days
  • 00Hours
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Programme

10:25 - 10:30
Opening Remark & Welcome
Minaxi Mistry, Founder & CEO

Minaxi Mistry
(She/Her)

Founder & CEO


Equality Leaders

10:30 - 11:30
Building Inclusive & Sustainable Futures in Energy ​

Strengthening energy security and economic growth by investing in renewable and other clean technologies remain key priorities for the energy sector. Our panellists share how they are creating a more inclusive and sustainable future that supports communities, their people, and the planet. They speak to the steps being taken to: ​

Devi Virdi
(She/Her)

Group Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


Centrica

Zoe Deverell
(She/Her)

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Lead



ESB

Priya Brahmbhatt
(She/Her)

Director of Communications



Ofgem

Nicola Summers
(She/Her)

Operations Coordinator



Jacobs

Lauren Neal
(She/Her)

Founder and Chief Programme Creator



Valued at Work

11:30 - 11:45
Networking Break
11:45 - 12:45
ERGs as Change Partners ​

Women’s ERGs are uniquely positioned to reveal the barriers women face in our workplaces. The task for business leaders is to make sure that ERGs align with employees’ expectations and with the business’s DE&I priorities.9

MK Kirigin
(She/Her)

Client Lead (DACH), DE&I Consulting





Equality Leaders

Rebecca Lloyd-Wright
(She/Her)

Senior Campaign Manager





Auto Trader UK

Gavin Holmes
(He/Him)

Data Insights Business Partner and Aviva Balance
Co-Chair



Aviva

Zeta Benjamin
(She/Her)

Account and Global DEI Council, South Africa Chapter of the Black Culture Collective Employee Belonging Group


CSG International

Aisling Flynn
(She/Her)

HR Director and Happy People Resource Group Lead and Member of ADI (Accessibility, Diversity & Inclusion) Resource Group


Odyssey Social Care

12:45 - 13:00
Networking Break
13:00 - 13:45
In Conversation with Melanié Woolfenden
Melanie shares with us her deeply personal journey of transition to become the woman she is today, living a richer and more wholehearted life. It has been a journey pitted with barriers, stigma, and prejudice which Melanie faces head-on to challenge societal norms and a trans-exclusionary status quo. This is about her standing in her power as a woman today. 

Melanié Woolfenden
(She/Her)

Senior Consultant


Inoapps

13:45 - 14:00
Networking Break
14:00 - 15:00
A Holistic Approach to Redressing Underrepresentation in Tech ​

Enabling change in the tech ecosystem means closing the digital skills gap and enabling people from all parts of society to contribute to and benefit from the tech economy. DE&I within the sector continues to be challenged by squeezed budgets, pressure on middle managers to deliver results, and numerous mergers and acquisitions affecting organisations’ ability to prioritise DE&I.

Our speakers illuminate how they are overcoming these challenges and others, which include:

Anna Dewar Gully
(She/Her)

Co-CEO
& Co-Founder


Tidal Equality

Karen Blake
(She/Her)

Co-CEO



Tech Talent Charter

Ashleigh Ainsley
(He/Him)

Co-Founder, Color in Tech & Black Tech Fest

Smaranda Gosa-Mensing (She/Her)

Global Talent Counselor


McKinsey Digital

Athina Karahogiti
(She/Her)

DE&I Advocate


15:00 - 15:15
Networking Break
15:15 - 16:15
Breaking Down Barriers to Open Sport Up ​

While playing sport is considered essential to the nation’s health, glaring inequalities have become apparent with under-served communities lacking access to inclusive sporting spaces. Women, those from lower socio-economic groups, and Black and Asian people are still less likely to be active than others. 

 

Our panellists speak to the ways in which they are breaking down barriers for women and underserved communities to participate in sport and recreational activity, focusing on:

Karima Green
(She/Her)

Global Director of Inclusion & Impact


CSM Sport & Entertainment

Zoë Hingston
(She/Her)

Head of Inclusion


Newcastle United Football Club

Linzi Sortain
(She/Her)

Founder & CEO


A New Icon

Courtney Treco
(She/Her)

Rugby Player & DE&I Advocate

Ziana Butt
(She/Her)

Business & Technology Delivery Associate


Accenture

16:15 - 16:20
Closing Remarks & Thank You​
Dylan Shimmon, Equality Leaders

Dylan Shimmon
(He/She)

Learning Experience Designer


Equality Leaders

We are committed to ensuring our events are accessible to everybody and therefore offer inclusive pricing. You are welcome to support our inclusive pricing with a voluntary contribution.

20+ speakers

20+ world-class speakers across multiple business functions

5 panel sessions

Includes storytelling, sharing of lived experiences, and bringing perspectives to the forefront to drive positive engagement

Ask a question

Ask your questions and walk away with invaluable insights

Knowledge building

250+ business and community voices coming together to exchange ideas

Crossing continents

Speaker line up spanning across UK, Europe, Africa & Asia

Download Swag Bag

Continue your learning journey with curated resources from our partners and speakers. Available on 5 March

Networking

Grow your network and connect with people

Sign up to our DE&I Brief

Our complimentary monthly Brief brings to your inbox everything you need concerning DE&I for business and lifestyle

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