The Festival of Doing ED&I Differently

21-22 September 2022

Introduction

We are at the epicentre of enormous socio-political shifts with increasing division made only starker by the pandemic. It is incumbent on leaders and organisations to respond in meaningful ways and commit to impactful change which embeds inclusion and equity across our communities. Calls to move beyond mere mission statements will not be silenced.

Our ED&I Virtual Festival brings together thought leaders, change-makers, and allies to share their stories and perspectives, bringing their voices to our dialogue. Countless organisations are failing their people, failing to make diversity and inclusion a business imperative. It is time to do ED&I differently.

Join us for our 2-day Festival Programme which includes a Summit, Masterclass, and Diversity Lecture. Connect with people doing the work; to learn and continue your journey in making our spaces more inclusive, safer, and equitable for all.

This year our keynote speaker will be Rt Hon Lord Paul Boateng PC

Bringing people and communities together, our Summit is brimming with curated panels alongside breakout sessions to explore topics such as:

• Leading with an inclusivity lens: how are leaders using their platforms of privilege to create more equity and practice accountability through transparency?
• Harnessing the Current Momentum to Enable Impactful Change: how do we ensure all voices are heard and no one is left behind in our new hybrid working world?
• Shaping ED&I policy and practice: what kind of policy and practice should organisations be adopting to embed an inclusive culture?

Professor Dame Donna Kinnair, non-Executive Director at the East London NHS Foundation Trust, shares her journey as a child of Caribbean parents of the Windrush Generation, to ultimately becoming the nation’s most senior Black nurse. Dame Kinnair speaks to the ways in which she has had to navigate the barriers and overcome challenges faced in a system designed without people who look like her in mind.

The Masterclass is designed as a peer-to-peer learning experience to craft a space for knowledge-sharing and disruptive thinking. Our focus is on data strategies to measure what matters.

We’ll be asking the tough questions:

• Does data present an opportunity to gain the vital sponsorship for ED&I needed from leaders?
• How do organisations leverage data to make the right people's decisions? 
• How is data to be collected and used to effectively measure progress?

Motherhood, Diagnosis & the British Army: Corporal Yvonne Asamoah-Tawiah shares her story of inequality during childbirth and the days, weeks and months that led to the anxious wait of the fate of her son.

Case Study: Realising Rugby’s Inclusive Potential Jatin Patel, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, England Rugby

An insight into England Rugby’s approach to inclusion, including the challenges and opportunities which exist across the game, the organisation, it's leadership and exploring how they are doing ED&I differently.