21 September 2022
Day 1- 10:15 – 11:15
Inclusive leaders do more to support their teams, actively address the well-being needs of their people, and deliver the systemic change needed for both businesses and communities to thrive. To lead with an inclusive lens is to recognize what needs to change, advocate transparency throughout, and deliver tangible measurable outcomes.
Areas of discussion:
- Who holds the responsibility, is ED&I everyone’s business?
- How are organisations embracing transformational leadership to make ED&I a reality, not just a mission statement?
- How are leaders using their platforms of privilege to create more equity and practicing accountability through transparency?
Panellist
Caroline was appointed by The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work as the Disability and Access Ambassador in July 2021, a voluntary position which she holds alongside her role at East West Railway Company. Disability and Access Ambassadors are leaders in their industry who aim to make their industries more inclusive and accessible are supported by the Cabinet Office Disability Unit.
As Head of Inclusion at East West Railway Company, Caroline’s role ensures that East West Rail delivers products and services that meet the needs of a diverse range of customers and that the organisational outcomes are delivered in an inclusive way, accessible to everyone.
Caroline has worked in the rail industry for 16 years and is passionate about disability advocacy and inclusion. She has the genetic condition Cystic Fibrosis and identifies as Disabled and neurodivergent. Caroline regularly shares her lived experience at events such as the government’s Disability in the Workplace Conference 2021, D&I Leaders Neurodiversity Conference 2021and the Rail Industry Forum Conference 2021.
Caroline was a finalist in the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) 2021 Excellence awards in the category of ‘Diversity Champion’ and is a member of CILT’s Access and Inclusion Forum.
Sanjiv Vedi is the proud son of an economic migrant who arrived in the UK from Nairobi, Kenya mainly because the weather here was much better! Now that has your attention!
Sanjiv is a graduate of Cardiff University. He qualified in Law and Politics. He also holds a post-graduate Certificate in Leadership. He is currently Assistant Director, Head of the Office of the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales– a real deadpan civil servant; Ah! Still here then!
His role involves supporting the Chief Social Care Officer for Wales, managing the relationship with Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, establishing Welsh Government as a ‘safe’ organisation and as an add on he is responsible for Welsh Government's covert surveillance policy and procedure.
Brad Parker is Deputy Chief People Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) with 14 years of public sector experience. Brad joined NHSBT in March 2022 and is currently leading the creation of a new People Strategy to enable the realisation of its strategic priority to invest in people and culture, including in the new NHSBT Corporate Strategy released in March 2022. He is also looking at various improvement initiatives to improve the experiences of our 6,000 plus employees and people considering joining NHSBT, promoting inclusion and the best approaches to deliver change.
Before joining NHS Blood and Transplant Brad worked in the Civil Service and Health System leading people workstreams to support the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the creation of the UK Health Security Agency, and leading successful improvement programmes across People Functions.
