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Following the phenomenal success of our inaugural Board Diversity Conference last year, we are very excited to invite you to attend our second event.
We know that board members have never faced a more challenging time in performing their role in this rapidly changing and disruptive environment. The realities of systemic and social inequalities along with a determination to make things better now and for future generations have impacts in the boardroom. Major regulatory changes and the need to provide a greater voice for tenants are all at the forefront of board papers. By attending, you will gain insight into how housing leaders are addressing these challenges in real-time at their organisations.
The need to improve board diversity and build stronger governance structures has now assumed even greater importance. What can board members do to further promote and solidify an inclusive culture at the organisations that they oversee? Is it time for boards to fully recognise their potential for both influencing inclusion, and their responsibility to do so for their staff and the communities that they serve? How can board members shift their thinking into a diversity and inclusion mindset? You will hear from a speaker lineup who are doing this work and will share honest, genuine insights they have learned over time in this space. They will share with you the details of how they work, where they have had to adapt and change direction, and how to achieve results.
The Conference will involve keynote presentations and breakout rooms for the debate and discussion of key issues. It will be an excellent opportunity to rub shoulders with people on HDN's board programmes, and governance and professionals from across the housing sector.
This event is perfect for those who drive forward change in board thinking and decision-making, want to know more about the role of board member diversity in shaping organisational culture and how that drives, shapes, and sustains innovation.
A conference like no other.
Who should attend:
- Board Members from across the housing sector
- CEOs, Executive Directors and Managers with responsibility for equality, diversity and inclusion, human resources and governance
- Those looking to secure a board position in future
Confirmed Speakers include:
- Alistair MacIntosh, Chief Executive of HQN
- Patrick Ricketts and Kanthi Ford, authors and consultants
- Anne-Maria Bancroft, Altair
- Dave Richmond and Dave Wilkinson, St Leger Homes
- Amanda Durberry and Kevin Maxwell, Your Place
- Jesse Fajemisin, Gloucester Homes
Royal Armouries Museum
Armouries Drive 5
Leeds, England, United Kingdom
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Tickets
- I'm on the Board Trainee or Excellence Programme
Free tickets are for current participants on our Board Trainee Programme and Board Excellence Programme
- Complimentary
- Organisational Lead Board Trainee Programme
- Complimentary
- HDN Member General
This is for any HDN member who isnt on any of our Board Programmes
- £185
- General Admission
For anyone who isn't a member of Housing Diversity Network
- £300
Speakers
Abdul A Ravat
Head of Development & Relationships at The Abbeyfield Society
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Anne-Marie Bancroft
Head of Consumer Regulation at Altair Ltd
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Zara Mohammed
Secretary General at Muslim Council of Britain
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Kevin Maxwell
Board Member at Your Place
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Kanthi Ford
Managing Director
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Rohit Talwar
CEO of Fast Future
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Patrick Ricketts
Strategic Business Planning and Transformation Expert at SG For Business
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Jesse Fajemisin
Executive Director of Mount Green Housing Association
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Alistair McIntosh
Chief Executive at HQN
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Sharon Thandi
Solicitor at Devonshires Solicitors LLP
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Milcah Walusimbi
Tenant Board Member at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
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Camila Carvalho
ED&I Consultant at Adecco
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Dave Wilkinson
Chair at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
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Amanda Dubarry
Chief Executive at Your Place (London) Ltd
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Nicola Ebdon
Assistant Director of Lincolnshire Housing Partnership
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Lynne Nicholls
Director of Leonis Solutions
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Dave Richmond
Chief Executive at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
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Agenda
- Main Schedule
- 9:30 AM - 10:00 AMArrivals / Refreshments / Exhibition Viewing
- 10:00 AM - 10:10 AMWelcome
- 10:10 AM - 10:40 AMKeynote – Next Generation Trustees – A new approach to building diverse boardsWe know that across the housing sector achieving diverse and representative
boards continues to be a challenge. Although the will to change might be there, organisations often lack the tools and techniques to make the changes needed.
This mirrors a wider lack of diverse representation across many types of company boards and is regardless of initiatives, and the best intentions of housing providers to attract wider talent onto boards.
Learn from Your Place about how their Next Gen Board Programme was designed to attract a diverse range of talent, mostly from ''non-traditional' board backgrounds, and work with them so that they were able to apply for board vacancies.Kevin Maxwell
Board Member at Your Place
Amanda Dubarry
Chief Executive at Your Place (London) Ltd
- 10:40 AM - 11:10 AMPanel Discussion – What Makes a Good Board?This session will tease out the differences between the inspiring boards and the ones which are struggling. The discussion will focus on a number of items:
• Does the board have an appropriate environment, diverse mix of skills, experience and independence to ensure there is robust but effective challenge and stewardship of the organisation's purpose and strategy?
• Do board members understand their roles and responsibilities? How does the annual appraisal process run? Does it truly assess performance or do organisations just go through the motions?
• What importance does the chair play/ Does the chair create an open and inclusive environment at meetings where all are encouraged to contribute? How is the chair's performance appraised?
• Is the executive clear on its roles and responsibilities? Is management information timely and clear?
• Does the board have clear and timely access to information to assess both the performance of the business and its management of strategic risks?
• Does the board provide independent challenge and plan for its succession? Is diversity and training of the boardroom considered in its planning?Jesse Fajemisin
Executive Director of Mount Green Housing Association
Sharon Thandi
Solicitor at Devonshires Solicitors LLP
Nicola Ebdon
Assistant Director of Lincolnshire Housing Partnership
Lynne Nicholls
Director of Leonis Solutions
- 11:10 AM - 11:30 AMBreak / Networking / Exhibition Viewing
- 11:30 AM - 12:00 PMDo you really know your residents? A case studyNew consumer standards have come into place for housing organisations including the need for social housing landlords to be inspected. One of the key issues coming out of pilot inspection reports is ‘do organisations really understand who lives behind the front door?’
Who your tenants? What do they need? Do they need their services tailored in a different way? Do you need to do something different to make sure they have fair access to your services?
The MCB will be presenting their research on Muslim communities, and how these communities are changing. We know that many Muslim communities disproportionately impacted by deprivation and poor housing. This is especially worrying given concerns on access to opportunity and inclusion. How do housing organisations respond to these factors, and how can they aim to provide the best possible services to their tenants?Zara Mohammed
Secretary General at Muslim Council of Britain
- 12:00 PM - 12:30 PMKeynote – Is Bias Baked into your Boardroom?Our unconscious biases influence the way that we make decisions, and we can have unconscious group ‘rules’ about how we behave or what we believe. Bias is an inevitable part of the boardroom. And we know that flawed decisions can be made with the best of intentions.
Kanthi Ford and Patrick Ricketts, share insights into their own diverse professional experiences as well as simple, common-sense concepts that are fundamental to combating bias in the boardroom. They suggest actions that may help shift behaviours or understand the perspectives of others.
They will explore the role of an empathic leader, discuss internal cultures and ways to manage uncertainty, highlight their experiences with systemic racism, and much more.Kanthi Ford
Managing Director
Patrick Ricketts
Strategic Business Planning and Transformation Expert at SG For Business
- 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMLunch
- 1:30 PM - 2:00 PMGood Intentions aren’t enough: Boards taking ownership of EDIWe keep hearing the phrase that ‘these are unprecedented times’ and that boards are having to respond to crisis after crisis – we’ve had Grenfell, the pandemic, the response to George Floyd’s murder and now we have the energy crisis, damp and mould – the list seemingly goes on and on.
There is also a punishing level of scrutiny and pressure on boards, and we know that this can be overwhelming if an organisation is not prepared to manage it.
In the midst of all this how can boards focus on equality, diversity and inclusion? And are good intentions enough?
We acknowledge the increasing focus on conversations about racism and discrimination in the workplace, and companies being more serious about promoting diversity in their organisations. Apart from being the right thing to do, housing businesses are starting to recognise the numerous benefits that a diverse workforce brings to an organisation.
How do we maintain this momentum? How do we ensure that it doesn’t get lost in the face of all the other things that are going on? Is there a difference between having a performative board and one which actually makes real changes?Alistair McIntosh
Chief Executive at HQN
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PMFirst Breakout Session
- 2:30 PM - 2:45 PMBreak/Networking
- 2:45 PM - 3:15 PMSecond Breakout Session
- 3:15 PM - 3:45 PMThe Future – What Boards Really Need to KnowRohit Talwar explores the major forces, shifts, developments, and ideas that are sculpting the landscape the housing sector of the future. The twin drivers of disruption and AI are at the forefront of people’s minds, but this is only the beginning. Rohit looks at how other sectors are responding to these seismic shifts and what housing boards can learn as various industries are adjusting their strategies and operations to stay ahead of the curve. The presentation will extend into the implications for demand, tenant and resident expectations, strategic considerations, service delivery models, and the talent pool that drives our industry forward.
Rohit Talwar
CEO of Fast Future
- 3:45 PM - 4:00 PMSummary, Evaluation & Close Event
- Breakout 1
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PMLeading Diversity: Is a white middle-aged man called Dave really the best person to deliver improvements?We all know that it’s really tough to speak your mind and not be fearful of saying the wrong thing at board level, or even to be embarrassed about knowing what to say in the first place. Even more so if you’re white middle aged and male and want to champion diversity at the top table. In addition, too many EDI initiatives have unintentionally excluded white men which has distanced this group from buying into the need to deliver better services.
Join the two Daves as they speak honestly about their journey at St Leger Homes, the arms-length management organisation based in Doncaster. They will take you through how they are trying to promote a culture of inclusivity, where everyone has a critical role to play to make St Leger Homes a welcoming and supportive organisation that seeks to get the best out of everyone to deliver better services for its tenants.Milcah Walusimbi
Tenant Board Member at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
Dave Wilkinson
Chair at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
Dave Richmond
Chief Executive at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
- 2:30 PM - 2:45 PMBreak/Networking
- 2:45 PM - 3:15 PMLeading Diversity: Is a white middle-aged man called Dave really the best person to deliver improvements?We all know that it’s really tough to speak your mind and not be fearful of saying the wrong thing at board level, or even to be embarrassed about knowing what to say in the first place. Even more so if you’re white middle aged and male and want to champion diversity at the top table. In addition, too many EDI initiatives have unintentionally excluded white men which has distanced this group from buying into the need to deliver better services.
Join the two Daves as they speak honestly about their journey at St Leger Homes, the arms-length management organisation based in Doncaster. They will take you through how they are trying to promote a culture of inclusivity, where everyone has a critical role to play to make St Leger Homes a welcoming and supportive organisation that seeks to get the best out of everyone to deliver better services for its tenants.Milcah Walusimbi
Tenant Board Member at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
Dave Wilkinson
Chair at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
Dave Richmond
Chief Executive at St Leger Homes of Doncaster
- Breakout 2
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PMComplaints and Regulation: Has the dial shifted?Is the dial shifting? Do board members understand the regulatory changes that have just come into force and how they will impact their organisations? How will boards satisfy the expectations of different stakeholders?
We have a raft of standards to think about and a more proactive regulator regime coming into force. In this session we will explore
• Dealing with complaints and the new powers of the Ombudsman
• Hearing the voices of a diverse range of tenants
• Getting the right systems in place
• What the pilot inspection regime highlighted
• Getting the data question right
• Tenant satisfaction measures and what they mean.Anne-Marie Bancroft
Head of Consumer Regulation at Altair Ltd
- 2:30 PM - 2:45 PMBreak/Networking
- 2:45 PM - 3:15 PMComplaints and Regulation: Has the dial shifted?Is the dial shifting? Do board members understand the regulatory changes that have just come into force and how they will impact their organisations? How will boards satisfy the expectations of different stakeholders?
We have a raft of standards to think about and a more proactive regulator regime coming into force. In this session we will explore
• Dealing with complaints and the new powers of the Ombudsman
• Hearing the voices of a diverse range of tenants
• Getting the right systems in place
• What the pilot inspection regime highlighted
• Getting the data question right
• Tenant satisfaction measures and what they mean.Anne-Marie Bancroft
Head of Consumer Regulation at Altair Ltd
- Breakout 3
- 2:00 PM - 2:30 PMWhy Diversity Programmes Fail?The housing sector has implemented diversity programmes in a number of ways, mostly with the goals of creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace, providing better services to tenants or improving board diversity.
However, many of these programmes have failed to achieve their intended outcomes. This session will explore some of the reasons why diversity programmes may fail and what organisations can do to increase their chances of success.
Implementing an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy demands more than just good intentions; it requires an ongoing commitment from all levels to drive lasting change.
We will analyse the rise and fall of diversity programmes across different sectors in the UK and explore why this happens and what boards can do differently to build a robust inclusive culture.Camila Carvalho
ED&I Consultant at Adecco
- 2:30 PM - 2:45 PMBreak/Networking
- 2:45 PM - 3:15 PMWhy Diversity Programmes Fail?The housing sector has implemented diversity programmes in a number of ways, mostly with the goals of creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace, providing better services to tenants or improving board diversity.
However, many of these programmes have failed to achieve their intended outcomes. This session will explore some of the reasons why diversity programmes may fail and what organisations can do to increase their chances of success.
Implementing an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy demands more than just good intentions; it requires an ongoing commitment from all levels to drive lasting change.
We will analyse the rise and fall of diversity programmes across different sectors in the UK and explore why this happens and what boards can do differently to build a robust inclusive culture.Camila Carvalho
ED&I Consultant at Adecco
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