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Active Allyship: awareness into action

Creating truly inclusive workplaces requires more than intent. It demands informed, consistent action

This track shows you how to move beyond awareness of gender equity to measurable impact. You will gain practical strategies to foster inclusion, challenge inequity and build cultures where everyone can thrive.

You will explore what effective allyship looks like in practice, and importantly, why it matters for organisational performance. Examples of evidence and lived experience will provide you with strategies and action points to advocate for and influence inclusive behaviours.

Be the best ally you can be. Drive an inclusion strategy that unlocks everyone’s full potential.

Join one or two of these sessions and mix and match with the other track sessions available.

Allyship Flash Talks and Discussion

Location: The Turing Lecture Theatre

A fast-paced, multi-speaker session featuring Kevin Coutinho (Windsor Fellowship), Ollie Bell (Fred Wellbeing) and Lucy Leonard (WISE).

  • Kevin Coutinho will define everyday allyship - what it is and what it is not - and why it is relevant for everyone. He will use data to highlight where allyship can drive the greatest impact. He will also explore intersectionality and the cross-cultural importance of allyship.
  • Ollie Bell will examine the role of organisational culture in enabling allyship, including barriers that can prevent men from engaging, and the importance of creating space to learn and make mistakes.
  • Lucy Leonard will contribute lived experience on practising allyship in everyday contexts, including women-to-women allyship.

Allyship workshop, led by Lucy Leonard

Location: Riverside Room 1

Lucy Leonard’s interactive workshop draws on her extensive experience delivering EDI programmes to improve workplace culture and representation. The session will:

  • Build understanding of why allyship is vital, particularly for women in STEM
  • Explore unconscious bias, privilege and common barriers to action
  • Provide practical tools to demonstrate allyship in everyday situations, inside and outside of work
  • Enable open discussion through real-life examples and shared learning

By attending, you will develop a strong understanding of authentic allyship and l leave equipped to strengthen inclusion, enhance equity and diversity, and build trust and psychological safety within your organisations and beyond.