OnDemand: The Race at Work Conference 2026
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2026 Overview
In November 2023, the Office of National Statistics reported that 77% of white working-age people are employed compared to 69% of working-age people from minority ethnic backgrounds. These findings highlighted that ethnic minority employees are more likely to be unemployed, face discrimination, and be passed over for promotions.
Fortunately, many organisations are now taking steps to tackle these inequalities. Through sharing and engaging with best practice in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) measures, organisations can increase the diversity of their workforce and create a racially inclusive environment for all employees.
The Race at Work Conference 2026 shared the latest policies and strategies from experts across the public sector. Engage with best practice case studies covering a range of key topics including:
2026 Agenda
Chair’s Opening Remarks
Dionne Eldridge, D&I Lead, Onvero (formerly The Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion)
Keynote: Reclaiming the Race Equity Agenda: Leading with Courage in Uncertain Times
- Navigating the evolving EDI landscape in the face of political shifts, public scepticism and rising resistance
- Revisiting the race equity commitments made in 2020 and understanding why progress has stalled
- Responding to organisational and societal pushback while managing risk and maintaining credibility
- Strengthening the strategic case for race equity by shifting from compliance to cultural transformation
- Supporting leaders and staff to remain engaged, informed and psychologically safe in polarised times
- Building resilient, anti-racist workplace cultures through long-term, sustainable strategies
Richard DeNetto, CEO, Change the Race Ratio
Keynote: Building a Truly Anti-Racist Organisation
- Defining what it means to be an anti-racist organisation and embedding race equity in organisational values and strategy
- Recognising how systemic racism shows up in workplace policies, behaviours and cultures
- Challenging performative actions by embedding anti-racism into leadership, strategy and operations
- Equipping leaders and managers to take ownership of race equity through accountability and action
- Creating psychologically safe environments where staff can speak up and be heard without risk
- Sustaining momentum through long-term commitments and transparent progress measures
Sutopa Sen, Head of Freedom from Racism/Anti-Discrimination, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Case Study: Preparing for Mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting
- Exploring the latest updates from the Ethnicity Pay Gap consultation, including key proposals, timelines and the implications for public sector employers
- Reviewing existing data collection practices and identifying ways to improve data quality, disclosure rates and employee trust
- Building internal capability by strengthening data infrastructure and upskilling teams to prepare for reporting requirements
- Navigating the complexities of ethnicity classification and pay gap calculation to ensure consistency and fairness
- Planning for transparency by developing clear, responsible communication strategies around reporting outcomes
- Translating data insights into targeted, evidence-based actions that support long-term equity and organisational accountability
Dr Jummy Okoya, Dean of Office for Institutional Equity, University of East London
Case Study: Turning Insight into Action: Using EDI Data to Drive Inclusion
- Developing a strategic EDI data framework by identifying meaningful metrics and addressing barriers such as data quality, privacy concerns and low disclosure rates
- Leveraging data analysis to identify inclusion gaps and inform targeted, evidence-based interventions
- Partnering with data specialists to design transparent, user-focused dashboards that support accountability across business units
- Embedding EDI insight into strategic planning and aligning inclusion goals with organisational objectives and priorities
- Defining success through robust KPIs and tracking progress with clear, measurable outcomes
- Positioning EDI leads as credible, data-informed influencers who drive change through evidence and expertise
Charmain Bucho, Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, City & Guilds
Case Study: Understanding Diverse Motherhood Career Experiences for Work Inclusion
- Examining why employers need to take action to address the motherhood penalty
- Understanding the Diverse Motherhoods intersectional challenges from returning to work to career progression
- Designing and implementing fairer organisational policies and consistent processes, from attraction to retention
- Creating progression pathways that support mothers from diverse backgrounds at every level
- Exploring lived experience insights to inform and refine inclusive practices
- Discovering the practical toolkits for employers and parents to embed motherhood inclusion
Dr. Wenjin Dai, Senior lecturer in Leadership and Diversity, The Open University
Kendal Wright, Lecturer in Policing in the School of Law, The Open University
Questions and Answers
Lunch Break
Keynote: Shifting from Compliance to Cultural Transformation
- Moving beyond tick-box EDI and redefining what meaningful race equity work looks like in the workplace
- Embedding anti-racism into everyday behaviours, policies and decision-making processes
- Addressing internal barriers by building buy-in across leadership, managers and staff
- Using data and lived experience to drive accountability and shape inclusive workplace culture
- Creating the conditions for lasting change: psychological safety, trust, and shared responsibility
- Leading with purpose in challenging times and sustaining momentum amid political and organisational pressure
Shareen Pavaday, Deputy Director of EDI – Policy and Mandated Standards, NHS England
Ali Aslam, Deputy Director – EDI Education and Training Portfolios, NHS England
Case Study: Closing the Representation Gap: Addressing the Lack of Diversity in Senior Leadership Positions
- Identifying structural barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of diverse groups in senior leadership, including biased promotion practices, limited access to mentorship and non-inclusive workplace cultures
- Leveraging data-driven insights on representation, promotion rates and pipeline diversity to inform strategy and drive systemic change
- Investing in inclusive leadership development through sponsorship programmes, targeted training and succession planning to support diverse talent into senior roles
- Implementing accountability and transparency with clear goals, progress tracking, and leadership oversight to ensure sustained focus on diversity objectives
- Measuring impact and embedding diversity by evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and integrating inclusion as a core, long-term business priority
Mabinty Esho, Head of Culture and Inclusion, Comic Relief
Questions and Answers
Comfort Break
Case Study: Psychological Safety and Racial Equity – Protecting Wellbeing at Work
- Understanding psychological safety as a foundation for racial equity, where all employees feel respected, valued and safe to speak up without fear of negative consequences
- Recognising the impact of racial trauma and microaggressions in the workplace and addressing how they undermine wellbeing, trust and team performance
- Creating inclusive leadership behaviours that actively support psychological safety including active listening, vulnerability and responding to feedback without defensiveness
- Embedding equity into wellbeing strategies by tailoring mental health resources and support systems to reflect the lived experiences of racially diverse employees
- Establishing open, accountable communication through safe forums for dialogue, affinity groups, and clear reporting structures to address concerns and share experiences
- Measuring and sustaining psychological safety using feedback tools, employee engagement data and continuous learning to ensure long-term inclusion and wellbeing
Ruth-Anne Eghan, Cultural Architect, The Structural Shift
Partnering for Progress: The Role of ERGs in Driving Race Equality
- Exclusive insights from the co-chair of the award-winning University of Birmingham’s ERG
- Showcasing how they’ve grown from a small group of volunteers to a network with 700+ staff members, placing them as the second-best ethnicity network in Europe
- Leveraging collective power for meaningful change, and creating a partnership organisation for issues impacting staff of colour
- Expanding reach as an ERG to drive societal change, opening up events to the public and local schools, as well as partnering with community groups and charities
Alex Johl, EDI Project Manager and Co-Chair of the Race Equality Network, University of Birmingham
Questions and Answers
Chair’s Closing Remarks
Dionne Eldridge, D&I Lead, Onvero (formerly The Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion)
Conference Close
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2026 Speakers
Mabinty Esho
Head of Culture and Inclusion
Comic Relief
Alex Johl
EDI Project Manager and Co-Chair of the Race Equality Network
University of Birmingham
Shareen Pavaday
Deputy Director of EDI – Policy and Mandated Standards
NHS England
Charmain Bucho
Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
City & Guilds
Richard DeNetto
CEO
Change the Race Ratio
Ali Aslam
Deputy Director - EDI Education and Training Portfolios
NHS England
Dr Jummy Okoya
Dean of Office for Institutional Equity
UEL
Sutopa Sen
Head of Freedom from Racism, Anti-Discrimination
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Dr. Wenjin Dai
Senior lecturer in Leadership and Diversity
The Open University
Kendal Wright
Lecturer in Policing in the School of Law
The Open University
Dionne Eldridge
Inclusion Lead
Onvero (formerly The Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion)
Ruth-Anne Eghan
Cultural Architect
The Structural Shift
Testimonials
“Great range of speakers who are all really knowledgeable on their subjects and presented in a really clear way”
“The session was actually very deeply thought-provoking and, in many ways, reaffirming. What stood out most was how consistently similar the challenges and experiences are across geographies, highlighting that many workplace behaviours and issues are universally shared. This created a strong sense of connection and perspective, reinforcing that these are not isolated instances but part of a broader, systemic pattern”
