Programme

July 2024 Programme -
November 25th Programme soon to be announced

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2026 Programme

Organised by

Badge Collection: 8:30AM

Conference Start: 9:00AM

Master of CeremoniesMatthew Stadlen

9:10AM -

Keynote
Kevin Rowan, Director of Dispute Resolution, Acas

9:50AM -

Busting the silos. A systemic approach to mediation across teams and organisations ‍David Liddle, Chief Executive, The TCM Group

This keynote draws on David's 30 plus years of deep listening to CEOs, executive teams, and people leaders who are grappling with fragmentation, mistrust, and stalled collaboration across their organisations. It explores how silos form, why they persist, and how mediation, applied systemically, can become a powerful lever for rebuilding collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. Five key learning objectives and outcomes that David will deliver: 1. Examine organisational silos as the legacy of unresolved conflict that has been absorbed into structures, roles, and ways of working. 2. Reflect on how leadership behaviour, governance, and decision-making can unintentionally reinforce silos. 3. Explore how mediation and restorative practices can be applied between teams, functions, and leadership groups to address entrenched tension. 4. Gain practical insight into designing mediated, inter-team conversations that surface conflict safely and productively. 5. Consider how a shift towards transformative justice supports collaboration that is sustainable, relational, and culturally embedded.

10:40 am -

10:30AM -

Mediation as an Organisational Capability – From Concept to Culture: A Client ConversationCEDR

10:40 am -

11:00AM -

Refreshments & Networking

10:00 am -

11:30AM -

How distinctive cultures are built through behaviour
Amrit Sandhar, CEO and Founder, &Evolve

10:00 am -

12:00PM -

Human Rights Discrimination in the Workplace - What Do We Know and What Can We Do?
Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury, Mediator, Lawyer, GC Mediation and Training Ltd

Nearly half of UK employees experience workplace discrimination based on protected characteristics under the Human Rights Act. These experiences can lead to serious mental health challenges, financial loss, reputational damage, and unfair retaliation. How can workplaces better support their employees while safeguarding their organisation’s reputation? This session helps employers navigate the complexities of a changing, multicultural world and understand how company culture and policies are impacted.

10:00 am -

12:20PM -

The application of mediation principles to reducing staff absence and assisting in returning people to office working where required
Caroline Sheridan, Tracey Fox, David Whincup

10:00 am -

1:00PM -

Lunch & Networking

10:00 am -

2:00PM -

The Untouchables - when mediation goes to the dark side...
Liz Rivers, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
Jane Gunn, Mediator, IPOS Mediation

Who are the untouchables in your organisation? The people who are seen as business critical - or know where the bodies are buried. Most organisations have them. Sometimes mediation is used as a way of management sidestepping an uncomfortable conversation with an "Untouchable" - someone who is seen as too important to be held to account for their behaviour. In this session you'll hear clear examples of when NOT to use mediation and practical tips on how to "speak truth to power".

2:40PM -

10:00 am -

Evaluating Online Mediation: Back of the Net or Over the Crossbar?
Stuart Lawrence, Founder, Mediator Locator

Online mediation has moved from necessity to normality -- but has it actually improved how disputes are resolved? Drawing on real mediations, this session offers a candid, experience-led look at online mediation in 2026, exploring when it delivers focus, momentum and resolution -- and when it risks disengagement, fatigue or false consensus. A key theme is neurodiversity and accessibility. It examines how online mediation can support some neurodivergent participants through structure, control and reduced sensory load, while creating new challenges for others, and why simply replicating in-person practice online often falls short. Practical insights are shared on preparation, pacing, communication and mediator intervention, with a focus on what genuinely improves participation and decision-making. Using a light sporting analogy, the session asks: when does online mediation hit the back of the net -- and when does it just scrape the crossbar?

10:00 am -

3:10PM -

Session details soon to be confirmed
Paul O'Donnell, Managing Director, CMP Solutions

10:00 am -

3:40PM -

Refreshment & Networking

10:00 am -

4:00PM -

Beyond Two Parties: The Practice and Pitfalls of Group Mediation
‍Trish Hewitt, CEO, Resolution at Work

This session explores how mediating teams and multi-party disputes requires a fundamentally different mindset, skill set, and process design from traditional two-party mediation. Drawing on real-world practice, the talk will examine common failure points in group mediation, including power dynamics, coalition behaviour, silence, and psychological safety. We cover practical insights into when group mediation is appropriate, how to design effective processes, and what mediators must do differently to create conditions for constructive dialogue and sustainable outcomes.

11:40 am -

4:30PM -

Beyond mediation: why workplace conflicts need repair, not just resolution
Leah Brown, The WayFinders Group

Most mediations end with an agreement, but teams remain fractured. This session explores what happens after processes end — when trust is still broken, performance is still down, and HR is still firefighting. This session will explore a framework that moves organisations from managing damage to actually fixing it.

11:40 am -

5:00PM -

Setting up a workplace mediation scheme
Hosted by Emma McLean with panelists Joanna Nunn and guest TBC

With the estimated cost of workplace conflict coming in at £28.5 billion a year and the Employment Rights Act shining a spotlight on employment relations, conflict resolution capabilities are more important than ever. In this panel discussion, Acas experts will examine the considerations for introducing internal mediation into the workplace. They will be joined by guest panellists (tbc) to share their insights and learnings of setting up a workplace mediation scheme.

The panel discussion will be followed by questions from the floor.

11:40 am -

5:40PM -

Closing Comments

July 2024 Programme -
November 25th Programme soon to be announced