Mary Robinson to address LEAD Network Annual Conference in Dublin this October

Mary Robinson, Ireland’s first female President and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has been announced as a keynote speaker at the forthcoming LEAD Network Annual Conference, which is set to take place in Dublin on 6 and 7 October.

Robinson will join more than 600 senior leaders, professionals and industry experts from Europe’s consumer goods and retail sector for the annual event, which will explore how inclusive leadership and workplaces help drive business performance.

Commenting on her participation, Robinson said, “Throughout my life, I’ve seen that lasting change comes when commitment turns into action, and when those with power choose to share it. The consumer goods and retail industry touches millions of lives every day, and that reach carries responsibility. I am delighted to join leaders from across Europe in Dublin to explore how we can shape workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

All In: Shaping Inclusive Futures

The theme of this year’s conference is All In: Shaping Inclusive Futures, with the event set to take place at the RDS Dublin. Other confirmed speakers include organisational psychologist and author John Amaechi OBE; Margaret Versteden, CEO, Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall; Umi Patel, vice president of marketing for international beverages, PepsiCo, and Andrew Keating, Musgrave Group’s chief financial officer.

Delegates will also hear from more than 50 industry leaders across a range of plenary sessions and interactive breakout sessions.

‘Scale and influence’

“As one of Europe’s largest employers, our industry has both the scale and the influence to set the standard for what inclusive workplaces look like,” commented Allyson Zimmermann, CEO of LEAD Network. “When people can contribute and succeed as their full selves, organisations become more innovative, more resilient and better equipped for long-term success.

“Our conference is an opportunity for the European consumer goods and retail community to come together, share what works, learn from one another and leave with practical ideas they can take back into their own organisations.”

This year’s conference will also build on LEAD Network’s recent report, Built for All: Rethinking Career Advancement in Retail & CPG, developed in partnership with gender equity consultancy Shape Talent. The report identified systemic barriers holding back career progression and talent in the retail and consumer goods landscape, including the Silence Tax, the Negotiation Penalty and the Caregiving Trade-Off.

LEAD Network is one of Europe’s fastest-growing non-profit organisations advancing gender equity and workplace inclusion. It supports more than 28,000 members across 81 countries and works with 65 partner companies throughout Europe. Read more here.

[Photo: Mary Robinson speaking at a Climate Neutral Now event at COP23, November 2017. Source: UNFCCC]