Hope Virgo | Hope Virgo
I am the the Author of Stand Tall Little Girl, and an international leading advocate for people with eating disorders.
I help young people and employers (including schools, hospitals and businesses) to deal with the rising tide of mental health issues which affect one in four people and costs employers between £33 and £42 billion annually. I have been described by Richard Mitchell, CEO of Sherwood Forest Hospital, as "sharing a very powerful story with a huge impact". I am also a recognised media spokesperson, having appeared on various platforms including BBC Newsnight, Victoria Derbyshire, Good Morning Britain, Sky News and BBC News.
For four years, I managed to keep it hidden, keeping dark secrets from friends and family. But then, on 17th November 2007, my world changed forever. I was admitted to a mental health hospital. My skin was yellowing, my heart was failing. I was barely recognisable. Forced to leave my family and friends, the hospital became my home. Over the next year, at my lowest ebb, I faced the biggest challenge of my life. I had to find the courage to beat my anorexia.
I began sharing my story in 2016 after my book was published and have gone from strength to strength. As well as working with organisations, I work closely with Government championing the rights of people affected by eating disorders. I launched the #DumpTheScales campaign in July 2018 reaching over 70,000 signatures, secured a debate in parliament, national media, an EDM as well as Ministerial support. The campaign has been something I have worked on completely alone with no support or funding from any organisations. I have used my passion, hardworking ethic and determination to get to where the campaign is today.
A huge part of the work I do is focusing on exercise and how this can be used to support recovery. This is why I chose to cycle across the country in October 2018 to raise awareness of mental health education and the importance of making it compulsory in schools. Along the way I spoke in schools and hospitals to share my story of recovery from anorexia.
Prior to working for myself to raise awareness and tackle stigma around mental health I worked for Alzheimer's Society in Public Affairs, UNICEF in their Corporate Partnership team and in Thailand volunteering for a year.
Claudia Craig | Centenary Action Group
Claudia is a women's rights campaigner and activist motivated by injustice and the potential for change.
Claudia is inspired by strong and powerful women on a daily basis, but finds it impossible not be infuriated by the way women are continually marginalised and oppressed. This fury fuels an intense passion for gender equality and inspired her to choose a career campaigning for transformative gender justice.
Claudia is currently Campaign Manager for the Centenary Action Group, a unique cross-party coalition of over 100 women's rights activists and organisations #StillMarching for women's right to take part in the decisions that affect their lives. Prior to joining the Centenary Action Group Claudia worked for CARE International UK on their global campaign to end workplace harassment whilst simultaneously studying for an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Originally from Scotland, Claudia started her career working as policy support in the UK and Scottish Governments.
In a personal capacity, Claudia successfully campaigned for home use of the abortion pill in England and Wales, sharing her own experience of abortion to highlight the need for change. Claudia appeared on BBC Newsnight and the Victoria Derbyshire Show to advocate for home use and has also been published in the Guardian and Independent.
Anna Blackwell & Kate Culverwell | Kayaking the Continent
Anna
I am an adventurer, speaker, writer and photographer. Over the last six years, I have pursued a number of large adventures, including walking 1,000 miles across France and Spain by myself; completing a five week solo trek across the wilderness of Arctic Sweden; hitch-hiking to Morocco; summitting Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa; and most recently, kayaking from London to the Black Sea in Romania with Kate, for which I was solely responsible for media creation (expedition outlined below). Alongside my adventures, I share my experiences and the things I have learned with a wide audience, through writing for a variety of platforms and speaking at events, festivals, schools, and businesses.
Kate
While I am a first-year university student, I have set out to encourage women to participate in sport and musical composition, two areas where women aren’t represented enough. As a composer, I was selected for the BBC Proms Inspire Scheme to encourage under 18-year-old composers, which included talking on BBC Radio 3 about the project. I have since set up various concerts where we only use new music set by young composers. As an athlete, I was a key part in my school’s successful rowing program as Vice-Captain, helping lead our two boats win two National golds. Now at Oxford University, I am becoming Captain of Women’s Boats for my college, to further inspire young women who are either new or old to sport. Further to this, I put together the Kayaking the Continent expedition with Anna (see below).
HSBC
HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations
We serve more than 39 million customers through four global businesses:
Retail Banking and Wealth Management, Commercial Banking, Global Banking and Markets, Global Private Banking.
Our network covers 66 countries and territories.
We aim to be where the growth is, connecting customers to opportunities, enabling businesses to thrive and economies to prosper, and ultimately helping people to fulfil their hopes and dreams and realise their ambitions
HSBC is one of the world’s leading international banks, with exceptional access to high-growth markets and a strong balance sheet. Our strategy builds on these advantages and positions us to capitalise on long-term trends affecting the financial services industry:
- The world is expected to become more connected as international flows of trade, finance and data continue to grow
- The global middle classes are set to expand further, led by Asia
- Significant investment will be needed worldwide to support the transition to a low-carbon economy
- More than 50 per cent of the Group’s client revenue is linked to international clients. Our access to high-growth, developing markets in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America gives us a platform for long-term growth. And our balance sheet strength continues to provide an excellent foundation for a sustained dividend.
Diversity is in our roots.
HSBC was founded more than 150 years ago to finance trade between Europe and Asia. We continue to bring different peoples and cultures together today.
We believe diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. Different ideas and perspectives help us innovate, manage risk and grow the business in a sustainable way
We want a connected workforce that reflects the communities where we operate and helps us meet the needs of customers from all walks of life
We want HSBC to be a place where people are valued, respected and supported to achieve their potential – and we foster an environment where people can speak up
Our employees lead seven global employee networks which play a crucial role in helping us achieve our diversity and inclusion ambitions. These groups focus on gender, age, ethnicity, LGBT+, faith, working parents and carers, and ability
At HSBC we put great emphasis on our values
Our values define who we are as an organisation and what makes us distinctive. We are:
- Dependable - We are dependable, stand firm for what is right and delivering on our commitments
- Open - We are open to different ideas and cultures, and value diverse perspectives
- Connected - We are connected to our customers, communities, regulators and each other, caring about individuals and their progress
These values reflect the best aspects of our 150-year heritage. They are vital to fulfilling our purpose of helping businesses to thrive, economies to prosper and ultimately helping people to fulfil their hopes and realise their ambitions.
Since its foundation in 1865, HSBC has adapted to and helped serve the needs of a changing world. It has financed economic growth, fostered international trade and overcome events such as economic crises. We recognise our wider commitments to the communities in which we operate and understand that economic growth must also be sustainable.
Supporting Sustainable Growth
Today our sustainability approach focuses on three main areas: sustainable finance, sustainable supply chains, and employability and financial capability.
Sustainable finance
HSBC aspires to be a leader in financing, managing and shaping the transition to a low-carbon world. We have set out a series of commitments in support of this goal, including a pledge to provide USD100 billion of sustainable financing and investment by 2025. We also aim to source 100 per cent of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030
Sustainable supply chainsThrough our partnerships with customers, non-governmental organisations and other key stakeholders, we are encouraging responsible business in global supply chains. We aim to help our customers reduce the environmental impact of their supply chains and to foster the sustainable growth of small and medium-sized businesses
Employment and financial capabilityIn a rapidly changing world, workplace skills and financial literacy are more important than ever. We support our customers, communities and employees to develop the financial capability and employability skills they need to thrive in the modern world
Aviva Investors
Aviva Investors is the investment arm of Aviva plc, a multinational financial services company with a strong presence in the UK, Europe, Asia and Canada.
Aviva can trace its origins in the London insurance market back more than 300 years.
At Aviva Investors, we are dedicated to building and providing focused investment solutions for clients that include insurance companies, banks and other global financial institutions, charities, local government organisations, pension schemes, private wealth managers, financial advisers, as well as private investors.
Our goal is to deliver the specific and meaningful investment outcomes that matter most to today’s investor.
KPMG
We’re a leading provider of professional services, including audit, tax and advisory services.
We work across industry sectors, providing services to private and public-sector organisations. We are a member firm of a global network and also work on projects with multinational clients through teams based in different geographical locations.
We have a strategic approach to inclusion and diversity. Over the past year we have focused on increasing our Leadership Capabilities across the organisation by highlighting key behaviours to help create a more inclusive culture and on enhancing our interventions in all of our people-focused activities to support all of our colleagues to maximise their potential.
UMBRA International Group
UMBRA International source the highest calibre candidates from our extensively screened ex-military and civilian network to fulfill the full spectrum of private office requirements (including close protection, PA/EA, Chief of Staff)
We source opportunities for young future leaders going into the workplace, transitioning from one career to another in a discreet and handheld manner.
UMBRA provides our clients and their families with ongoing support, giving them the peace of mind in all aspects of their daily lives.
We deliver rapid and discreet solutions through significant life changes or crisis situations, such as relocation, divorce or bereavement.
Tina Barton | emerging Markets Clinical Trials
Tina Barton is an experienced Board member and Chair, and a drug development specialist with a broad knowledge within health care.
With a BSc, PhD in cancer research and a MBA, she has held Senior Management roles in large global through mid-size to small emerging organisations, working in partnership to lead for success, as a customer-focused clinical research professional.
Tina provides demonstrated strategic business acumen, change management and process enhancement expertise with a proven track record in driving growth, managing teams and training for the future.
As past Chair and Board member for The Institute of Clinical Research she has a passion for sharing knowledge, raising standards and developing professionals which she has carried forward into her current Board roles and as a mentor for the Cherie Blair Foundation.
With excellent negotiation and leadership talents, Tina is a reliable individual with commitment to achieving results and exceeding customer expectations via education, process and delivery, as part of a team or under her own initiative.
Jane Dalton | Groundswell Innovation
Having attained a first-class MBA from Cambridge University, Jane Dalton has managed brand strategy and innovation projects for companies with global brand reach – from Unilever brand teams through to high-street banks across Europe – for the past 18 years.
Her experience covers strategic planning, value proposition development, qualitative and quantitative market research and brand management. Jane has been involved in the definition of many successful brands in corporate, SME and charity sectors. The new products and services set in motion by her clients are regularly shortlisted for awards.
In 2008, Jane set up Groundswell Innovation as an independent agency specialising in the commercialisation and generation of new ideas with Visa Europe as their first client. Prior to this she worked as a consultant and senior consultant at The Value Engineers (Cello Group).
Alongside running her own business, Jane volunteers her time as a Lancashire Board member for the Institute of Directors, an Entrepreneur in Residence at top 10 ranking Lancaster University and as Brand Director for Northern Power Women, a not-for-profit campaign working to increase gender diversity in the workplace from the North of England.
Christina Blacklaws | The Law Society of England and Wales
Innovator and champion of diversity and inclusion
Started career as a children’s rights lawyer working in deprived area of London with most disempowered in society.
Founding partner, developed and grew to scale a family law firm which included one of the country’s first virtual law practices, enabling women lawyers to work flexibly with the back-office support of the business. Over 100 people (95% female) working with and for the firm.
Set up first alternative business structure within the Cooperative Group. Designed, developed and delivered a remote access, modular fixed fee family service which enabled mainly women to access reasonably priced family law support and advice. Also established largest family law legal aid contract in UK supporting mainly women facing domestic violence and child protection court proceedings.
Director of Policy at Cooperative Legal Services providing leadership for all public policy, external engagement and media work, horizon scanning and providing strategic direction to board.
Chief Operating Officer and then Director of Innovation at top 100 firm, Cripps LLP, managing strategic change within the business. Set up an Affinity Group to tackle issues around D and I within the firm establishing and implementing first remote and agile working policy.
Career long history of commitment to using my legal expertise to support women starting with being an advisor to Rights of Women in 1989, have sat on and chaired numerous committees and boards relating to family law and legal policy/ access to justice issues, Law Society council member representing Women Lawyers Division, President (only 5th woman out of 174!) of the Law Society of England and Wales, member of Judicial Diversity Forum, member of Family Justice Council, trustee of LawWorks (solicitors pro bono charity), chair of HM Government’s Lawtech Delivery Panel, chair of HMG Next Gen Services Advisory Board, member of Thompson Reuter’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board, member of Chartered Insurers Institute’s Insuring Women’s Futures Advisory Board, winner of Power of Women Award 2018, WinLaw, Women in Leadership Award 2017, winner of Lawyer of the Year, Modern Law Awards 2014, The Lawyers Hot 100 for management 2012.
Frequent international and domestic speaker, author and commentator.