Programme

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

Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

2026 Programme

Organised by

Conference Start: 9:00AM

Master of CeremoniesMatthew Stadlen

9:00AM -

Keynote
Kevin Rowan, Director of Dispute Resolution, ACAS

9:40AM -

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 -

10:20AM -

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

10:40 am -

10:50AM -

Refreshments & Networking

10:00 am -

11:20AM -

Session details soon to be confirmed‍

10:00 am -

11:50AM -

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

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 -

Mediating at the edge- using mediation for sexual harassment and whistleblowing cases
Liz Rivers, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
Jane Gunn, Mediator, IPOS Mediation

2:40PM -

10:00 am -

Evaluating Online Mediation: Back of the Net or Over the Crossbar?
Stuart Lawrence, Founder, Mediatior 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
Trish Hewitt, CEO, Resolution at Work

10:00 am -

3:40PM -

Refreshment & Networking

11:40 am -

4:00PM -

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 -

4:40PM -

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 -

5:20PM -

Closing Comments

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