Programme | Corporate Charity Partnerships Conference

Develop Groundbreaking Partnerships Strategies Which Evolve With Changing Needs, Promote ESG & Social Impact & Embrace The Latest AI & New Tech Advances For Long-Lasting Collaborations & Measurable Results

Innovative, Aligned, Adaptable & Highly Impactful Corporate Charity Partnerships

08.15 Registration, Informal Networking

OPENING REMARKS

09.00 GIC Welcome & Morning Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks

Claire Myers, Director Corporate Responsibility, Invesco EMEA

Katherine Burgess, Corporate & Community Fundraising Manager, Rainbow Trust

BUILDING STRONG, MUTUALLY-BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS

DOUBLE PERSPECTIVE

09.10 Forge, Reinforce & Maintain Resilient & Supportive Partnerships That Drive Growth For All Parties & Stand The Test Of Time

Amid the ongoing disruptions of geopolitics and the cost-of-living crisis, what can partnerships do from both sides to promote stability and resilience moving forwards?
What are the key elements that define a truly successful partnership? What should both corporates and charities be looking out for in the quest to find the perfect partner?
Utilise skill-sharing, volunteering programmes, the latest technologies, and other fresh innovations to make sure that partnerships are truly two-sided with real value on both sides
Ensure truly alignment of goal and purpose, so that both partners can provide mutual support and assistance without pulling in opposite directions

09.10 – Perspective One

Tracy Jarvis, CSR Manager, GTR (Govia Thameslink Railway)

Andrew Berrie, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Mind

09.30 – Perspective Two

Megan Marsden, Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager, Bowel Cancer UK

Sophie Ashton, Consumer Engagement Marketing Manager UK & Ireland, Kimberley-Clark

AI & NEW TECHNOLOGIES

09.50 Harness The Power Of AI With Applicable User Cases On How To Effectively Streamline Processes & Cut Costs Without Losing The Key Human Touch

From sustainability and impact reporting to regulations and compliance, explore the various ways and real-world practical user cases where the latest technologies can support corporate charity partnership goals
AI is here to stay, and the question is no longer whether to use it, but how? Utilising real-time data, writing bids, funding proposals – what are the quick-win applications for AI and automation that charities can begin to benefit from immediately?
Don’t forget the human touch – decipher where AI can add most value, but also where it has the potential to detract from the need for real human interaction

Tailor Your Day – Select A Hosted Stream:

CHARITY STREAM – WHAT CORPORATES WANT

PANEL Q&A

10.10 Put Yourself In Corporate Shoes To Gain A Better Understanding Of What Criteria They Consider, How You Can Best Position Yourself & What Drives A Successful Long-Term Partnership

What are corporates truly looking to gain from a charity partnership, and which corporates are the right ones for you? What are you able to offer, above and beyond the rest?
Analyse the latest roadmap from finding the right corporate partner, through starting the conversation and initial pitches, right through to maintaining a strong collaboration months or years down the line
How can charities refresh, tailor and revitalise pitches to stand out from the crowd and get right to the heart of corporate purpose goals?
What are the most common pitfalls and mistakes in establishing partnerships, and how can they be avoided?

Sean Mackey, Charity Partnership Manager, Wickes

Luciano Della Mura, Project Lead For The Bentley Foundation, Bentley Motors

Katie Clough, Senior Partnerships Manager, Dogs Trust

Jeannet Lingán, Head of Foundation – The Compass Group Foundation, Compass Group PLC

Caroline Raines, Director of Corporate Affairs, Compare The Market

Scott Robinson, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Business In The Community

CORPORATE STREAM – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

PANEL Q&A

10.10 Align Your Partnership With Strategic & Impactful Purpose Goals That Embed Corporate Social Responsibility At The Heart Of Business Practices

How is CSR changing in the modern world? What will Corporate Purpose look like in 2026 and beyond?
Streamline the road to finding the right charity partner by establishing clearly defined CSR goals, and considering how a charity is best placed to reinforce them
From ESG to DEI, explore the shifting priorities behind CSR and how they can best be measured, reported and showcased
With charity budgets stretched to their limits and communities in need of real support, what more can corporates do, in both financial and non-financial terms, to lend their support where it’s needed most?

Aalia Kazi, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Partner, Roche

Lisa Mallinson, Giving Strategy & Programmes Manager, NatWest Group

Toby Wyithe, Community & Engagement Business Partner, Legal & General

10.40 Morning Refreshment Break & Informal Networking

11.10 Bonus Session; Reserved For Exclusive Conference Partner

VOLUNTEERING & SKILL-SHARING

11.40 Update & Upgrade Your Volunteering Programmes To Drive Genuine Engagement, Utilise Relevant Skillsets & Showcase Real Value

Deep-dive into the various ways that a corporate can provide added-value, non-financial support – what works best for your partnership?
More than the sum of its parts! Identify potential skill gaps within your workforce, and seek out opportunities for skill-sharing within your partnership to create cohesion and mutual benefit
How can volunteering programmes avoid box-ticking exercises and PR stunts to provide real and meaningful value?
Engage employees on both sides of the partnership to foster a genuine passion for volunteering and supporting a clear purpose

Katy Ross, Responsible Business Specialist, Leeds Building Society

Richard Hore, Development Officer, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust

SUSTAINABILITY, ESG & CLIMATE

12.00 Be Part Of The Solution With Long-Term ESG Strategies That Align Corporate Purpose With Charity Goals To Deliver Real Change

Explore the practical and relevant steps that charities can take to assist and steer corporate sustainability goals, avoiding greenwashing to deliver truly impactful outcomes
ESG covers a wide range so what specific issues can a corporate or charity home in on with meaningful effect?
Align corporate and charity goals with a clear and easy-to-define ESG agenda at the heart of strategic practices
The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals were created ten years ago – how far have we come? What can corporates and charities be doing in partnership today, with an eye on results that are years down the line?

Roos Bruggink, Global Community Investment Senior Manager, AstraZeneca

Sam Davies, Head of Major Partnerships, Plan International UK

CHARITY PITCHING PANEL

PANEL Q&A

12.20 Learn By Example! Hear Live Pitches From Experienced Charity Speakers, With Immediate Feedback & Key Insights From Our Expert Panel

Pitching:

Beatrice Sayer, Partnership Development Lead, Magic Breakfast

Feedback Panel:

Toby Wyithe, Community & Engagement Business Partner, Legal & General

12.50 Lunch & Informal Networking For Speakers, Delegates & Partners

13.20 Informal Breakout Discussions

A) Corporate Social Responsibility

Ana Merchant, Head of Strategic Charity Partnerships (UK), Amazon

B) Employee Engagement

Keira Meadus, Events & Promotions Coordinator, Utilita

C) Fundraising

Laura York, Charity Partnerships Manager, Dunelm

Sarah Sharp, Corporate Partnerships Manager – Account Management, Age UK

D) Payroll Giving

Lindsay Turner, Account Management Lead, Corporate Partnerships, British Red Cross

E) Geopolitics

James Jackson, Head of Corporate Partnerships, British Red Cross

OPENING REMARKS

13.55 Afternoon Co-Chairs’ Opening Remarks

Michael Duncan, Head of Giving Strategy & Programmes, NatWest Group

Dougy Palarm, Director Partnerships, Fundraising & Communications, The Conservation Volunteers

SHOWCASING IMPACT & ROI – NEW MEASUREMENT

14.05 Secure Senior Buy-In & Highlight Both ROI & Non-Financial Success With Strategic Impact Measurement & Effective Reporting

Harness the power of impact reporting to display your CSR and sustainability credentials to their fullest potential
How can charities prove their worth to corporate partners, from the pitching stage right through every step of a successful long-term partnership?
Strike the right balance – marry quantitative and qualitative data together to tell your full success stories
How can AI and automation technologies benefit impact measurement and reporting, in line with reduced budgets and the cost-of-living crisis?

Guy Mason, Head of Public Affairs & Responsibility Corporate Affairs, HEINEKEN UK Limited

Michael Beeson, Head of Partnerships, Drinkaware

SMARTER BUDGETS & MAXIMISING IMPACT

14.25

Fergus Hynd, UK Social Impact Senior Manager, National Grid

Melissa Milner, Director of External Affairs & Partnerships, Catch22

NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP, LOCAL IMPACT

14.45 National Partnership, Local Impact – How Premier League Football Is Providing Opportunities For All

Nick Perchard, Director of Community, The Premier League

Alex White, Chief Operating Officer, The Premier League Charitable Fund

15.05 Bonus Session; Reserved For Exclusive Conference Partner

15.35 Afternoon Refreshment Break & Informal Networking

DEI

16.10 Scan The Horizon Of DEI Policies To Understand & Anticipate How These Initiatives Might Develop & How Corporates Can Continue To Prioritise Inclusion & Social Responsibility

In the wake of geopolitical impacts, how are DEI policies changing? What might they look like in the near future?
How can DEI continue to maximise impact, particularly where budgets might be reduced?
How can corporates best align with charity partners over their shared DEI goals? How are charities best placed to support them?
With DEI becoming an increasingly divisive and controversial topic, how can charities and corporates work together to continue to promote these core values?

GEOPOLITICS & THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

16.30 Assess The Impact Global Developments Are Having On CSR & The Charity Sector & Build Adaptability Into Your Aligned Partnership Goals

Navigate the increasingly fraught geopolitical landscape to forecast international impact and mitigate against future disruptions
What does the future hold for international aid and global charity support?
From healthcare to sustainability, which elements of the charity sector are being hardest hit by uncertainty and changing policies?
How can both sides of a corporate charity partnership provide mutual support to stay aligned and focused on their goals, and continue to move forwards through the possible turbulence?

16.50 Winner Announcement
The afternoon co-chairs will announce the delegate who has won a donation to their chosen charity!

PARTNERSHIP INNOVATIONS & THE FUTURE OF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

PANEL Q&A

16.55 Get Inspired! Spark New Ideas & Approaches By Deep-Diving Into The Latest Innovations & Forward-Looking Partnership Strategies

With an ever-changing landscape both in the UK and across the globe, what will corporate charity partnerships look like in 2026 and beyond?
Cutting-edge techniques and inspiring outside-the-box innovations to supercharge your partnerships, foster passion in your workforce and promote real change and growth
Update your volunteering and skill-sharing programmes to promote your social purpose goals and keep your impact results front and centre
How can you adapt your partnership strategies, to encompass everything from remote workforces to the latest automation technologies?

Michelle Leavesley, Chief Sustainability Officer, Admiral Group Plc