Hear about the Hard As Nails campaign—a bold initiative using nail painting to challenge stereotypes and spark conversations about masculinity and inclusion. Joined by Daniele Fiandaca, founder of Token Man, and Sam Conniff, award-winning entrepreneur and social change pioneer, we explore what inspired the campaign, the surprising research insights, and how it can be scaled to workplaces and communities.

Resources:

https://hard-as-nails.com/portraits

Season 12 launches by exploring what really keeps people in organisations—and why it’s not just about paying them more. We’re joined by Helen Beedham, award-winning author of People Glue: Hold onto your best people by setting them free. Helen shares insights from her research on why retention matters, the “golden triangle” of pay, flexibility, and meaningful work, and the four freedoms that help people thrive: autonomy, growth, self-expression, and purpose. We also discuss anti-freedom forces, surprising findings, and practical tips for creating workplaces where people want to stay.

Find out more about People Glue:

http://peoplegluebook.com/

Quick links to buy from Amazon/Apple/Barnes & Noble:

For the paperback: https://mybook.to/PeopleGlue

For the e-book: https://mybook.to/PeopleGlue-eb

Free download from the book: ‘8 ways to diagnose your retention risks’ available here https://www.helenbeedham.com/people-glue

Linked In profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenjbeedham/

In this episode we sit down with Sandra Lewin, founder of 100 Women in Insurance, to explore how storytelling can drive meaningful change in gender diversity. Sandra shares why stories matter, how they influence culture and policy, and what it takes to create spaces where women feel empowered to share their experiences authentically. If you’re looking for actionable ways to make gender diversity more than a metric, this episode will inspire you to harness the power of stories for real change.

RESOURCES

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin/

https://100womenininsurance.com/podcast

Join us as we explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and inclusion with Zoë Walters, a former senior HR executive turned transformation strategist. Zoë shares her insights on how AI can be a catalyst for equity—not just efficiency—while also unpacking the risks of bias and exclusion in automated systems.

Resources:

[email protected]

We’re joined by Joy Burnford and Ed Haigh from Encompass Equality as they share insights from their latest research on gender equity. They explore how culture, leadership authenticity, and purpose-driven strategies shape success in FTSE 350 firms, and reveal new findings on gender differences in retention—offering practical guidance for inclusive workplace transformation.

Resources:

* Encompass Equality research: Women in Leadership: Strategies from FTSE 350 organisations leading the way: Download the summary report at https://www.encompassequality.com/research

* Don’t Fix Women: The practical path to gender equality at work by Joy Burnford: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Fix-Women-practical-equality/dp/1788603109

The Equality Conversation podcast with Joy Burnford: https://www.encompassequality.com/podcast

Dr Julie and Natasha dive deep into the Imposter Phenomenon with renowned expert Dr Kate Atkin. Often mislabeled as “imposter syndrome,” Dr Kate explains why this term is misleading and how understanding the phenomenon can help individuals and organizations foster greater psychological courage and resilience.

Resources

https://www.kateatkin.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateatkin/

https://www.instagram.com/kateatkinspeaker/

https://www.youtube.com/@TheImposterPhenomenonSpeaker

Full transcript of this episode is available when listening on Apple Podcasts, or by visiting our Substack.

You can follow the show on Instagram, and Dr Julie and Natasha on LinkedIn

In this insightful episode, Dr Julie and Natasha sit down with Diane to explore what it truly means to embed disability inclusion across an entire organisation—both in the UK and globally. From leadership engagement to practical workplace adjustments, this conversation is packed with actionable advice and inspiring stories.

Resources

* 🌍 Global Assessment Tool – A comprehensive tool for multinational organisations to evaluate and improve disability inclusion

* 🧪 Global Assessment Taster Quiz – A free, nine-question preview of the full assessment

* 🛠️ Open-Source Inclusion Resources – Tools and support for organisations taking action on disability inclusion

* 🏅 Disability Smart Awards Info Page – Celebrating organisations making a real impact in disability inclusion

Hear from best selling author, Dr Zareen Roohi Ahmed on her journey from tragedy to creating a global business for good. We talk about period poverty, what it is, who it affects and what we can do about it.

Resources:

The Gift - One woman's journey from tragedy to building a global business for good.

www.periodpoverty.uk

Full transcript of this episode is available when listening on Apple Podcasts, or by visiting our Substack.

You can follow the show on Instagram, and Dr Julie and Natasha on LinkedIn

We explore how D&I can be done better, the differences between issue and identity led approaches and how some organisations are bringing this to life in practice. We also cover unconscious bias and the D&I business case - and discuss whether they are ‘old’ topics now.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannamccloskey/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fearless-futures/

Full transcript of this episode is available when listening on Apple Podcasts, or by visiting our Substack.

You can follow the show on Instagram, and Dr Julie and Natasha on LinkedIn

We talk to Jamie Golunski about the importance of good mental health and the impact when the balance is skewed. Jamie shares his experience of anxiety and panic attacks and gives advice on how companies can support their employees in similar circumstances.

Resources:

Linked In

https://www.thiscanhappenglobal.com/

Full transcript of this episode is available when listening on Apple Podcasts, or by visiting our Substack.

You can follow the show on Instagram, and Dr Julie and Natasha on LinkedIn