Inclusive Growth Show

Breaking down barriers to real disability inclusion.
In this episode of the Inclusive Growth Show, host Toby Mildon speaks with Ruben Carol—Mildon’s newest associate consultant—about his powerful journey from stroke survivor to actor and disability inclusion expert. Ruben brings a wealth of experience working with major organisations such as Transport for London and C2C Rail to remove barriers and create inclusive environments.

Together, they explore how the social model of disability transforms organisational thinking, why “treating everyone the same” is a dangerous myth, and how a culture of equity—rather than compliance—enables true belonging. Ruben also highlights why asking (not assuming) is key to inclusive practice, and outlines practical training offerings that help embed inclusion across teams.

Key takeaways include:

• Why equity means more than treating everyone the same
• How to make workplace adjustments that go beyond compliance
• The importance of psychological safety in inclusive leadership
• Why employers must create space for employees to express their needs
• Practical tips to foster belonging and dismantle assumptions

Guest: Ruben Carol
Associate Consultant at Mildon
🔗 Ruben's LinkedIn Profile
🔗 Ruben's Website

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If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Why values-led leadership creates truly inclusive growth

In this inspiring conversation, Gillian Drakeford shares her journey from management trainee to leading IKEA UK & Ireland, and her deep insights from helping IKEA expand into China.

She reveals how formative experiences shaped her leadership style, including a key moment when asking “why” was discouraged — an attitude she actively challenged throughout her career.

Gillian discusses how cultural intelligence, values-based recruitment, and inclusive leadership fostered sustainable business growth and stronger emotional connections with customers and colleagues alike.

In this episode:

• The leadership lesson Gillian learned at 18 that stayed with her for life
• How she helped IKEA thrive in China through cultural sensitivity
• Rebuilding IKEA UK’s values and reconnecting teams with purpose
• Why inclusive leadership drives emotional connection and commercial success
• Her practical advice for leaders seeking inclusive growth

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If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Neuro-inclusion isn’t just good practice - it’s smart business.

In this episode of The Inclusive Growth Show, host Toby Mildon chats with Andy Ryan, neurodiversity specialist and a new associate at Mildon. With a background in social care and a passion for reshaping how organisations view neurodivergence, Andy shares his journey into inclusion and offers practical ways to build neuro-affirming workplaces.

You will learn:

• Why inclusive workplace adjustments are often simple and low-cost
• The myths that hinder neurodivergent inclusion
• How communication shifts can improve workplace culture for all
• Why designing flexible systems supports individual success
• How to adopt a mindset of continual inclusion

Andy also offers a glimpse into his workshops, including training for line managers of neurodivergent staff, and shares his personal strategies for staying well while working in the EDI space.

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If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Is your organisation truly inclusive, or just ticking boxes?
In this episode of the Inclusive Growth Podcast, Toby Mildon introduces new associate Dr. Christopher Owen - an expert in intersectional systemic oppression and founder of the consultancy Coliberate. Together, they explore what it really means to drive equity, diversity, and inclusion from the inside out.

Christopher shares insights drawn from his lived experience and academic background, challenging traditional approaches to inclusion that stop at internal metrics. Instead, he advocates for a shift towards co-liberation - building workplaces that support both internal culture and external community.

Key takeaways:

• Why true inclusion must consider the world beyond your office walls.
• How systemic oppression affects recruitment and workplace equity.
• A practical mantra to build resilience in EDI work: What is true, what is right, what is next.
• The importance of questioning “what are we including people into?”

Send us a message

If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Discover how inclusive leadership unlocks hidden potential in the workplace.

In this episode of the Inclusive Growth Podcast, Toby Mildon sits down with Cynthia Fortladge, global award-winning consultant and new associate at Mildon. Cynthia shares her deeply personal journey from the C-suite to becoming a prominent voice in gender diversity and inclusive leadership.

Through candid conversation, Cynthia and Toby explore:

• The distinction between management and true leadership
• The impact of unlocking discretionary effort in employees
• Cynthia’s philosophy of “acceptance without understanding”
• The emotional journey of redefining success and identity
• Practical advice on challenging bias and fostering inclusion

Learn how Cynthia’s lived experience and business acumen help her empower leaders to cultivate inclusive workplaces that foster trust, empathy, and authenticity.

Send us a message

If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Is your organisation truly accessible – or just meeting the bare minimum?

In this episode of the Inclusive Growth Podcast, Toby Mildon has a compelling conversation featuring Luis Canto E Castro, a disability inclusion and accessibility consultant and new Associate at Mildon. Luis shares his journey from South Africa to the UK, the personal and professional experiences that shaped his advocacy, and the non-traditional recruitment story that brought him into Toby’s network.

Key takeaways:

• Why accessibility must go beyond compliance
• Digital exclusion in recruitment – and how to fix it
• The difference between the medical and social models of disability
• How to lead authentically on disability inclusion
• Practical advice to improve your organisation’s accessibility

Tune in to discover how Luis is redefining what it means to create equitable spaces and why investing in inclusion is more than just good intentions.

Send us a message

If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

What if love, not fear, was the foundation of your workplace culture?

In this enlightening episode, Toby Mildon is joined by Simon Phillips - founder of The Change Maker Group and co-host of the Love Lead Change Podcast - to explore the transformative concept of a love-based organisation. They unpack the difference between love- and fear-based cultures and why empathy, psychological safety, and human-centred leadership are vital for inclusive growth.

Simon introduces the LACE Framework - Listening, Accountability, Collaboration and Empathy - and how it’s helping organisations shift from compliance-driven environments to high-performing, human-focused cultures. With references to Google’s Project Aristotle and Renee Smith’s research, Simon brings compelling evidence to back the business case for cultural change.

Key takeaways:

• What defines a love-based organisation—and why it matters
• Real-world data linking empathy and performance
• The core principles of the LACE Framework
• Practical tips for being a change-maker
• Why active listening is tougher—and more important—than we think

Guest Highlights:
Simon Phillips, Change Leadership Expert
🌐 Website: https://thechangemakergroup.com/
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonphillips/

🔗 Resources:

• Renee Smith's work: https://www.reneesmithspeaks.com/writing
• Love Lead Change Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/love-lead-change

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If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

What happens when inclusion efforts stall at awareness?

In this compelling episode, Toby Mildon sits down with experienced EDI practitioner Emma Underwood to explore why equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is facing what Emma calls a “global earthquake.” Together, they unpack the current challenges in the sector, the ethical tensions at play, and the need for a more skilled, credible EDI profession.

Emma draws from her varied background in public policy, students’ unions, and consultancy to outline the critical difference between performative allyship and meaningful change. She also tackles the need for professional standards in EDI roles and explains how legal developments are reshaping the field.

Key takeaways include:

• Why awareness without action benefits only the ally.
• The need for professional standards and regulation in EDI roles.
• How to navigate the clash between legal rulings and ethical convictions.
• Practical ways to keep progressing despite political and economic pushback.

Guest highlights:

 Emma Underwood – EDI Practitioner

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn

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If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Is your organisation missing out on a powerful and overlooked talent pool?
In this episode of the Inclusive Growth Show, Toby Mildon speaks with Dr Andrew Jenkins, an expert in employment and age discrimination, to explore why older workers could be the key to solving the UK’s persistent hospitality staffing crisis.

With insights from Andrew's extensive research and real-world examples - including B&Q’s game-changing recruitment strategy the episode dismantles common myths about older employees and reveals the untapped potential of a multi-generational workforce.

Key takeaways include:

• The damaging impact of age-based stereotypes in hiring
• Why older workers are a viable solution to post-Brexit staffing gaps
• How flexible recruitment strategies can attract talent over 50
• The business case for a multi-generational workforce
• Practical steps for building age-inclusive workplaces

Guest Highlights:
Guest: Dr Andrew Jenkins
Title: Lecturer in Management
Institution: University of Cumbria / University of Huddersfield

Resources mentioned:

• CIPD 2022 report: Understanding Older Workers
• Centre for Aging Better: Employer Guide
• Personnel Today article by Mary Bright
• Age UK: Ageism at Work

Send us a message

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.

Menopause and mental health: why silence in the workplace is no longer an option.

In this compelling episode of the Inclusive Growth Show, Toby Mildon is joined by Haley from Menospace and Victoria from Minds That Work to explore the powerful intersection of menopause and mental health in the workplace.

Haley shares her personal and professional journey into menopause advocacy, while Victoria reflects on her mental health work and how their collaboration emerged from a shared passion. Together, they highlight the often-overlooked impacts of perimenopause on psychological wellbeing and the urgent need for inclusive organisational support.

Key takeaways include:

• Why perimenopause symptoms are often mistaken or ignored.
• How menopause intersects with mental health and performance.
• The business case for supporting midlife employees.
• Practical steps for HR leaders to create psychologically safe workplaces.
• How awareness, training, and policy can drive cultural change.

Guest Highlights:

• Haley, Founder of Menospace: Website | LinkedIn
• Victoria, Founder of Minds That Work: Website | LinkedIn

Don't miss their specialist course Breaking the Silence, an accredited training on menopause and mental health.

Send us a message

If you're enjoying this episode and looking to boost equity, inclusion, and diversity in your organisation, my team and I are here to help. Our team specialises in crafting data-driven strategies, developing inclusive leaders, designing fair recruitment processes, and enhancing disability confidence. With a blend of professional expertise and lived experience, we're ready to support you on your journey. Reach out to us through our website. 

If you want to build a more inclusive workplace that you can be proud of please visit our website to learn more.