10 February 2027

• 8.45AM - 9.20AM
  Registration, refreshments, networking and time to visit exhibition
• 9.20AM - 9.25AM
  Welcome from Tristan Blythe, editor, Charity Finance
• 9.25AM - 9.55AM
  Opening keynote – The leadership our planet needs now
  As the climate and nature crisis accelerates at a terrifying scale and pace, and extreme weather events across Europe make its impacts an ever more tangible reality, the need for courageous leadership has never been greater. In this opening keynote, Craig Bennett will explore
  how leaders can respond with integrity, resilience and relentless optimism in the face of unprecedented challenges. Drawing on his vision for a more interconnected approach to conservation, society and the economy, Craig will challenge us to think beyond traditional boundaries
  and embrace the collaborative, systems-wide leadership needed to protect both people and planet. This is a call to lead with purpose, recognising that the solutions to our greatest environmental challenges lie in working together across sectors to create lasting change.
   

  Craig Bennett OBE, chief executive, the Wildlife Trusts
• 10.00AM - 10.40AM
  1A. Impact Investors’ Toolkit: How can charities continue their mission through their investments?
  How can charities and foundations use their investments to support their mission, while still meeting their financial objectives? This practical workshop will provide an accessible guide to the growing impact-investing market. We will explore opportunities across climate, nature, health and inclusion, and consider what meaningful impact looks like in practice and how it can be measured. Drawing on real-world examples, the session will address common barriers, explain the different approaches available and highlight potential pitfalls to avoid. Whether you are at the beginning of your journey or looking to develop an existing strategy, this workshop will offer practical tools and insights to help you put more of your capital to work in support of your mission.
   

  Emilie Shaw, sustainable solutions lead, Cazenove Capital
• 10.00AM - 10.40AM
  1B. The power of ethical procurement

  Charities have significant influence through how they spend their money, but how can organisations ensure their purchasing decisions reflect their values and mission? This session will explore what ethical procurement looks like in practice, from human rights and modern slavery to environmental impact, fair work and supplier standards. It will consider how charities can use their purchasing power responsibly, manage ethical risks in their supply chains, and move beyond compliance to make procurement a meaningful part of their wider ESG strategy.

  Klara Skrivankova, director of grants, Trust for London

• 10.40AM - 11.10AM
  Morning refreshment and networking break
• 11.10AM - 11.50AM
  2A. Stewardship: The power of not so passive investing

  As demand for passive strategies continue to grow, who is stewarding the companies we own? This session explores how passive investing can leave gaps in shareholder engagement, weakening accountability and long-term value creation. Discover how active stewardship and responsible voting can influence corporate behaviour, and cover key market developments including pass-through voting and regulatory changes. This practical workshop will equip you to engage wealth and fund managers on voting practices, exercise your shareholder voice, and embed stewardship in your Investment Policy Statement. Leave ready to act. Your engagement as a shareholder, however modest, is not passive. It’s powerful.

  Kelly Eva, stewardship manager and Lynne Lamont, senior director, head of charities, UK, RBC Brewin Dolphin

• 11.10AM - 11.50AM
  2B. From ambition to action: ESG in all shapes and sizes

  What does ESG really look like in practice for charities? From smaller organisations with limited resources to larger charities with more established strategies, this panel will explore how organisations are interpreting and embedding ESG in ways that work for their own context. Drawing on real-world examples, we’ll look at what good practice looks like across the sector, the challenges charities are encountering, and the practical steps they can take to make ESG meaningful and achievable.

  Chair – Richard Litchfield, chief executive, Eastside People
  Panellists – Vivian Allen, founder and chief executive, DorPIP, Ciaran Moran, governance and compliance lead, Avenues Group and Caroline Lee-Davy, chief executive, Bliss

• 11.55AM - 12.35PM
  3A. Cutting the rope in the sustainability versus profitability tug of war

  Headlines often frame the energy transition and maximising profitability as competing goals. However, we believe that, in the majority of cases, optimising energy transition strategies can also help to maximise long-term returns for companies. We believe our new engagement-led investing approach complements traditional ESG strategies and aims to drive real-world change alongside unlocking significant return potential for investors. This session will cover the latest innovations in this space and how they might fit within charities’ wider responsible investing strategies

  Nick Stansbury, head of climate solutions, L&G

• 11.55AM - 12.35PM
  3B. How do we build bridges in a polarised world?

  As political and social divisions deepen, charities are facing growing pressure over how they speak up, advocate and build public trust. This session explores how charity leaders can navigate an increasingly polarised environment while staying true to their mission. Drawing on the Refugee Council’s experience, this session explores how charities can build unity, protect the safety and wellbeing of staff, volunteers and communities, and maintain their ability to advocate in a polarised environment. It will share practical lessons for strengthening cohesion, communicating across divides and building support for mission.

  Katie Ghose, chief executive designate, Refugee Council

• 12.35PM - 1.35PM
  Lunch, networking and time to visit exhibition
• 1.35PM - 2.15PM
  4A. Energy Reset: The investment story of our generation
  Geopolitics, technology and the race for energy security are reshaping how the world is powered - now more than ever. This session explores the investment opportunities emerging from that transformation, and the role investors can play in encouraging credible
  progress and shaping what comes next.

  
  Carlota Esguevillas, head of sustainable investment, and Charlie Thomas, chief investment officer, EdenTree
• 1.35PM - 2.15PM
  4B. Purpose First, Planet Always?

  How can charities whose charitable purpose isn’t environmental protection take meaningful climate action without compromising their mission? Drawing on her research into the social charity sector and experience at Anthony Nolan, Izzy Tulloch will explore the drivers and challenges of embedding environmental sustainability in a medical charity. From carbon measurement and employee engagement to climate risk and aviation, she will examine how charities can balance environmental ambitions with patient needs and service delivery, and share lessons for the wider sector.

  Izzy Tulloch, environmental sustainability lead, Anthony Nolan

• 2.20PM - 3.00PM
  5A. Can stewardship activities advance your charity’s values?

  Join this session for an exploration of how engagement and voting activity aims to drive positive change on social and environmental issues that matter. We will showcase highlights from Evelyn Partners’ 2026 stewardship programme, illustrating how active ownership can span a diverse range of topics. Case studies will include engagement on assessing pollution risks in the Strait of Hormuz, reducing biodiversity impact on aquatic ecosystems, and improving corporate disclosures relating to AI red-teaming and governance. Discover how investment managers can work beyond financial returns to aim to achieve broader outcomes that align with your values.

  Katrina Brown, head of responsible investment, Evelyn Partners

• 2.20PM - 3.00PM
  5B. Making reporting meaningful - lessons from the sector

  How can charities move beyond compliance-driven reporting to tell a more meaningful and compelling story about their organisation, its people and its impact? Finance directors from across the sector share their experiences, exploring different approaches to measuring and reporting environmental and social impact, the challenges they face and practical lessons to help others assess and develop their own reporting.

  Session to be confirmed

• 3.00PM - 3.25PM
  Afternoon refreshment and networking break
• 3.25PM - 4.05PM
  6A. The minerals dilemma: Can mining ever be responsible?

  The transition to a lower-carbon, more technology-driven world is increasing demand for the minerals that make it possible. But extracting them can carry significant environmental, social and human rights implications. So, can mining ever truly be responsible? This session will explore the tensions facing responsible investors, from the growing demand for critical minerals to the impact of mining on communities and the environment. We’ll consider the different approaches charities can take, from excluding mining altogether and investing in best-in-class companies, to remaining invested and using engagement to push for change. And, crucially, we’ll ask whether engagement really works, what it can achieve in practice, and how charities can assess whether their approach aligns with their values.

  Matt Crossman, stewardship director, Rathbones

• 3.25PM - 4.05PM
  6B. Panel: AI, Technology and Digital Sovereignty

  AI and digital technologies offer clear opportunities to reduce costs, improve efficiency and increase impact – but what are we giving up in return? This discussion will explore the wider social, environmental and strategic consequences of our technology choices, from automation and the future talent pipeline to growing dependence on predominantly US-based tech providers. Are we making choices that are intentional, considered and defensible – and having the difficult conversations about what we might gain, and what we might lose?

  Chair – Tree Hall, chief executive, Charity IT Leaders
  Panellists – Avril Chester, author, Leading with Humanity in an AI World, Stuart McSkimming, chief executive and founder, Virtue Chain

• 4.10PM - 4.45PM
  Closing keynote – From Boomers to Gen Z: Maximising the potential of a multigenerational workforce

  Today’s charity leaders are managing the most age-diverse workforce in history. With careers spanning longer than ever and Generation Z becoming an increasingly influential part of the workforce, organisations must rethink how they lead, communicate and develop talent. This thought-provoking session examines what each generation brings to the workplace, dispels common myths about generational differences, and shows how inclusive leadership can turn diversity of age into a competitive advantage. Discover how to create a culture that attracts Gen Z while valuing the experience of longer-serving colleagues – building a resilient, engaged workforce ready for the future.

  Alex Atherton, speaker, leadership coach and author of The Snowflake Myth

• 4.45PM - 4.50PM
  Chair’s closing remarks – Tristan Blythe, editor, Charity Finance
• 4.50PM - 5.30PM
  Networking drinks reception

Lanyard sponsor:

Great ways to save!

1. Be an early bird!
   Book your place now to save up to £150 off the ticket price.
2. Attend with your team!
   Ensure your whole team benefits from a great day's learning. With the Charity Team Ticket you can send up to four people  

The above prices all exclude VAT. 

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Nearest tube: Tower Hill, Tower Gateway or Aldgate

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