The programme is currently in development. 

Confirmed sessions and speakers: 

The SORP shake up: what the latest update means for your charity

Changes to the Charities SORP and FRS 102 are on the horizon, bringing key changes that will shape how charities report and communicate their impact. This session will unpack the most important updates, including changes to revenue recognition, lease accounting and the trustees’ report, and offer practical guidance on how to prepare.

Steve Harper, partner and head of social purpose, HaysMac

Legacy management matters: building confidence through clarity

Legacy income is a vital and growing funding stream, currently worth £4bn to the sector and expected to rise to £10bn by 2050. Yet, the absence of clear guidance on how to recognise and report this income in charity accounts has led to inconsistent practices, making it difficult for stakeholders to interpret financial information confidently. This session will explore how a consistent, sector-wide approach to legacy management could strengthen relationships with executors, enhance transparency, and improve the reliability of legacy income reporting. Following the FRC's revised guidance and the proposed SORP's refined clarity around the broader concepts, join this session to discuss the opportunity to drive change, collectively raise standards and future-proof legacy income and strategic management.

Dave Hawes, director, Institute of Legacy Management and director of corporate services, Devon Air Ambulance Trust

Strategic ESG: the power of materiality to prioritise your resources - Lessons from Wellcome

Organisations striving for meaningful sustainability impact often face a fundamental question: where should we focus our efforts? This session delves into how a materiality study can serve as a critical foundation for defining sustainability benefits and aligning ESG strategy with organisational purpose. Drawing on the Wellcome Trust’s approach, we’ll explore how identifying what truly matters to stakeholders and operations helps clarify priorities, focus resources where it matters, surface long-term risks and opportunities, and guide impactful decision-making. Whether you're refining your ESG roadmap or just beginning the journey, this session offers a grounded, actionable perspective on moving from ambition to action.

Charles Joly, associate director, sustainability, Wellcome Trust

Creating space to care: Valuing volunteering and wellbeing in challenging times

With national insurance increases and rising operational costs, many organisations are being asked to deliver the same, or more, with less. In this session, Teamwork Trust, a small but impactful charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, and mild mental health needs, will demonstrate the value of strategic investment in employee wellbeing and how they are using volunteering as a mental health pathway. This session will explore how non-financial levers can support mental health, improve workforce flexibility, and create a more inclusive, engaged culture - maximising impact and driving progress, even when resources are tight.

Sarah Appleby, head of finance and Helen Burdett-Wright, chief executive, Teamwork Trust

ESG and carbon accounting: what charities need to know

From charities looking to measure their environmental and social impact, to those that may need to increase their level of reporting in light of the proposed revised SORP regulations, ESG is a sector-wide conversation. Join Xledger’s experts as they discuss real-world case studies, including how charities can automate ESG reporting and deliver valuable insight across their organisation.

Speakers from XLedger and charity tba

Maximising philanthropic income through Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)

In today’s complex and unpredictable funding climate, charities must explore innovative approaches to secure sustainable income. This session will explore the growing influence of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) as a tax-efficient and admin free structure for giving. The discussion will cover how DAFs work, their implications for donor engagement, and practical steps to position your organisation to access and maximise this evolving source of funding.

Annika Greco Thompson, growth and relationship manager, Stewardship

Rachel Steeden, head of legal, Stewardship

The Women’s Rights Fund and Oxfam’s strategic shift

In the wake of deep cuts to international development aid and an increasingly unstable funding landscape, Oxfam is rethinking its financial strategy through the creation of the Women’s Rights Fund (WRF)  - a bold new model that provides flexible, multi-year support directly to grassroots women’s rights organisations. This session will explore how the WRF is not only amplifying the impact of partners on the ground, but also transforming Oxfam’s own funding approach and organisational strategy. By shifting away from restrictive, project-based aid towards more equitable, trust-based finance, Oxfam is building a more resilient, agile model - one with the potential to catalyse wider change across the sector.

Halima Begum, chief executive and Ragda Daboub, gender lead, Palestine, Oxfam

Aligning your money with your mission

A charity’s mission is at the heart of everything you do, but is your financial strategy working in harmony with that mission? This session will explore why having the right banking and financial support is not just a nice-to-have, but an essential part of delivering on your charitable purpose. From how you raise and spend money, to how you manage risk and choose your financial partners, we will examine the core financial principles that will help charities meet deliver on their mission.

Alison Taylor, chief executive, CAF Bank and CAF Financial Solutions Limited 

The impact of geopolitics on financial markets

Geopolitics have been dominating the investment landscape recently as both macroeconomics and company fundamentals take a back seat. What does this mean for charity investors and how can we structure long-term portfolios to minimise the risks and maximise the returns in the face of the inherently unpredictable?

David Goebel, associate director investment strategy, Evelyn Partners

Access Denied? Banking barriers and solutions

Charities face growing challenges in accessing basic banking services, with account closures and delayed transactions increasingly disrupting operations - particularly for organisations working in high-risk regions. Drawing on the latest research from the Muslim Charities Forum, this session will explore the root causes, regulatory context, and practical solutions for charity finance professionals, including improved compliance strategies, sector-wide advocacy, and ways to build more constructive relationships with banks.

Abdulsami Arjumand, policy and advocacy lead, Muslim Charities' Forum

 Tax & Accounting:

---

 Governance & Leadership:

---

Risk & Strategy:

---

Investment:

Innovative finance:

Lanyard sponsors:

With thanks to our exhibitors: 

All prices exclude VAT.

*Limited quantity available due to restrictions in numbers at the event. Places available on first come serve, first serve.  

133 Houndsditch
London
EC3A 7BX

Download directions

• Payment
  1. Registrations will not be fully confirmed until correct payment is received. If you have any issues with payment, please contact [email protected]
• Programming
  1. Please note that speakers and topics were confirmed at the time of publishing, however, circumstances beyond the control of the organisers may necessitate substitutions, alterations or cancellations of the speakers and/or topics. As such Civil Society Media Ltd reserves the right to alter or modify the advertised speakers and/or topics if necessary. Any substitutions or alterations will be updated on our web page as soon as possible.
• Event attendance
  1. Delegates are required to observe and comply with all laws, regulations, rules and requirements relating to COVID-19 and which Civil Society Media has adopted as part of its operations. Civil Society Media will communicate the COVID-19 Measures to you from time to time including and without limitation via pre-Event emails, its social channels and the event website
  2. Civil Society Media reserves the right to alter or remove its COVID-19 Measures at any time in response to the latest guidance or legislation from the UK Government or as otherwise deemed necessary by Civil Society Media in its discretion.
  3. Civil Society Media reserves the right to eject you or refuse you entry from the event if, in our reasonable opinion, you are refusing to comply with any COVID-19 Measures without reasonable grounds.
• Cancellation or reimbursement
  1. On receipt of your booking form, your place is confirmed. Delegate substitutions are allowed. Refunds on cancellations will only be issued (less a 15% administration charge) up to and including 30 days prior to the event. Refunds will not be issued after this date. Confirmation of cancellations MUST be in writing and sent to [email protected]
  2. Individual registrants who registered as part of a discounted group registration are not eligible for refunds, unless the entire group cancels. Registrations may be transferred to another person from the same organisation at any time.
  3. Corporate tickets - Please note we only have a very limited amount of corporate delegates places available. If you would like to take up one of these places, please email [email protected]. Please do not book online at the charity rate. Any corporate bookings made online will be refunded, minus a 15% administration charge. 
• Postponement or Cancellation of the Event by the Organiser
  1. Should we have to cancel or postpone due to COVID-19 we will endeavour to give you as much notice as is reasonably possible.
  2. In the event that we have to postpone this event due to COVID-19, we will transfer your ticket to the next alternative date.