The Equality Conversation

Joy Burnford
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The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from business leaders and experts from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system to enable the retention and progression of women in the workplace. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to improve gender equality in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation.

  1. 1D AGO

    Driving Gender Equality: Women’s Networks, Visibility, and the Power of Micro-Inclusions with Gill Hardy

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores how to create better workplaces for women. In this series, Joy sits down with forward-thinking HR and people leaders to uncover the policies, practices and cultural shifts driving real impact for women’s careers, wellbeing and sense of belonging. If you’re seeking insights, inspiration and proven approaches to help people thrive in your organisation, you’re in the right place. So grab a cuppa, head out for a walk, or simply escape for a while and tune in to today’s conversation. In this episode, Joy Burnford speaks with Gill Hardy, Head of Executive Talent for EMEA at WPP plc and global lead of WPP’s Stella network for women, about what it really takes to drive gender equality in a global organisation. Gill shares WPP’s approach, from increasing the visibility of female leaders and investing in targeted development, to embedding inclusive policies across the business. She stresses the importance of continuous, data-driven action, noting that the gap between perceived progress and lived reality can be wider than many organisations realise. The conversation also explores the evolving role of women’s networks, the value of welcoming male allies, and how everyday micro-inclusions - such as consciously inviting women to speak first in meetings - can have a powerful impact on culture change.

    29 min

  2. 10/07/2025

    What’s next for DEI: Insights from Thought Leaders

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. Welcome to today’s special episode, where we explore the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion with four leading voices in HR and DEI. Together, we’ll tackle the big questions: How are companies keeping inclusion on the agenda? What language and strategies are most effective? And how can we create workplaces where everyone belongs?

    29 min

  3. 08/06/2025

    Women in Leadership: Strategies from FTSE 350 organisations leading the way with Edward Haigh

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. In this episode, Joy Burnford interviews Edward Haigh. Ed is Head of Research at Encompass Equality, and is an accomplished and purpose driven business leader with 25 years of international experience across a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics, music, social media and professional services. Ed joins Joy today to share insights and key findings from Encompass Equality’s latest research ‘Women in Leadership: Strategies from FTSE 350 organisations leading the way’.

    26 min

  4. 07/16/2025

    Beyond the Game: Leading with Inclusion with Lucy Pearson, Chair at Lord’s Taverners

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. In this episode, Joy Burnford interviews Lucy Pearson, Chair of Lord’s Taverners cricket charity. She played cricket for England from 1996 to 2005, and was previously the Head of Cheadle Hulme School where she was the first woman to hold that position in its 150-year history. She also worked as Director of FA Education at The Football Association before taking up the role of Chair at Lord’s Taverners. Lucy joins Joy to share her insights on women in sport, the power of inclusive leadership, and being a female leader in a male-dominated environment.

    25 min

  5. 06/18/2025

    Embracing Change: Women in Leadership in a Disruptive Era with Kathryn Britten, Partner & Managing Director at AlixPartners

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. In this episode, Joy Burnford interviews Kathryn Britten. Kathryn is Partner and Managing Director of global consulting firm, AlixPartners. Kathryn joins Joy to talk about her career journey in a male-dominated industry, how men and women leaders lead differently when faced with disruption, and her experience of what works well when it comes to the progression and retention of women in the workplace.

    29 min

  6. 04/23/2025

    The benefits and drawbacks of women's leadership initiatives with Rachel Higham

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. It is a pleasure to welcome Rachel Higham as my guest today. Rachel is Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Marks & Spencer and has previously held technology leadership roles at companies including WPP, BT and Vodafone. She is also a Board Member at Macmillan Cancer Support. Rachel joins me today to talk about her commitment to building more diverse and inclusive working environments, and helping women to achieve their full potential.

    24 min

  7. 03/12/2025

    From newsroom to Boardroom: via tech, trust and integrity with Kerensa Jennings

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. It is a pleasure to welcome Kerensa Jennings as my guest today. Kerensa is a business leader, non-executive director, and adviser, a Professor of Media, Strategy, and Communications, and CEO at Inglenook Global. She has previously held senior roles at the BBC, the Royal Household, and BT. She’s also written a bestselling psychological thriller, ‘Seas of Snow.’ She joins me today to share tips and advice on promoting gender equality within organisations, drawn from her incredible career.

    25 min

  8. 02/12/2025

    Empowering progress: The critical role of line managers in retaining women with Fiona Dawson

    The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work and is dedicated to the retention and progression of female talent in organisations. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from experts, leaders and senior business women from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to enable women to thrive in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation. It is a pleasure to welcome Fiona Dawson as my guest today. Fiona spent 33 years at Mars, holding many leadership roles across the business, before retiring in 2021 to focus on building her non-executive career. She is a non-executive director at LEGO, Marks and Spencer and Kerry Foods as well as President of the Chartered Management Institute and a trustee to the Social Mobility Foundation. She was also awarded a CBE in 2021 for services to women and the economy so I’m really looking forward to this conversation and am sure we’ll learn a lot from her today!

    28 min
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About

The Equality Conversation podcast with bestselling author Joy Burnford explores what we can all do to champion gender equality at work. Each episode offers inspiration, stories and practical solutions from business leaders and experts from around the world. Achieving gender balance at work isn’t about fixing the women, it’s about changing the system to enable the retention and progression of women in the workplace. So, if you’re looking for insights, guidance or advice on how to improve gender equality in your organisation, grab a cuppa, go for a walk, or escape for a while and join us for today’s conversation.

Information

  • Creator
    Joy Burnford
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    61
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Equality Conversation
  • Show Website
    The Equality Conversation