solve workplace conflict?
WELCOME TO UK MEDIATION CONFERENCE 2026
We are delighted to welcome you to the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London for the UK Mediation Conference 2026, presented by Acas and Iconic Media Solutions.
We are also pleased to welcome Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Chair of Acas, whose opening keynote will set the scene for a day of discussion, insight and learning. Designed for HR professionals and those managing people, today’s programme will explore systemic approaches to mediation, early resolution, building positive culture, discrimination at work, online and group mediation, reflective practice and the case for repair rather than resolution alone.
Key sessions include ‘Busting the Silos: A Systemic Approach to Mediation Across Teams and Organisations’ by David Liddle, Chief Executive of The TCM Group, and Caroline Sheridan of Sheridan Worldwide, with Tracey Fox and David Whincup, on ‘Keeping Britain Working: Feeling the Fear and Doing It Anyway’. The programme also features Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury on ‘Human Rights Discrimination in the Workplace’, Liz Rivers and Jane Gunn with their session ‘The Untouchables: When Mediation Goes to the Dark Side’, and Leah Brown FRSA on ‘Beyond Mediation: The Harm That Lingers’, and many more.
We are also pleased to invite you to attend one of the most important events in our calendar, AI & Managing Workplace Conflict 2026. The conference will take place on 3rd November 2026 at London’s Devere Grand Connaught Rooms and is designed for HR professionals and those managing people to better understand how AI and technology is/will impact their roles. A must visit event.
We encourage you to make the most of today’s opportunities, engage with our speakers, visit the exhibition and connect with fellow delegates.
Thank you for joining us, and we wish you a productive and rewarding UK Mediation Conference 2026.
Craig Kelly Event Director
UK Mediation Conference 2026
Programme
30 th June 2026, De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London
9:00AM - Conference Start
9:10AM - Keynote
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Chair, Acas
9:50AM - Busting the silos. A systemic approach to mediation across teams and organisations
David Liddle, Chief Executive, The TCM Group
10:30AM - From Speak Up to Early Resolution: Inside Sanofi’s Internal Ombuds Service
Ben Thomson, Head of Commercial Development & Strategy, CEDR
Christine Donald, Ombuds Office Administrator and Ombud, Sanofi’s Global Ombuds Programme
11:00AM - Refreshments & Networking
11:30AM - Why conflict really happens at work and how we can prevent it
Amrit Sandhar, CEO and Founder, &Evolve
12:00PM - Human Rights Discrimination in the Workplace - What Do We Know and What Can We Do?
Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury, Mediator, Lawyer, GC Mediation and Training Ltd
12:20PM - Keeping Britain Working - Feeling the fear and doing it anyway
Caroline Sheridan, CEO and Mediator, Sheridan Worldwide
Tracey Fox, Mediator, CEDR and Sheridan Worldwide
David Whincup, Partner and Employment Lawyer, Squire Patton Boggs
1:00PM - Lunch and Networking
2:00PM - The Untouchables - when mediation goes to the dark side...
Liz Rivers, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
Jane Gunn, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
2:40PM - Evaluating Online Mediation: Back of the Net or Over the Crossbar?
Stuart Lawrence, Founder, Mediator Locator
3:10PM - Greater that the sum of its parts – why a successful mediation service is more than just training mediators
Rebecca Foreman, Associate Practitioner, CMP Solutions
Owen Bubbers-Jones, Client Relationship Manager / Mediator, CMP Solutions
3:40PM - Refreshments & Networking
4:00PM - Beyond mediation: the harm that lingers
Leah Brown FRSA, Founder, The WayFinders Group
4:30PM - Setting up a workplace mediation scheme
Hosted by Emma McLean with panelists Joanna Nunn and Joseph Perry
5:10PM - Closing Comments
Session Summaries
9:10AM KEYNOTE
Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Chair, Acas
This session explores the key drivers and societal changes contributing to the rise in workplace conflict. It outlines practical solutions centred on upskilling employees and adopting a proactive conflict resolution strategy, with a strong emphasis on early, informal intervention and the importance of partnership working between employers, employees, their representatives, and wider stakeholders.
9:50AM BUSTING THE SILOS. A SYSTEMIC
AND ORGANISATIONS
APPROACH TO MEDIATION ACROSS TEAMS
David Liddle, Chief Executive, The TCM Group
This keynote draws on David’s 30 plus years of deep listening to CEOs, executive teams, and people leaders who are grappling with fragmentation, mistrust, and stalled collaboration across their organisations. It explores how silos form, why they persist, and how mediation, applied systemically, can become a powerful lever for rebuilding collaboration, trust, and shared accountability. Five key learning objectives and outcomes that David will deliver: 1. Examine organisational silos as the legacy of unresolved conflict that has been absorbed into structures, roles, and ways of working. 2. Reflect on how leadership behaviour, governance, and decision-making can unintentionally reinforce silos. 3. Explore how mediation and restorative practices can be applied between teams, functions, and leadership groups to address entrenched tension. 4. Gain practical insight into designing mediated, inter-team conversations that surface conflict safely and productively. 5. Consider how a shift towards transformative justice supports collaboration that is sustainable, relational, and culturally embedded.
10:30AM FROM SPEAK
UP TO EARLY RESOLUTION: INSIDE SANOFI’S INTERNAL OMBUDS SERVICE
Ben Thomson, Head of Commercial Development & Strategy, CEDR Christine Donald, Ombuds Office Administrator and Ombud, Sanofi’s Global Ombuds Programme
Sanofi has built one of the most ambitious internal ombuds services in the corporate world, co-designed with CEDR and now serving a global workforce of 90,000. The vision: a shift from reactive case handling to early dialogue, where employees are heard, supported and empowered long before issues escalate. Christine Donald, Ombuds Office Administrator and Ombud for Sanofi’s Global Ombuds Programme, joins CEDR for a conversation on three themes:
1. The origins and business case
2. The design, recruitment and training underpinning the service
3. How it operates and integrates with the rest of the business
11:00AM REFRESHMENTS & NETWORKING
Session Summaries
11:30AM
WHY CONFLICT REALLY HAPPENS AT WORK AND HOW WE CAN PREVENT IT
Amrit Sandhar, CEO and Founder, &Evolve
This session draws on Amrit Sandhar’s career on the human side of organisations — as a pharmacist, then Head of Employee Engagement at Asda, and founder of the culture consultancy &Evolve — and on &Evolve’s own decade of culture research across more than 800 people and six sectors. It turns a familiar idea on its head: that most workplace conflict is referred pain. The dispute is rarely about the thing it appears to be about; the real cause lies somewhere we are not looking. Drawing on that research alongside the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, the latest Acas findings, and Shalom Schwartz’s study of human values across more than eighty countries, Amrit reveals what really drives conflict at work — and the handful of moves that stop it forming. Warm, evidence-led and quietly hopeful, it offers a room of conflict experts a new way to see the disputes they live in every day.
12:00PM
HUMAN RIGHTS DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE - WHAT DO WE KNOW AND WHAT CAN WE DO?
Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury, Mediator, Lawyer, GC Mediation and Training Ltd
Nearly half of UK employees experience workplace discrimination based on protected characteristics under the Human Rights Act. These experiences can lead to serious mental health challenges, financial loss, reputational damage, and unfair retaliation. How can workplaces better support their employees while safeguarding their organisation’s reputation? This session helps employers navigate the complexities of a changing, multicultural world and understand how company culture and policies are impacted.
12:20PM
KEEPING
BRITAIN WORKING - FEELING THE FEAR AND DOING IT ANYWAY
Caroline Sheridan, CEO and Mediator, Sheridan Worldwide
Tracey Fox, Mediator, CEDR and Sheridan Worldwide
David Whincup, Partner and Employment Lawyer, Squire Patton Boggs
Recent research into UK productivity repeatedly highlights a persistent and costly pattern: employees fear disclosing health conditions, line managers fear “doing the wrong thing” and organisational risk aversion drives silence, disengagement, and formal grievance processes that rarely resolve the underlying issue. Instead, they often escalate into conflict and too frequently end with the employee exiting the organisation. In this talk we show how mediation interrupts that cycle. By creating psychologically safe, structured dialogue at an early stage, mediation removes some of that fear, prevents escalation from anxiety to grievance and grievance to Tribunal, retains employees who might otherwise be lost through adversarial processes, reduces recruitment and replacement costs, lowers legal exposure, and -- critically -- preserves working relationships rather than damaging them beyond repair. Using a range of case studies we will illustrate how mediation is uniquely positioned to address the mutual cultures of fear that suppress early conversations.
1:00PM
LUNCH & NETWORKING
Session Summaries
2:00PM
THE UNTOUCHABLES - WHEN MEDIATION GOES TO THE DARK SIDE...
Liz Rivers, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
Jane Gunn, Mediator, IPOS Mediation
Who are the untouchables in your organisation? The people who are seen as business critical - or know where the bodies are buried. Most organisations have them. Sometimes mediation is used as a way of management sidestepping an uncomfortable conversation with an “Untouchable” - someone who is seen as too important to be held to account for their behaviour. In this session you’ll hear clear examples of when NOT to use mediation and practical tips on how to “speak truth to power”.
2:40PM
EVALUATING
ONLINE MEDIATION: BACK OF THE NET OR OVER THE CROSSBAR?
Stuart Lawrence, Founder, Mediator Locator
Online mediation has moved from necessity to normality -- but has it actually improved how disputes are resolved? Drawing on real mediations, this session offers a candid, experience-led look at online mediation in 2026, exploring when it delivers focus, momentum and resolution -- and when it risks disengagement, fatigue or false consensus. A key theme is neurodiversity and accessibility. It examines how online mediation can support some neurodivergent participants through structure, control and reduced sensory load, while creating new challenges for others, and why simply replicating in-person practice online often falls short. Practical insights are shared on preparation, pacing, communication and mediator intervention, with a focus on what genuinely improves participation and decision-making. Using a light sporting analogy, the session asks: when does online mediation hit the back of the net -- and when does it just scrape the crossbar?
3:10PM
GREATER THAT THE SUM OF ITS PARTS – WHY A SUCCESSFUL MEDIATION SERVICE IS MORE THAN JUST TRAINING MEDIATORS
Rebecca Foreman, Associate Practitioner, CMP Solutions
Owen Bubbers-Jones, Client Relationship Manager / Mediator, CMP Solutions
Offering a mediation service and making it ‘successful’ involves more than simply training and rolling out mediators. Reflecting on decades of supporting in-house workplace mediation services, and independent mediation organisations, CMP outlines three areas which support and embed excellence in any mediation service provision. To access the human and financial benefits of mediation, your service needs: mission, management and maintenance. The session will provide a high-level overview of these three components, with a focus on quality control and supervision; it also introduces the concept of reflective practice as a core developmental capability that supports confidence, ethical judgement and professional growth.
3:40PM
REFRESHMENT & NETWORKING
Session Summaries
4:00PM
BEYOND MEDIATION: THE HARM THAT LINGERS
Leah Brown FRSA, Founder, The WayFinders Group
Most of us entered this profession because we believed in a better way to resolve conflict. And mediation works. But even when it works, something is sometimes left behind: trust that didn’t fully recover, teams that never quite reintegrated, performance that never returned. Not because the mediation failed, but because resolution and repair are not the same thing, and our processes were never designed to address both. This session explores the difference between the two honestly and practically. What does our shared obligation to do no harm require of us when harm outlasts the agreement? Drawing on legally-informed practice and real case studies, participants will leave with a practical framework for recognising when harm lingers, and what to do next.
4:30PM
SETTING UP A WORKPLACE MEDIATION SCHEME
Hosted by Emma McLean with panelists Joanna Nunn and Joseph Perry
With the estimated cost of workplace conflict coming in at £28.5 billion a year and the Employment Rights Act shining a spotlight on employment relations, conflict resolution capabilities are more important than ever. In this panel discussion, Acas experts will examine the considerations for introducing internal mediation into the workplace. They will be joined by guest panellists to share their insights and learnings of setting up a workplace mediation
Master of Ceremonies
MATTHEW STADLEN
Matthew Stadlen is a British television and radio presenter with experience in hosting 400 live events. He has presented and produced TV shows for the BBC, hosted twice weekly radio shows on LBC and written The Matthew Stadlen Interview in the Telegraph. He has interviewed leading names from business, politics, sport and entertainment.
Speakers
BARONESS JONES OF WHITCHURCH
Baroness Jones joined the House of Lords in 2006 and was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade, and Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip). She previously served as Shadow Spokesperson in the House of Lords for Science, Innovation and Technology from 2023 to 2024; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2015 to 2022; Education from 2011 to 2015; and Culture, Media and Sport from 2010 to 2014. Baroness Jones was Director of Policy and Public Affairs for UNISON from 1994 to 2006. Her previous trade union roles have included experience in bargaining, representing members at employment tribunals and regular contact with Acas. She was previously Chair of Rothamsted Agri-Technology Enterprises Board (2018 to 2024), a Board member at Ombudsman Services (2007 to 2019), a member of the General Medical Council Fitness to Practice Panel (2006 to 2012), and Chair of Circle 33 and Board member of Circle Housing Group (2006 to 2015).
DAVID LIDDLE
David Liddle MBA, FIoL, FRSA is one of the UK’s leading voices on workplace mediation, conflict resolution, people, culture, and leadership. He is CEO of The TCM Group, president of the People and Culture Institute, and editor in chief of The People Leader magazine. Named HR Magazine’s number one HR Most Influential Thinker 2025, David was also awarded Consultant of the Year 2025 for his pioneering work in cultural transformation and change management. For over thirty years, David has worked with leaders, managers, unions, HR professionals, and employees to transform the way organisations respond to conflict, conduct, complaints, and complex workplace issues. He is the author of 3 books Managing Conflict, Transformational Culture, and People and Culture, and the founder of the Resolution Framework™, an award-winning alternative to traditional disciplinary and grievance procedures. His work is grounded in dialogue, fairness, accountability, compassion, and the belief that conflict, when handled well, can become a catalyst for learning, repair, and lasting change.
Speakers
BEN THOMSON
Ben Thomson is the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution’s (CEDR) Head of Commercial Development & Strategy. He works with organisations across the spectrum of commercial, employment and workplace disputes, helping embed the use of mediation as a process and skill set to reduce the impact of negative conflict and improve performance, innovation and wellbeing.
CHRISTINE DONALD
Christine started her role as Ombuds Office Administrator and Ombud for Sanofi’s Global Ombuds Programme in July 2024, bringing 25 years of pharmaceutical sales leadership experience from Sanofi, Novartis, and Pfizer. Having spent 16 years at Sanofi, including two years in Transformation prior to her current role, Christine has a passion for and commitment to speak-up culture and employee advocacy in promoting workplace fairness and resolution.
AMRIT SANDHAR
Amrit Sandhar is the founder and CEO of &Evolve, the culture-transformation consultancy he launched in 2015 and which marked its tenth year in 2025. His route into culture was an unusual one. He qualified as a pharmacist — trained to look past the symptom to the cause — before moving through operational and employee-engagement leadership at Asda, and then into the world of The Sunday Times Best Companies. Today &Evolve helps organisations build cultures where people care deeply and perform brilliantly, combining rigorous diagnostics with practical, human change. Amrit created the company’s Values Alignment Index®, hosts the Work Unplugged podcast, and writes on workplace culture for titles including The HR Director, Training Journal and Raconteur. His belief is a simple one: happier workplaces create a happier world.
AFSANA GIBSON-CHOWDHURY
Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury is an award winning and trailblazing figure in Dispute Resolution. Globally recognized as the founder of ‘GC Mediation and Training Ltd’, she is a prominent international mediator based in England and Canada. She is a Distinguished Fellow at the International Academy of Mediators and a Qualified Mediator in Canada. Afsana addresses commercial and workplace cases with a special focus on discrimination concerning human rights violations. She facilitates multiparty processes affecting workplaces on anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination with a diverse lens. Afsana is a trainer and educator in mediation and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Speakers
CAROLINE SHERIDAN
Caroline Sheridan is founder and CEO of Sheridan Worldwide, a global business focused on realising brilliance in people and their organisations. CEDR accredited for more than 20 years, Caroline specialises in the restoration of workplace relationships often assumed beyond repair. On a personal level, she continues to be highly rated in legal directories including the Legal 500 and her business too has won many awards. She is passionate about dialogue and helping both managers and employees to deal with issues as they emerge. A CMC Fellow and former CMC Board member, Caroline today sits on the CMC’s Mediation Standards Board and is committed to its focus on continued professional development across the industry. Caroline previously built a 30 year career in the City in banking and financial services rising to CPO and Head of Compliance, before moving to Sales and Marketing roles in Talent Management.
TRACEY FOX
Tracey is a transformative mediator, with over 20 years’ experience in resolving complex and emotionally charged disputes. CEDR accredited since 2003, Tracey is a proficient neutral with an impressive track record of successfully engaging in a diverse spectrum of cases, from employment, workplace and commercial, through to clinical negligence and private health care matters. In addition, Tracey is a highly respected global conflict management consultant (working with trade unions through to UN agencies), a leadership coach (clients from the creative industries through to leading global financial markets), and a facilitator including being Lead Faculty for CEDR’s flagship Mediator Skills Training course for commercial mediators and Negotiation Skills Training.
DAVID WHINCUP
David’s 40 year experience as a specialist employment law practitioner covers a wide variety of employment-related issues, including recruitment, disciplinary and grievance procedures, the defence of employee discrimination and dismissal claims, employee health, data protection and intellectual property and confidentiality matters. David’s clients include both senior individuals and household-name corporates across all sectors, with particular expertise in the financial services sector. David is a well-known speaker on employment matters, both in-house to clients and for commercial training providers, and is a regular contributor to employment publications. He is an accredited CEDR Mediator and a keen exponent of the role of mediation in the modern workplace, scoring significant successes for corporate and individual clients through that route. David was recently named in the Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom and Who’s Who Legal publications and has been a fixture in both the Chambers and The Legal 500 directories for many years.
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Much More Than a Directory
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A Pathway to Resolution: Supported Every Step of the Way
Choosing the right mediator is only the beginning. Our impartial preparation service helps all parties to: prepare effectively identify the key issues focus discussions maximise the prospects of settlement.
Speakers
LIZ RIVERS
Liz Rivers is a workplace mediation expert, women’s leadership coach and member of the IPOS panel. In the 1990s she became the first woman in the UK to be a CEDR accredited mediator, she is listed in The Legal 500 as a top mediator and has been mediating for over 30 years. She was a commercial litigation solicitor in the City with Eversheds Sutherland for over a decade and is a member of the CEDR training faculty, training mediators around the world. Liz was invited to give evidence to the House of Commons Women and Equalities Select Committee on the use of mediation to address sexual harassment disputes in the workplace. She has been interviewed live on BBC Radio 4 and her work has been featured in the Guardian.
JANE GUNN
Jane Gunn is an expert in the field of conflict resolution, a trained mediator and facilitator, known to her clients as “The Barefoot Mediator”. Listed as a Thought Leader in Lexology Index and featured in Legal 500 Hall of Fame, she is the author of 3 popular books “How to Beat Bedlam In The Boardroom And Boredom In The Bedroom”, “The Authority Guide To Conflict Resolution” and “The Mole and The Mountain”. She has spoken at the United Nations, The White House and the European Commission.
STUART LAWRENCE
Stuart Lawrence is a Barrister, Accredited Mediator and Adjudicator with over 30 years’ experience in dispute resolution. He is the Founder of Mediator Locator, a nationwide network of lawyer-mediators promoting high quality, accessible and forward thinking mediation practice throughout the UK across all sectors. Stuart spent most of his career in house, predominantly serving as Head of Legal for a major UK subsidiary of the Bouygues Construction Group. He is a strong advocate of early mediation, bringing a deep understanding of how conflicts escalate and how well structured mediation can restore dialogue, preserve relationships and achieve practical, durable outcomes.
REBECCA FOREMAN
Rebecca joined CMP in 2007 and now delivers the Psychological Safety Index Scan as a Qualified Practitioner with The Fearless Organization. With a background in psychology and criminology, and extensive experience working with organisations like NHS Lothian, Lloyds Bank, and Network Rail, she brings deep expertise in building psychologically safe cultures. Rebecca has presented at national conferences including CIPD.
Speakers
OWEN BUBBERS-JONES
Owen is an experienced workplace mediator and conflict management specialist, with extensive experience facilitating mediations and training hundreds of staff and leaders in early - resolution and conflict capability skills. At CMP, he leads relationships with major government departments and Higher Education institutions and works closely with senior leaders to advise on investigation services, training design and student - centred processes. He’s passionate about helping organisations move beyond reactive approaches to conflict, supporting them to build confident, ethical and sustainable ways of addressing issues early. His work is grounded, relational and development - focused, with a particular interest in reflective practice as a foundation for effective professional judgement and practice.
LEAH BROWN FRSA
Leah Brown FRSA is founder of The WayFinders Group, a specialist consultancy that unearths risk, quantifies human damage, and repairs for organisational resilience. A qualified solicitor, accredited mediator, and faculty member of the Society of Mediators, Leah spent the early part of her career at Freshfields and Simpson Thacher before recognising that the biggest risks in complex situations were not legal but relational. She now works with boards, leadership teams, and institutions across public, private, and third sectors using the WayFinders® Method, anchored in restorative principles and measured through the Organisational Repair Index™. She is Chair of Address The Harm, co-author of From harm to healing: rebuilding trust in Britain’s publicly funded institutions, and a TEDx speaker on workplace repair. Her two books on repair are both on submission.
EMMA MCLEAN
Emma is part of Acas’ Senior Leadership Team and leads Individual Dispute Resolution services. She is responsible for leading a team of conciliation managers delivering high-quality dispute resolution services nationwide. Throughout her career at Acas, she has successfully resolved workplace disputes through both mediation and conciliation, including complex and high-profile cases. A highly experienced mediator, Emma leads the development and delivery of Acas’ individual mediation service, driving service excellence
Speakers
JOANNA NUNN
Joanna is the Acas Chief Conciliator leading the collective conciliation team across England, Scotland and Wales. She has been an Acas mediator for 16 years.
JOSEPH PERRY
Joseph Perry has worked in HR and ER for over 20 years, working in some of the most complex organisations in the UK. He has extensive employment relations experience in unionised public, private and third-sector organisations including civil service transport, law enforcement, utilities and politics. He has led HR and ER functions and worked internationally supporting organisations to achieve their goals through the effective management of collective employment relations and high performing teams. He studied Industrial Relations at the University of Keele, HRM at the University of West London and is a qualified executive coach. He is a Chartered member of the CIPD. He recently co-authored a book on how to create constructive collective employment relations, including how to work effectively with trade unions and resolve conflict before it
T he 2026 edition is packed with power ful new updates, including:
T he multi award-winning antidote to grievance, discipline, and per formance procedures. Trusted by hundreds of leading organisations, including Next , KPMG, the BBC , NHS England, TSB, Aviva and Burberr y. It’s yours to download
An AI-powered Resolution Hub™ Fresh insights and evolved capabilities of T he Resolution Framework™ + Resolution Index®
Bonus access to the AI Pocket Coach™ for managers
TCM’s Resolution Framework allows people to discuss their issues to find a quick and workable outcome. It’s just good business sense – Ant hony F itzpatrick, Head of Colleague Experience & Employment Policy at Aviva
managers in mediation skills on track relationships Keep work
Train
Exhibitors & Sponsors
ACAS
w: www.acas.org.uk
Acas is a Government agency, independent from Ministerial control. We provide free and impartial advice to employers, employees and their representatives on employment rights and best practice and policies; and have a statutory role to resolve workplace conflict between groups of employees (often via trade unions) and their employers, between individual employees, and between individuals and their employers. Our front line services and research and policy programme provide deep insight on the world of work which we use to identify opportunities and influence policy makers.
CEDR
w: www.cedr.com
Founded in 1990, CEDR is one of the UK’s most experienced providers of mediation and conflict resolution. For 35 years we have helped individuals, teams and organisations achieve better outcomes from the conflicts that disrupt collaboration, wellbeing and performance. Our work with organisations is deliberately practical. We equip professionals with the skills to handle difficult conversations, intervene early and resolve disputes before they escalate, and we advise organisations on the systems that reduce the cost of conflict at source. We have trained over 13,000 professionals across 70 countries, and supported organisations such as AstraZeneca, Takeda, Sanofi, Amazon, Google, HMRC and Barclays.
CMP
w: www.cmpsolutions.com
Founded in 1989, CMP is the UK’s leading provider of workplace relationship management, dispute resolution services, and training, extending into the sport sector. We believe everyone deserves an environment where differences are valued, ideas are heard, and individuals can challenge constructively without fear. This fosters greater engagement and wellbeing. CMP supports HR and ER with coaching, investigations, mediation, culture change, and training for all levels. We also offer consultancy, including policy and procedure development, to help achieve organisational goals effectively. Our world-class services enhance engagement, promote inclusion, and strengthen workplace and sport environments.
CIVIL MEDIATION COUNCIL (CMC)
w: civilmediation.org
The Civil Mediation Council (CMC) is the largest registering and self-regulatory organisation for practising non-family mediators in England and Wales. (I took this from the CJC consultation response, but not sure if it’s quite right for this context) Established in 2003, the CMC promotes the use of mediation across civil, commercial, workplace, community, SEND, peer and academic settings, and liaises with government, the judiciary and other stakeholders to support the growing role of mediation within the justice system and beyond. The CMC maintains a public directory of registered mediators, sets standards for mediation practice and training, and supports its members and the development of the sector through working groups, events and professional development opportunities.
Exhibitors & Sponsors
&EVOLVE
w: www.and-evolve.com
&Evolve (formerly The Engagement Coach) is an award-winning consultancy founded in 2015 with a clear purpose: To evolve organisational cultures where people care deeply, and perform brilliantly, because they believe happier workplaces creates a happier world. Since launching, the &Evolve team has worked with some of the UK’s most recognised brands, empowering leaders and teams to build thriving, high-performance workplaces where people feel valued, connected and inspired to do their best work. By combining insights from behavioural science, with their realworld operational wisdom, they drive lasting and sustainable change.
GC MEDIATION AND TRAINING LTD
w: www.gcmediation.com
GC Mediation and Training Ltd. is an international mediation and dispute resolution practice founded by Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury. The firm provides mediation, facilitation, and training services across England and Canada, specializing in human rights, workplace, civil, and commercial disputes. Through a collaborative and culturally informed approach, GC Mediation helps parties resolve conflicts efficiently while preserving relationships. The practice also delivers professional workshops on mediation skills, equity, diversity, and cultural competence for legal and cross-sector professionals.
IPOS MEDIATION
w: www.mediate.co.uk
IPOS Mediation is an award-winning dispute resolution chambers of over 30 mediators, offering negotiation, facilitation and mediation. Whether it’s help with difficult conversations or a costeffective alternative to litigation, you can trust us to bring parties closer together. We mediate a full range of civil and commercial, family business, workplace, employment and public sector disputes. We’re known as ‘the Oxbridge of mediators’, bringing together the best of the best. Over 30 years our mediators have mediated over 20,000 disputes. The majority of our mediators have been recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for their expertise and experience.
MEDIATOR LOCATOR
w: www.mediatorlocator.com
Mediator Locator is a nationwide referral service founded by barrister, adjudicator and mediator Stuart Lawrence. We connect parties with highly experienced lawyer mediators across the UK. What sets us apart is our personal, informed approach. We take time to understand your dispute and recommend a carefully selected shortlist of suitable mediators from our expert panel. Our mediators are leaders in their fields and most are partners at the law firms we work with. We aim to make mediation more accessible, more trusted and better targeted to each case. We are passionate about mediation and want to lead a Resolution Revolution.
Exhibitors & Sponsors
THE MEDIATION COMPANY
w: www.themediationcompany.com
We believe in the power of dialogue to resolve disputes efficiently and cost-effectively, without the need for litigation. Our professional mediators help businesses of all sizes resolve conflicts quickly, saving time, money, and relationships. We specialise in business dispute resolution, including: Workplace and employment mediation, Boardroom and partnership disputes, Family business and sibling conflicts, Supplier and contract disputes, Customer complaints and conflict resolution, Regulatory and public body disputes.
RESOLUTION AT WORK
w: www.resolution-at-work.co.uk
At Resolution at Work, we specialise in resolving workplace conflict through mediation, training, coaching, investigations, and neutral assessments. All of our consultants are CMC-registered, and our team includes experienced employment lawyers and barristers. We work across all sectors, public, private, and non-profit, supporting organisations across the UK to create healthier, more productive workplaces. We offer a practical, person-centred approach focused on rebuilding relationships and preventing future conflict. Whether it’s one-to-one mediation, team facilitation, or tailored workshops, we’re passionate about helping organisations resolve issues constructively and build resilience for the long term.
SHERIDAN WORLDWIDE
w: www.sheridanworldwide.com
Sheridan Worldwide enables organisations to get the most out of their people – while driving lasting, transformational change. Its award-winning work covers conflict resolution, executive and team coaching, leadership, culture and inclusion. Sheridan creates tailored high-quality interventions and bespoke programmes to realise brilliance in people at every level of the business. Specialists in the repair and restoration of valuable workplace relationships and both Legal 500 and Chambers UK recommended, Sheridan is repeatedly sought out as a go-to mediation service by businesses and legal firms.
TUTU FOUNDATION UK
w: www.tutufoundationuk.org
The Tutu Foundation UK’s mission is to prevent conflict, resolve tensions and help build collaborative, resilient communities and workplaces across the UK. Grounded in the human-centred philosophy of Ubuntu, the Foundation offers facilitation and mediation services that promote mutual understanding, trust and accountability. Operating at the heart of social and organisational change, it supports teams, groups and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds in addressing division, navigating complex relationships and moving from confrontation to constructive dialogue. Through its impactful projects, the Foundation has helped groups manage conflict more effectively, build trust and foster greater shared understanding and common ground. Ubuntu Round Tables offer a powerful model for meaningful connection — creating space for deeper engagement where perspectives may otherwise clash.
When Resolution Matters
Trusted mediation, investigation and culture change specialists.
For over 35 years, CMP has helped organisations navigate complex workplace challenges with confidence.
Our experienced mediators support the resolution of disputes at every level, helping individuals and organisations rebuild relationships, restore trust and move forward productively.
Whether you're addressing workplace conflict, leadership disputes, team breakdowns, bullying and harassment concerns, or complex organisational challenges, CMP provides a professional, impartial and traumainformed approach that delivers lasting outcomes.
✓ One of the UK's largest networks of workplace mediators, investigators and facilitators, with over 100 experienced practitioners nationwide
✓ Trusted by NHS organisations, universities, public sector bodies and employers across the UK
✓ Trauma-informed and restorative approaches
✓ Flexible in-person and online delivery
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Talk to us about creating healthier workplaces and resolving conflict with confidence.
cmpsolutions.com | contact@cmpsolutions.com
3RD NOVEMBER 2026
DE VERE GRAND CONNAUGHT ROOMS, LONDON
CPD Accredited
EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF MANAGING CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the modern workplace. From recruitment and performance management to employee engagement and communications, AI-driven tools are increasingly influencing how organisations operate and how people interact. As technology becomes more embedded in working life, new opportunities and challenges are emerging for those responsible for managing workplace conflict.
AI & Managing Workplace Conflict 2026 is a specialist conference designed for HR professionals, workplace mediators, employee relations specialists, people managers, consultants and organisational leaders seeking to understand the impact of AI on conflict prevention, resolution and mediation.
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