The National Day for Staff Networks 2026 conference brought together delegates from across sectors for a timely and energising day of learning, challenge and connection under this year’s theme, #UnitingForEquity.

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Now in its ninth year, the National Day for Staff Networks continues to recognise the vital role that staff networks and employee resource groups play in workplaces. The 2026 conference made one thing very clear: staff networks are not a nice-to-have, and they are not simply social spaces. At their best, they are a source of community, organisational intelligence, practical challenge and meaningful change.

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Hosted by Rasheed Ogunlaru and Yvonne Alexander, the day opened with a strong invitation to delegates to use the conference not only as a source of inspiration, but as a space for connection, reflection and action. Network leads, allies, sponsors and EDI colleagues were encouraged to share what is really happening in their organisations and to think honestly about what equity requires now.

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The opening keynote, From Representation to Equity, delivered by Matt Jenkins of Dream and Leap, set the tone for the day. Matt challenged delegates to move the conversation beyond simply asking who is represented in an organisation and towards a deeper question: what are people actually experiencing once they are there? In a climate where trust is fragile and social division is increasingly visible, he positioned staff networks as bridge-builders: groups that can create connection, challenge assumptions and help organisations move from performative inclusion to lived equity.

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Across the morning and afternoon workshops, delegates explored the practical mechanics of that shift. Junior Beaman of NatWest Group led Powering Up Staff Networks, drawing on his experience of employee-led networks to explore executive sponsorship, intersectionality, event fatigue, network collaboration and the importance of cultural intelligence. The session offered a sharp reminder that networks can become more powerful when they stop working in silos and begin to plan together, share insight and design activity around the real lives of their members.

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In The road to equity through a Purple lens, Dez Mendoza of Imperial College shared a candid account of disability network leadership and the realities facing disabled and neurodivergent staff. The discussion explored workplace adjustments, the emotional labour of network leadership, manager capability and the importance of accessible spaces where people can be heard without having to repeatedly justify their lived experience. The session was a powerful reminder that equity is not abstract; it is felt in policies, processes, conversations and the practical support people receive at work.

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The University of Manchester session, Using staff network voice to drive change, added a research-led lens to the day. Isabel Tavora, Saleema Kauser and Imran Saqib shared insight into how staff networks can operate as effective voice mechanisms, including through formal channels such as EDI committees and senior sponsors, informal relationships with HR and management, and wider partnerships. Their work highlighted the conditions that help networks turn voice into organisational outcomes: leadership support, operational support, self-governance, clear terms of reference and alignment with organisational EDI goals.

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The afternoon panel, Uniting the eco-system for Systemic Change, brought together senior leaders, EDI leads and network chairs to discuss what it really takes to align organisational priorities, staff voice and lived experience. Speakers were frank about the tensions that can arise when networks are expected to provide safety, EDI teams are expected to provide assurance, and leaders are focused on organisational performance. The conversation did not pretend this is easy. Instead, it underlined the need for honesty, strategic alignment, evidence, courageous leadership and shared accountability.

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The Influencing Change discussions brought the day back to practical action. Delegates explored how networks can build engagement even when attendance is low, how to use feedback and evidence to influence decision-makers, how to avoid doing everything at once, and how to protect the wellbeing of network leads who are often carrying emotionally demanding work alongside their substantive roles.

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The closing keynote from Sarah Guerra, Equality Director at the City of London Corporation, drew the threads of the day together. Sarah described staff networks as part of the nervous system of an organisation: places of community, insight and impact. Her message was both grounded and hopeful. Networks matter because they help organisations listen, learn and understand themselves. They are spaces where people can find courage, build connection and turn lived experience into better decisions and better outcomes.

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The conference ended with personal action planning, giving delegates space to leave with clear next steps rather than warm words. That felt fitting. #UnitingForEquity is not about everyone thinking the same way or doing the same thing. It is about building the relationships, structures and courage needed to move equity from aspiration into everyday organisational life.

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For network leads, EDI colleagues, sponsors and senior leaders, the message from the day was simple: equity will not happen by accident. It requires connection, evidence, leadership, resources and care. Most of all, it requires organisations to value staff networks not as side projects, but as strategic partners in building fairer, more inclusive and more effective workplaces.