The post Building Bridges from Listening to Action in 2026 appeared first on LEAD Network.

The post LEAD Network Launches First Nordic Chapter in Sweden appeared first on LEAD Network.

The post LEAD Network Conference 2025: Key Takeaways Report appeared first on LEAD Network.

The post Gender Diversity Scorecard Insights Report 2025 appeared first on LEAD Network.

Discover first hand why this is Europe’s flagship event for advancing inclusion across CPG & Retail

The LEAD Network Conference is the go-to annual event in Europe for professionals working in the CPG and retail sector. With a track record of equipping leaders with inclusive tactics proven to unlock organisational potential, the 2025 event is not to be missed. Taking place in Milan on 08-09 October, attendees will benefit from actionable insights and tools, inspiring company case studies, connection with industry peers, and plenty of cultural enrichment.

Join your peers in driving fairness across the industry through collective action: We’re All In!

This event matters, now more than ever. As we collectively navigate a challenging external landscape, we must not lose sight of the fact that fairer and more inclusive workplaces create better outcomes for all. So under the theme of ‘We’re All In’, leaders, experts and changemakers will come together to explore how to bring everyone to the table and leverage the full spectrum of talent available. By doing so, we’re better able to meet the needs of our diverse employees, customer base, supply chain and broader communities. And by standing together, we inspire confidence to stay the course toward our shared vision for a future industry where everyone is enabled to thrive.

Top 5 Reasons to attend the LEAD Network Conference 2025:

1. Expand your leadership capability

Whether you’ve just stepped into a first-line management role or you’re a seasoned professional with responsibility for global teams, this conference offers every delegate the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills. By immersing yourself in inspiring case studies and exchanging perspectives with industry peers, you’ll leave better equipped to lead inclusively.

2. Learn how to embed inclusion for positive business impacts

Discover how to embed inclusive practices into everyday leadership behaviour and business processes, for improved organisational resilience and results. Sessions will focus on topics like engaging middle managers and fostering psychological safety. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to create high-performing teams that maximise the full range of diverse talents available.

3. Discover who is invigorating the CPG and retail industry

The LEAD Network annual conference gathers influential speakers from across the industry who are pioneering inclusive approaches and leading by example. Come and learn from their inspiring work via keynotes, interactive breakout sessions and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. For this year’s line-up, check out link. Expect entertaining, valuable and often moving insights from top executives who are shaping an inclusive future for retail and consumer goods.

4. Expand your professional network

Join over 800+ professionals from across Europe, who are all passionate about creating fair and equitable workplaces across the CPG and retail industry. The LEAD Network conference is like no other! Often described as dynamic, inspiring and super friendly; this is a unique chance to expand your network and deepen relationships with fellow changemakers.

5. Step out of your daily demands to pause, reset and accelerate

Navigating this complex and ever-changing CPG and retail industry can be exhausting. With increasing workloads and time pressures, stepping away from the daily demands can feel like a challenging prospect. Yet, we hear time and time again, how much our value our conference attendees place on temporarily hitting pause for this occasion. By connecting with peers, taking inspiration from outside of their immediate environment and giving oneself permission to pause and reflect; leaders head back to their businesses armed with new solutions and an often unexpected brain boost!

Don’t miss out on this Conference! Registration is open to the LEAD Network Members only, and membership is free.

→ Register here: theleadnetwork.net/conference-2025/

*Partner Company Members: Contact your Partner Ambassador to access your ticket.

The post Top 5 Reasons to Attend the LEAD Network Conference 2025 appeared first on LEAD Network.

When the LEAD Network launched in 2011, our bold vision was simple: build a community of change-makers championing gender equity in European CPG & Retail.

What started with a few committed leaders has grown into a vibrant network of 25,000+ professionals, representing over 65 partner companies from Musgrave Group (Ireland) and Eroski (Spain) to Diageo and IBM. Together, we have:

• Launched bold initiatives, including the CEO Gender Parity Pledge – signed by 50+ CEOs (L’Occitane, Nestlé, Coca-Cola Company) to close the gender gap
• Expanded across Europe – now 17 chapters, 90 annual events, from Bulgaria to France
• Hosted 13 conferences, from Düsseldorf to Budapest, with 800+ attendees
• Empowered 73% of members, who credit LEAD Network with professional growth

But beyond numbers, our greatest pride is the people behind them – mentees turned mentors, volunteers turned leaders, and professionals at all levels driving change every day.

It’s also a remarkable coincidence to share that our first and 25,000th members come from the same company, Mars, Incorporated. This is a testament to how far we’ve grown while staying connected to our roots.

 

The Beginning: Meet Our First Member

A special shout-out to Marja Dracmanis, our very first member. As a founding Charter Member, a Partner Ambassador at Mars Petcare Europe, Chair of the Partner Ambassador Committee, and host of our first Germany Chapter event, Marja's leadership helped lay the foundation for LEAD Network's growth.

When she joined, she said, "Could LEAD Network work in Europe? I thought – what a great opportunity for our industry. Even bigger than that – for our society to address the topics very close to my heart." – Marja Dracmanis

Today, she reflects, "Over the years, we've evolved from a local focus on female leadership to a global, cross-cultural movement tackling equality, inclusivity, and diversity in many forms." – Marja Dracmanis

Fast Forward to 2025: Member 25,000 & Counting

Meet Janine Diepenhorst, who joined Mars in 2022 and today works as a Data Steward in the Netherlands. Janine’s journey through LEAD Network has been one of learning, connection, and broadening perspectives. As she says:

“Complexities are in every business, and our connection to people is always the key—whether we’re talking about sustainability or digital innovation.” – Janine Diepenhorst

Next Stop: 50,000 Members

Join us at the Annual Conference on 8-9 October 2025 in Milan, Italy

• 50+ expert speakers, 20+ breakout rooms, 800+ leaders
• Sponsors include Campari Group, Coca-Cola, NIQ, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, McCormick, EY
• Register here.

Become an Official Partner

• 65+ leading companies in the CPG & Retail industry
• Regular CEO and CIO roundtables
• Thought leadership, mentorship, educational programmes, networking across 25K+ members for employees
• Learn more here.

Become a Member (it’s free!)

• 25K+ industry professionals across Europe and beyond
• 90+ free annual events
• Sign up here.

Become a Volunteer

• 400+ volunteers from leading strategy to driving the mission forward
• Register here.

 

Whether you’ve been with us for years or just joined, on behalf of everyone at the LEAD Network, thank you for your passion, your dedication, and your voice in advancing gender equity in European CPG & Retail.

Here’s to the next 25,000 – and we’re just getting started.

The post A LEAD Network Milestone: From Member #1 to Member #25,000 appeared first on LEAD Network.

The post ‘All In’ for Workplace Progress – A Call to Action appeared first on LEAD Network.

In the face of the current political turbulence, most business leaders we speak to remain quietly steadfast in their belief that diversity and inclusion are simply good for business. Despite the challenges of a polarised political landscape and a lot of noise, our Partner organisations are not dialling back. Some may be quieter, some may be evolving their positioning, but they are not stopping the work. Why? Because fairer and more inclusive workplaces create better outcomes for all. By bringing everyone to the table and leveraging the full spectrum of talent available, businesses are better equipped to solve challenges that meet the needs of their employees, customer base, supply chain and broader communities. Those who can avoid being blown off course by headwinds to focus on what truly matters, will reap the rewards. 

Going ‘All In’; the financial pay-off 

Advancing inclusion not only makes the world of work better, but also impacts the bottom line. Research shows (Carr, E. et al, 2020) that employees who feel a strong sense of belonging, compared to those with a low sense of belonging, demonstrate: 

• a 50% reduction in turnover risk 

• a 56% increase in performance 

• a 75% decrease in employee sick days 

The same study posits that aligning leaders’ perceptions with those of their employees would result in an increase in global profits of US$3.7 trillion ($850b in Europe alone). And furthermore, act as a powerful lever for increasing the annual retention of women by 5%, saving a company who employ 50,000 employees (half of whom are women) $8 million per year. 

It’s therefore in the interest of organisations to embrace an ‘All In’ mindset’ and focus on intentionally cultivating environments where the full spectrum of talent is visible, heard, valued and enabled to contribute their potential. 

 The absence of an ‘All In’ culture; what’s at stake? 

All dimensions of diversity have an important role to play in personal identity, approaches to inclusion and business success. Here at LEAD Network, we take a sharp focus on gender, collaborating with our Partners to ensure that all women in our industry have an equitable chance to succeed. And with women estimated to own 75% of discretionary spend by 2028 (Nielsen, 2020), it makes commercial sense for the world’s greatest influencers to have at least an equal stake in boardroom decision-making, right? Theoretically, yes. 

Despite ongoing efforts in corporate DEI and the research pointing to positive business results, we still see still only 37% of executive roles across the European CPG and retail industry are held by women (LEAD Network, 2023). So, there’s still ways to go for the sector, in ensuring that everyone is treated fairly and enabled to thrive.  

And if businesses don’t rise to this challenge?  Overlooking and excluding legitimate talent (and potential) comes with a cost.  Experiments show that a single incidence of a micro-exclusion can lead to an immediate 25% decline in an individual’s performance on a team project (Carr, E. et al, 2020). And there’s only so long a climate of exclusion be tolerated before something has to give. A recent global study on employee retention (Hastwell, 2024) puts the true cost of employee turnover for a business that employs at least 1,000 staff, at $178,600 USD per year. Further compounding the issue for the European CPG and Retail industry specifically, is the prospect of a future talent shortage – given that only 28% of NextGens indicate an interest in staying within, or joining, our industry (LEAD Network, 2024).  

So, the truth is, there’s a lot at stake. And yet, there is no shortage of talent or potential; we’re just not harnessing what’s right under our noses.   

Let’s talk about the leader-employee perception gap. 

Findings from a recent global study (Sweet & Shook, 2020) showed that 68% of leaders felt they were creating empowering environments where people have a sense of belonging. Yet only a third (36%) of employees agreed. The same study revealed that 20% of employees admitted to feeling excluded in their organisations, with only 2% of leaders believing that to be the case. So, when we consider that leaders account for a difference of up to 70 percentage points in employees’ experience of belonging (Zheng et al, 2023), the shadow that leaders individually cast cannot be under-estimated.  This is the result of trying, not doing.  

Doing not trying: how leaders can cultivate an ‘All In’ environment  

The first step? Accept and lean into the challenge at hand. Start by asking yourself what you think you know vs what you actually know about the lived experience of employees on your team, and in your organisation.  

 As the saying goes ‘what got us here won’t get us there’. Navigating the challenges of our rapidly-changing and turbulent world requires a different set of leadership skills. None of us are the perfect package; we all have room to keep growing.  So owning and investing in your own leadership development is key to closing the doing-not-trying gap, and better serving your diverse community of customers, employees and shareholders.  Simply put, active inclusion will be fundamental to delivering and sustaining organisational value.  

As we head into 2025, the LEAD Network is here to support our Partner organisations across the CPG and Retail industry with exclusive access to tools, networking opportunities, and C-suite development offerings. For example, our ‘All In Pilot Programme’ is a groundbreaking new initiative aimed at senior leaders and kicks off in June. Corporate members who are ready to go all in can register interest here. Or for exclusive access to on-demand practical resources, check out our DEI Content Library.  

References 

Carr, E., Cooney, G., Gray, C., Greenberg, S., Kellerman, G., Reece, A., & Robichaux, A. (2020). The Value of Belonging at Work: New Frontiers for Inclusion. BetterUp. https://grow.betterup.com/resources/the-value-of-belonging-at-work-the-business-case-for-investing-in-workplace-inclusion  

Hastwell, C.(2024). Unlocking the Secrets of Employee Retention. Great Place to Work Institute. https://www.greatplacetowork.com.ng/images/reports/Mastering-Employee-Retention.pdf  

 LEAD Network. (2023). DE&I Benchmark Report. https://leadnetworkmembers.net/topics/40611/media_center/file/4218ea6e-9057-4455-b456-d1598f30c1ed  

 LEAD Network. (2024). At the Intersection of Generation & Gender: Insights Toward Building a NextGen Fit Industry. https://leadnetworkmembers.net/topics/40611/media_center/file/1895c6a8-7e0a-46de-bc88-9aede1ccd09c  

 Nielsen. (2020). Wise Up to Women. https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2020/wise-up-to-women/  

 Sweet, J., & Shook, E. (2020). Getting to Equal 2020: The Hidden Value of Culture Makers.  Accenture. https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/a-com-migration/thought-leadership-assets/accenture-getting-to-equal-2020-research-report.pdf#zoom=40  

 Zheng, W., Kim, J., Kark, R., & Mascolo, L. (27 September 2023). What Makes an Inclusive Leader?. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/09/what-makes-an-inclusive-leader%C2%A0   

The post Inclusion; the pay-off of being all in appeared first on LEAD Network.

In the past decade or so, DEI has moved from being something of a new and shiny focus, to an area in which there is (rightly) more accountability, and where businesses need to be able to track progress and show measurable outcomes of their diversity initiatives. At the same time, in recent years companies have faced greater scruitinty from both ends of the political spectrum, which in certain markets is leading to pushback on DEI efforts.    

In this episode, Allyson and Sarah examine the changing landscape, and discuss possible solutions with Tom. Here are some of the episode’s key takeaways.

Key Takeaways:

“Some of the best conversations I’ve had about D& I have been with people who were a little bit cynical about the topic. You need to create a space for them to share some of their concerns. I think you have to meet people where they are.” Tom Allmark 

“I think it’s fair to say that despite the noise out there, most companies in Europe and in the U.S. are still focused and committed on making the workplace more diverse and inclusive. Some may now be calling DEI by other terms, but the intention remains the same. I recently read a post on LinkedIn by American DEI expert Lily Zheng that helped me maintain a bit more of a balanced perspective.  

They were citing a recent survey from Littler, which stated that 57 percent of executives reported that their organizations expanded their DEI activities over the past year, even despite the backlash. And then another 36 percent reported that their efforts were holding steady. There were only 6 percent that said the level of commitment or activity had decreased.” Allyson Zimmermann 

“I often get asked how we can overcome this type of status threat. And one way is to approach DEI through a win win lens, showing how when we improve diversity, it creates opportunities for everyone. One of my favourite ways to do this is to speak about how, if we paid all women in the workforce equitably, we could create upwards of 20 trillion in the global GDP. Imagine how much more revenue companies could generate with that kind of cash being generated in the economy.” Sarah McGowan 

“I think it’s great when there are good intentions, but people now look at the outcome. If your intention is to create a more LGBT inclusive environment, but your only action is to turn your logo rainbow coloured once a year, people will probably not perceive that you’re following up on your intentions. Especially because you’ve given voice to those communities now and you’ve said, look, we want to engage with you. We want to understand how we can do more for you, do better for you, help you be successful.  

Once you create that expectation, you’ve got to know how you’re going to, to meet it. An ability to navigate through ambiguity and complexity is really critical. We need to be able to roll with the punches. And I think we need to acknowledge there may be a few punches here and there on the way, and that’s part of the role. I think that’s one key thing to stay the course, but it all comes down to, to fundamental values, right? This is about doing the right thing for people.” Tom Allmark 

You can listen to the full episode on Apple, Spotify or Amazon. To stay up to date with our latest podcast episodes, please subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. We also suggest sharing the episode with your colleagues to get the conversation going. Finally, if you’re not yet a Member of LEAD Network, you can join for free here. 

The post Navigating the Evolving DEI Landscape appeared first on LEAD Network.

Why should you join the Mentorship Programme? 

The LEAD Network Mentorship Programme is an innovative initiative designed to develop inclusive leadership within the CPG and Retail sectors. It offers a unique educational opportunity by pairing mentors and mentees across different companies, genders, and countries, fostering a diverse environment for personal and professional growth. The LEAD Network Mentorship Programme was born out of a commitment to nurturing talent and developing future leaders, and in today’s fast-paced business environment, having access to experienced mentors can significantly accelerate career growth and personal development. We believe that connecting individuals with different backgrounds, skills, and experiences enriches the learning process for both mentors and mentees, enabling a more inclusive and innovative workforce. 

The Mentorship Programme: Key Stats 

Since its inception, the Mentorship Programme has created numerous opportunities for learning and development: 

• Total Participants: 434 (217 mentees, 217 mentors).  

• Experience: Mentors primarily have over 20 years of experience, while mentees typically fall within the 5-10 year range. 

• Top Skills: Leadership, people & team management, and influencing are the most sought-after and offered skills. 

• Desired Outcomes: Career progression, personal development, and general guidance are the primary areas of focus. 

• Mentoring Quality Score (MQS): 4.53 out of 5, indicating strong mentoring performance. 

Who can join the Mentorship Programme? 

The LEAD Mentorship Programme is open exclusively to Partner companies and designed for professionals who are eager to grow: 

Mentees: Junior to mid-senior professionals with less than 15 years of experience, committed to self-development and willing to dedicate around 3 hours per month.

Mentors: Senior managers or leaders with significant industry experience, committed to nurturing future talent, and willing to invest approximately 2 hours per month. 

What are the benefits for mentors and mentees? 

The LEAD Mentorship Programme offers a range of benefits designed to support both mentors and mentees on their journey: 

• Tailored mentor-mentee pairings: The programme uses smart matching technology to connect participants based on their development goals, industry expertise, and personal preferences, ensuring a highly personalised experience. 

• Access to exclusive learning resources: Participants gain insights from a variety of educational materials, including articles, webinars, and training sessions, all aimed at enhancing their skills and leadership capabilities. 

• Cross-company, cross-gender, and cross-country networking: By engaging with mentors and mentees from different companies and backgrounds, participants broaden their horizons and gain a more holistic understanding of the industry. 

• Interactive sessions with industry experts: The programme offers live sessions with experts, providing valuable knowledge and up-to-date trends in the FMCG and retail sectors. 

These features make the programme not only a learning journey but also a transformative experience that has a lasting impact on participants’ careers. 

Why is mentorship important?  

Mentorship plays a crucial role in career development, particularly in the dynamic Consumer Goods and Retail industry. Having a mentor can provide guidance through challenging situations, help refine leadership skills, and offer insights that might not be easily accessible otherwise. For mentors, it’s a chance to give back, stay connected to emerging trends, and learn from the fresh perspectives of their mentees.  

What do past participants say?  

“Mentoring allows you to make a positive impact on someone’s life which brings a deep sense of satisfaction and purpose. The process of guiding others leads me as a mentor to reflect on my own practices and values, promoting personal growth. Mentoring helps me to pass on my knowledge and experience, leaving a lasting legacy by shaping the next generation of leaders or professionals. Engaging with mentees exposes you to new ideas, technologies, and approaches, keeping you updated with current trends. Each of these benefits contributes to both personal enrichment and professional development for the mentor.” Alexandra Sierra Sanfiz, Amazon, Mentor

“My Mentor has been an inspirational guide through the journey, helping me to build on my leadership experience, skills, and confidence. I have learnt a lot about managing challenging situations as a leader and conflict resolution, managing expectations whilst maintaining a healthy work/life balance, and how to move forward when facing Imposter Syndrome. This is amongst many other things, all of which are going to help me advance my career. Knowledge = power! I set out and agenda for every meeting, ensuring I could get the most out of the programme I was fortunate enough to be a part of.” Alana Aitken, Cargill, Mentee 

How to join 

If you are a junior to mid-senior professional looking to fast-track your career, or a senior leader eager to make a difference, we encourage you to apply. For more information, visit this link or contact us at education@theleadnetwork.net or visit our website.  

The post Last chance to apply for the Mentorship Programme!  appeared first on LEAD Network.