HR Virtual Summit | Preparing for the Unknown. Responding to the Unexpected.

They say in life we have 1,000 problems - until a health problem arrives. Then we have only one.

For HR professionals, the same is often true of health and safety. We juggle countless priorities… until a major health and safety event - a serious harm injury, a pandemic, or extreme weather - demands our full attention. Suddenly, everything else fades, and there is only one problem to solve.

Health and safety is often unpredictable. This Virtual Summit explores how HR professionals can prepare their organisations for the unknown, and what matters most in our response when the unexpected happens.

Hear from specialists, practitioners, and governance experts as we examine health and safety from multiple perspectives. Together we will explore how HR contributes to preparedness, leadership, and organisational response when risk escalates.

Participants will also take a deeper look at hidden risks by examining the role of the HR professional through a practical health and safety risk assessment exercise. You will leave the Summit with clearer insight into your own exposure, capability, and support needs - and with greater confidence to respond with care, clarity, and professionalism when health and safety risks arise.

Join us for a focused Summit exploring the critical role HR plays in navigating health, safety, risk and disruption in today’s complex working environments.
Our Programme will include:

Francois Barton, Chief Executive of the Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum, will open the Summit with a governance-focused perspective on health and safety, exploring the role of leaders and boards in shaping strong safety cultures, accountability, and organisational preparedness.

Through an employment law lens, Steph Dyhrberg, Barrister, will examine key legal responsibilities, emerging risks, and the practical implications for HR professionals navigating complex and high-stakes situations.

Elizabeth McNaughton, Founder and CEO of Disastrous, will share insights on Civil Defence emergencies and leading through disruption, focusing on preparedness, crisis leadership, and organisational resilience during major disruption.

Dr Dougal Sutherland, Principal Psychologist at Umbrella Wellbeing will provide a session on psychosocial safety in practice, sharing practical approaches, emerging risks, and strategies HR professionals can apply to strengthen wellbeing and resilience when the unexpected happens.

We will conclude with a facilitated risk assessment exercise, where participants will assess the risks within their own HR roles, highlighting how non-obvious risks can impact health, safety and wellbeing, and reinforcing the strategic role HR plays in critical situations.