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The Leading Community is a collaborative initiative between The Leading Place and Sustainable HRM Skillnet, created for leaders, managers, business owners, directors, HR professionals, and those committed to building better workplaces through practical leadership and sustainable people practices.
This community is centred on real stories, real organisational experiences, and practical examples of what better working looks like in Ireland today.
Each event explores a different organisational theme or challenge from leadership, workforce culture, and organisational resilience to inclusion, accessibility, communication, and sustainable workplace practices.
This particular event focuses on inclusion and workplace culture, exploring:
- How inclusion impacts performance, retention, and organisational culture
- The role of leadership in creating psychologically safe environments
- How inclusive practices are embedded into day-to-day operations
Through award-winning initiatives, practical examples, and honest discussion, attendees will hear directly from those working to create meaningful organisational change in practice.
One Workforce, Different Needs: Creating Inclusive Workplaces in Practice – 16th June
Location: The National Library of Ireland 7/8 Kildare Street. Dublin – Map 7-8 Kildare St, Dublin 2, D02 P638
This event focuses on the lived realities of leadership, inclusion, workplace culture, accessibility, and organisational change bringing together speakers and panellists with deep practical experience across industry, HR, organisational development, and inclusive design.
Expect thoughtful discussion, practical insight, and authentic conversations grounded in real organisational experiences.
Agenda
12:00pm
Arrival, Light Lunch, Tea & Coffee
12:30pm Welcome & Introductions by Sara Mullally – Network Manager – Sustainable HRM Skillnet
12:35pm Fireside Chat
Michelle McDaid & Amy Martin – Sisk & Co. – Winner of the CIPD HR Award 2026 for Best ED&I Initiative
At the CIPD Ireland Awards 2026, Amy Martin and the team at Sisk & Co. received the top award in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for their initiative, “It’s Only Banter”.
The initiative addressed entrenched cultural norms within the construction sector through innovative training and engagement approaches delivered across the organisation nationwide.
Join Amy and Michelle as they discuss the development of the initiative, the challenges encountered, and the lasting impact the campaign has had on workplace culture and employee engagement.
1:00pm Panel Discussion – Brian Dalton, Katy Lumsden and Eoghain Cooper
Led by Geri Pollack, Realtime Recruitment
Geri and our panellists bring perspectives from inside the workplace sharing what they’ve seen work, where processes break down, and how organisations can build smarter, more inclusive hiring strategies. Expect candid insights, practical ideas, and a look at the future of recruitment through the lens of those shaping it.
Brian Dalton
Senior Accessibility Test Lead – Fidelity
Brian Dalton is an accessibility specialist focused on accessibility QA testing and inclusive digital design across both Waterfall and Agile software development environments. As a power screen reader user and beta tester for JAWS, Brian brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his work, helping organisations create more accessible and user-friendly digital experiences.
Katy Lumsden
Head of HR – National Library of Ireland
A solution-focused optimist, innovator, and big-picture thinker, Katy is passionate about creating meaningful, system-wide change through curiosity, self-awareness, and practical leadership. Guided by values of excellence, professionalism, fairness, courage, and growth, she brings a thoughtful and emotionally intelligent approach to HR, leadership, and organisational culture.
Eoghain Cooper
Eoghain is a career coach and recruitment professional with over a decade of experience supporting people as they navigate the modern workplace. As Senior Career Advisor at the UX Design Institute, they have helped graduates build meaningful careers across international markets. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience as a neurodiverse professional, Eoghain brings a practical and human perspective to conversations around inclusion, accessibility, and belonging in the workplace.
1:25pm Guest Talk – Dr. Ebun Joseph
Dr. Ebun Joseph is a race relations consultant, career consultant, and accredited life coach with over 15 years’ experience supporting minority groups and advancing inclusive workplace practices.
As CEO and Founder of the Institute of Antiracism and Black Studies, she works with organisations to develop inclusive cultures, employee supports, and sustainable workplace strategies grounded in both professional and academic expertise.
1:50pm
Closing Thoughts & Networking
2:30pm
Event Close