How HR Leaders Change the World

Hosted by Cecilia Crossley

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242

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Explore how the work of HR Leaders is creating positive social change, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals - goals which the world's companies are increasingly understanding the urgency of achieving, and investing in the action required. If you'd like clear, actionable ideas for how you can use the power of your role to effect change in your company, you're in the right place. I'm the founder of social enterprise Uplifting People, we provide services to HR Leaders, and through this work I realised that HR professionals and social entrepreneurs are working in the same areas, albeit in different ways. So we created this podcast to share knowledge, on steps we can take through the work of HR. In my opinion, if you're an HR professional, you are also a change maker. And this podcast will provide you with examples of how. By sharing the successes of some of the world's most inspiring HR Leaders, you can frame your work in the context of positive change, implement brilliant ideas, and feel absolutely wonderful about doing so!

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June 16, 2026Episode 24237 min

Episode 242: Curiosity, Confidence and Learning Through AI – Ashley Bartley, Chief People Officer at Checkatrade

As AI transforms the workplace, Ashley shares why organisations should focus less on having all the answers and more on creating environments where people feel confident to learn, experiment and adapt. Drawing on her experience in high-growth businesses, Ashley explains why curiosity is one of the most important capabilities for both leaders and employees. Ashley shares how Checkatrade is using AI to improve customer and employee experiences, while encouraging people to develop new skills through practical experimentation. She discusses the importance of creating safety nets that allow employees to try new approaches and make mistakes. Ashley makes the case that successful transformation is fundamentally human, and advocates that fostering curiosity, confidence and continuous learning means organisations will be best placed to unlock the opportunities AI creates. Free online Lunch & Learn with Coca Cola and Kantar: AI in TA & Onboarding Tuesday 23 June 1-2pm BST Digitalising your Talent Attraction and Onboarding processes is one thing. Knowing where AI fits - and where it doesn't - is quite another. Many of your peers are at exactly this crossroads right now. Excited by the possibilities, but conscious of the risks. Keen to move faster, but not at the cost of the human moments that matter most. Join our free online lunch & learn, we'll share the findings from our research in partnership with The Talent Labs, and you'll hear from Heidi Eckersley, Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Kantar and Suzy Jearum, Global Digital Employee Experience Lead at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. From productivity gains to employee experience wins, you'll leave with insights and ideas you can consider for your organisation too. Join us! Book your place here: AI in Talent Attraction Onboarding webinar Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for June is Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, by Matthew Syed. We're all navigating more complexity than ever right now. AI, shifting workplace expectations, doing more with less, and still making work feel human. Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed provides a resource for how. His argument: the teams who solve the hardest problems aren't the ones full of the best individual thinkers, they're the ones who think differently from each other. A brilliant book on why diversity of thought helps us solve complex problems. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

June 9, 2026Episode 24129 min

Episode 241: Building an AI-Ready Workforce Without Losing the Human Touch - Laura Pocock, Director of People & Culture, BT Business

As technology reshapes the workplace, Laura shares how BT Business is preparing its people for one of the biggest workforce transformations in decades. Laura explains why creating an AI-ready workforce requires more than new tools - it demands investment in mindset and continuous learning at every level of the organisation. Laura explores how BT is combining human-centred design with AI adoption, embedding learning into the flow of work and equipping colleagues with the confidence to use AI safely, productively and responsibly. From large-scale AI training programmes to AI apprenticeships, Laura highlights how organisations can empower employees to adapt to changing roles. Throughout the conversation, Laura emphasises the importance of keeping people at the centre of transformation. Her message is clear: organisations that focus on curiosity, capability and human potential will harness AI while strengthening both employee and customer experience. Free online Lunch & Learn with Coca Cola and Kantar: AI in TA & Onboarding Tuesday 23 June 1-2pm BST Digitalising your Talent Attraction and Onboarding processes is one thing. Knowing where AI fits - and where it doesn't - is quite another. Many of your peers are at exactly this crossroads right now. Excited by the possibilities, but conscious of the risks. Keen to move faster, but not at the cost of the human moments that matter most. Join our free online lunch & learn, we'll share the findings from our research in partnership with The Talent Labs, and you'll hear from Heidi Eckersley, Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Kantar and Suzy Jearum, Global Digital Employee Experience Lead at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. From productivity gains to employee experience wins, you'll leave with insights and ideas you can consider for your organisation too. Join us! Book your place here: AI in Talent Attraction Onboarding webinar Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for June is Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, by Matthew Syed. We're all navigating more complexity than ever right now. AI, shifting workplace expectations, doing more with less, and still making work feel human. Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed provides a resource for how. His argument: the teams who solve the hardest problems aren't the ones full of the best individual thinkers, they're the ones who think differently from each other. A brilliant book on why diversity of thought helps us solve complex problems. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

June 2, 2026Episode 24031 min

Episode 240: HR as the Architect of Opportunity - Alana Brandes, Chief People Officer at Guild

Alana explores how HR can move beyond traditional talent management to become a true architect of opportunity. Alana shares her deeply held belief that every person has untapped potential, and that HR's role is to design the culture and conditions where that potential can be unlocked, at scale. Alana makes the case for building organisations where learning is central to culture - where curiosity, experimentation and even failure are actively encouraged. She shares practical examples of leaders learning new AI capabilities together in real time, and reflects on how organisations can shift from credential-led thinking to skills-based, capability-driven approaches in hiring, development and progression. Alana discusses how HR's influence extends beyond organisational boundaries, calling for a stronger sense of civic connectivity and shared responsibility for creating opportunity. Free online Lunch & Learn with Coca Cola and Kantar: AI in TA & Onboarding Tuesday 23 June 1-2pm BST Digitalising your Talent Attraction and Onboarding processes is one thing. Knowing where AI fits - and where it doesn't - is quite another. Many of your peers are at exactly this crossroads right now. Excited by the possibilities, but conscious of the risks. Keen to move faster, but not at the cost of the human moments that matter most. Join our free online lunch & learn, we'll share the findings from our research in partnership with The Talent Labs, and you'll hear from Heidi Eckersley, Global Talent Acquisition Leader at Kantar and Suzy Jearum, Global Digital Employee Experience Lead at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. From productivity gains to employee experience wins, you'll leave with insights and ideas you can consider for your organisation too. Join us! Book your place here Thank you to Deel for sponsoring this episode. What does HR look like when it's built for global scale? With Deel, HR teams can hire, onboard, and manage talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities or managing multiple vendors. · Generate compliant contracts in minutes. · Automate onboarding. · Tackle performance reviews. · Centralize employee records, time off, and benefits in one place. Deel takes care of compliance and document management, so you can focus on people, not processes. From that first offer letter to ongoing support, Deel makes global HR feel local, fast, and easy. Visit www.deel.com/uplift today. Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for June is Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking, by Matthew Syed. We're all navigating more complexity than ever right now. AI, shifting workplace expectations, doing more with less, and still making work feel human. Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed provides a resource for how. His argument: the teams who solve the hardest problems aren't the ones full of the best individual thinkers, they're the ones who think differently from each other. A brilliant book on why diversity of thought helps us solve complex problems. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

May 26, 2026Episode 23931 min

Episode 239: Evidence-Based HR: Psychology, AI and Higher-Impact People Systems, Sarah Mason, Chief People Officer at SThree

With a psychology-informed perspective, Sarah explores how HR can design more effective and fairer people systems by combining commercial thinking with evidence-based practice. Sarah explains why aligning profit and purpose is essential for HR to create lasting impact, and why inclusion must be embedded into systems rather than left to individual judgement. Providing an example in hiring approaches, Sarah describes how competency-based assessment, psychometrics and scenario testing help reduce bias and improve hiring quality. Sarah also explores the future of HR through an 'augmented' lens, where people, technology and business strategy are designed together. Sarah highlights the growing role of AI in removing administrative work and enabling more human, value-adding capability, alongside a strong call for HR to remain relentlessly evidence-based in everything it does. What do you think? AI vs Human in TA & Onboarding We're not anti-AI. But we do think there are moments in talent attraction and onboarding where human experience is the whole point. But what do you think?... In partnership with The Talent Labs we're running a short survey; the findings will sit alongside behind-the-scenes insights from BT Group, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Deloitte, Kantar and more. Could you help us make this the most useful research it can be? It takes just 3 minutes! Click here: The Human Edge in the Age of AI: Winning Talent Without Losing the Human Touch Survey And to say thank you, you'll enter our Prize Draw to win 5 Uplifting People gift sets for you and your team, worth £449! Thank you to Deel for sponsoring this episode. What does HR look like when it's built for global scale? With Deel, HR teams can hire, onboard, and manage talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities or managing multiple vendors. · Generate compliant contracts in minutes. · Automate onboarding. · Tackle performance reviews. · Centralize employee records, time off, and benefits in one place. Deel takes care of compliance and document management, so you can focus on people, not processes. From that first offer letter to ongoing support, Deel makes global HR feel local, fast, and easy. Visit www.deel.com/uplift today. Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd. Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you're not quite sure how they're managing? Or perhaps that's you?! The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword. Here's her summary: It's an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

May 19, 2026Episode 23828 min

Episode 238: The HR Leader's Legacy: Business Performance through Inclusion and Community and Business Performance, Sue Davies, EVP and CHRO at Markel

Preparing to retire after 40 years in HR leadership, Sue joins us to reflect on a career defined by commercial understanding, community engagement and a belief that inclusion drives performance. Sue shares that the heart of Markel's identity is the 'Markel Style', a set of principles connecting how the business operates with how it serves stakeholders and the wider community - and sits at the centre of employee experience. Sue makes the case that community engagement, through volunteering, board service and pro bono work, is one of HR's most powerful and underused tools for developing leaders, building empathy and sharpening decision-making. Sue leaves us with a clear message: when HR connects business performance and community impact, it creates stronger leaders and better business results. Thank you to Deel for sponsoring this episode. What does HR look like when it's built for global scale? With Deel, HR teams can hire, onboard, and manage talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities or managing multiple vendors. · Generate compliant contracts in minutes. · Automate onboarding. · Tackle performance reviews. · Centralize employee records, time off, and benefits in one place. Deel takes care of compliance and document management, so you can focus on people, not processes. From that first offer letter to ongoing support, Deel makes global HR feel local, fast, and easy. Visit www.deel.com/uplift today. Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd. Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you're not quite sure how they're managing? Or perhaps that's you?! The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword. Here's her summary: It's an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

May 12, 2026Episode 23728 min

Episode 237: Designing Fair Pay at Scale: Transparency, Trust and HR's Commercial Edge - Jessica Pillow, Global Head of Total Rewards at Deel

Jessica joins us to explore what fairness really means in a global workforce spanning 120+ countries. Drawing on more than 20 years in Total Reward, Jessica advocates that fairness cannot rely on manager discretion or good intentions alone - it has to be designed through clear frameworks, consistency and transparency – all powerful drivers of trust, fairness and organisational credibility. Sharing how Deel approaches equitable pay at scale, Jessica explains how standardised compensation for high-volume roles balances with local context and regulation, and reflects on the growing impact of pay transparency, already happening through social media, whether organisations are ready for it or not. Looking to the future of HR, Jessica makes the case for stronger commercial capability within the profession. From partnering closely with finance and sales teams to using AI for faster insight and better decision-making, Jessica believes HR's influence grows when it understands how the business makes money. Thank you to Deel for sponsoring this episode. What does HR look like when it's built for global scale? With Deel, HR teams can hire, onboard, and manage talent in 150+ countries without setting up local entities or managing multiple vendors. · Generate compliant contracts in minutes. · Automate onboarding. · Tackle performance reviews. · Centralize employee records, time off, and benefits in one place. Deel takes care of compliance and document management, so you can focus on people, not processes. From that first offer letter to ongoing support, Deel makes global HR feel local, fast, and easy. Visit www.deel.com/uplift today. Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd. Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you're not quite sure how they're managing? Or perhaps that's you?! The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword. Here's her summary: It's an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

May 5, 2026Episode 23636 min

Episode 236: Courageous HR: Turning Business Insight into Real Impact: Renata Mrazova, Group Chief People Officer at FNZ Group

Renata brings a commercial lens shaped by 35+ years as a CFO and CEO before moving to HR. Her approach to HR is grounded in business reality: if you want to lead people well, you need to understand how value is actually created. That means learning the business model, shadowing sales and marketing teams, spending time with clients and working with operations to see how the business really runs day to day. Renata sees three priorities for HR. First, staying adaptable and future-focused in a world that keeps shifting. Second, moving towards skills-based organisations, where continuous learning matters more than fixed roles or job titles. And third, building psychological safety. A strong advocate for gender equity and recognising that "talent is universal, but opportunity is not", Renata leads FNZ Group's Inspire and Impact Network. At the heart of her message is courage: speak up, challenge respectfully, question outdated systems and stand for fairness even when it feels uncomfortable. For Renata, real impact comes from small, consistent acts of courage that gradually create change. Timely for Mental Health Awareness Week: 11th – 17th May 2026 Elevate Wellbeing to a Strategic Priority: Thank you to Geoff McDonald for sponsoring this episode. In 2014, he left Unilever to devote his expertise to ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace - because he knows first-hand that talking about mental health saves lives. As a business transformation consultant and co-founder of charity Minds@Work, Geoff helps organisations define purpose beyond growth and profitability, and develop holistic wellbeing strategies that unlock true performance potential. Learn more: How Geoff can help you elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority: www.geoffmcdonald.co.uk Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for May is The Working Parent Equation, Balancing small humans with big careers, by Georgie Rudd. Know a working parent? A colleague that has all the plates spinning, and you're not quite sure how they're managing? Or perhaps that's you?! The Working Parent Equation is an extra special book, packed with practical exercises for anyone to reflect on their own, personal, working parent equation, and wonderfully our very own Cecilia Crossley wrote the foreword. Here's her summary: It's an incredibly helpful tool for any working parent - one that will help you, your family, your organisation, and society – because each of us intentionally designing our own equations takes us a step closer to gender equality. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

April 28, 2026Episode 23535 min

Episode 235: HR's Greatest Impact: The Future-Back Approach to Value, People and Society: Tim Pointer, Portfolio Chief People Officer & Operating Partner at Three Hills

Describing HR's greatest impact as creating and protecting value, Tim discusses what we should carry forward from COVID - the deeper connection that came from seeing each other as whole people - and why HR is fundamentally a team sport requiring connection and community. He introduces the "future-back" approach: start with a detailed vision 5 years out and work backwards to identify the scaffolding needed today. Addressing AI and youth unemployment, Tim emphasises intentional choice – that it's not a shift being done to us – that we have agency. He discusses access to employment programmes including a prison-to-work scheme that reduces reoffending from 60% to six. His wish for you: Be a student - continually better understand the organisation, our society and the individuals we work with. That is HR's life's work. And look after yourself, because we must put our own mask on first. Elevate Wellbeing to a Strategic Priority Thank you to Geoff McDonald for sponsoring this episode. In 2014, he left Unilever to devote his expertise to ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace - because he knows first-hand that talking about mental health saves lives. As a business transformation consultant and co-founder of charity Minds@Work, Geoff helps organisations define purpose beyond growth and profitability, and develop holistic wellbeing strategies that unlock true performance potential. Learn more: How Geoff can help you elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority: www.geoffmcdonald.co.uk Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for April is Start with Why by Simon Sinek – a powerful exploration of what separates truly inspiring leaders from the rest. Simon challenges the conventional focus on what we do or how we do it, and instead argues that great leaders and organisations start with why – their purpose, cause, or belief. Through his Golden Circle framework, he demonstrates how the most inspiring leaders think, act and communicate from the inside out. Drawing on examples from Apple, Martin Luther King Jr, and the Wright Brothers, Sinek shows that people don't buy what you do – they buy why you do it. When organisations are clear about their purpose, they attract employees and customers who share their beliefs, creating cultures of trust and belonging where people feel valued and motivated to contribute their best work. This isn't just about messaging; it's about building sustainable success through authentic, purpose-driven leadership. Whether you're looking to inspire your team, build deeper trust with clients, or create a culture where innovation thrives, Start with Why offers a compelling framework for leading with intention. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

April 21, 2026Episode 23429 min

Episode 234: High Tech and Deeply Human - The Future of HR: Floor van Griensven, Chief People Officer at Trivium Packaging

Floor joined Trivium Packaging with a mission transform HR from the ground up. After 17 years at Heineken, and the merger of two companies forming Trivium, Floor set out to unify the business through purpose, values and people-centric leadership. Describing the future of HR as high tech and deeply human, Floor discusses rising techno stress, including the fear of not keeping up and the fear of replacement, meaning HR must get closer to finance and IT to preserve the deeply human side of business. Floor shares her passion for pay equity and transparency, drawing on her background as an employment lawyer, and gives an example of a "Beautiful People at Trivium" campaign, real employees' stories, bottom up, within D&I work. Her wish for you: Never stop expanding HR talent and enthusiasm - the business impact speaks for itself. Elevate Wellbeing to a Strategic Priority Thank you to Geoff McDonald for sponsoring this episode. In 2014, he left Unilever to devote his expertise to ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace - because he knows first-hand that talking about mental health saves lives. As a business transformation consultant and co-founder of charity Minds@Work, Geoff helps organisations define purpose beyond growth and profitability, and develop holistic wellbeing strategies that unlock true performance potential. Learn more: How Geoff can help you elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority: www.geoffmcdonald.co.uk Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for April is Start with Why by Simon Sinek – a powerful exploration of what separates truly inspiring leaders from the rest. Simon challenges the conventional focus on what we do or how we do it, and instead argues that great leaders and organisations start with why – their purpose, cause, or belief. Through his Golden Circle framework, he demonstrates how the most inspiring leaders think, act and communicate from the inside out. Drawing on examples from Apple, Martin Luther King Jr, and the Wright Brothers, Sinek shows that people don't buy what you do – they buy why you do it. When organisations are clear about their purpose, they attract employees and customers who share their beliefs, creating cultures of trust and belonging where people feel valued and motivated to contribute their best work. This isn't just about messaging; it's about building sustainable success through authentic, purpose-driven leadership. Whether you're looking to inspire your team, build deeper trust with clients, or create a culture where innovation thrives, Start with Why offers a compelling framework for leading with intention. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.

April 14, 2026Episode 23331 min

Episode 233: Human-Centred HR - Leading with Kindness in the Age of AI: Donovan Mattole, CHRO at Langan

Donovan's environmental passion drives him - growing up on an organic regenerative farm off-grid in Northern California shaped his career. As well as leading people strategy for engineers and environmental consultants, he serves on boards such as the Mattole Restoration Council – roles that align with Langan's sustainability work and their 80% Gen Z/millennial workforce, who highly value Langan's approach to citizenship. Donovan discusses the opportunity for AI to free HR business partners from transactional work to focus on coaching, culture, and employee experience. He shares examples of living corporate values, not just posting them, such as Women at Langan's 10th anniversary – with a summit open to clients, suppliers, competitors (and all genders) - maximising value and impact across Langan's value chain. His wish for HR: lead with kindness, empathy and heart. Be the employee advocate, not just the business partner. References: - The Farm is Here by Jeff Tkach Elevating wellbeing to a strategic priority: Geoff McDonald's work Thank you to Geoff McDonald for sponsoring this episode. Geoff is a global advocate, campaigner and consultant passionate about addressing the stigma of mental ill health in workplaces. As former Global VP of Human Resources at Unilever, Geoff brings practical experience helping organisations elevate wellbeing to a strategic priority in the C-suite. In 2014, he left Unilever to devote his expertise to ending the stigma of depression and anxiety in the workplace - because he knows first-hand that talking about mental health saves lives. As a business transformation consultant and co-founder of charity Minds@Work, Geoff helps organisations define purpose beyond growth and profitability, and develop holistic wellbeing strategies that unlock true performance potential. Learn more about Geoff McDonald's work: www.geoffmcdonald.co.uk Are you looking for your next great read that inspires you and helps your work?  Our book of the month for April is Start with Why by Simon Sinek – a powerful exploration of what separates truly inspiring leaders from the rest. Simon challenges the conventional focus on what we do or how we do it, and instead argues that great leaders and organisations start with why – their purpose, cause, or belief. Through his Golden Circle framework, he demonstrates how the most inspiring leaders think, act and communicate from the inside out. Drawing on examples from Apple, Martin Luther King Jr, and the Wright Brothers, Sinek shows that people don't buy what you do – they buy why you do it. When organisations are clear about their purpose, they attract employees and customers who share their beliefs, creating cultures of trust and belonging where people feel valued and motivated to contribute their best work. This isn't just about messaging; it's about building sustainable success through authentic, purpose-driven leadership. Whether you're looking to inspire your team, build deeper trust with clients, or create a culture where innovation thrives, Start with Why offers a compelling framework for leading with intention. Head to UpliftingPeople.com to grab your copy, and we hope you enjoy this month's Uplifting Book.