Culture can make or break organisations and deals. Do you want to know more about the positive impact of culture on resilience, reputation and the bottom line? And when joining Boards, are you confident that your culture due diligence is robust and you’re not blindsided by what might actually be going on “under the hood”.
Over the last few years, culture has risen to the top of directors’ agendas, unfortunately mainly due to cultural crises. The CBI story, covered extensively in national media, brought culture and reputational risk into sharp focus, as have recurring headlines about dysfunction in institutions like the Met Police. Culture has also long been cited as one of the most common causes of failure in mergers and acquisitions – yet it remains difficult to measure, monitor, and report on effectively.
At this special event, WB Directors will be joined by Principia Advisory, the firm that supported the CBI in its cultural recovery and renewal. Principia’s mission is to build ethical organisations and leaders. They work with Boards, Chairs, NEDs, and executive teams, including those at the largest professional services firms, to help them maximise the positive financial and strategic impact of their people, systems, and culture.
According to recent studies Principia has conducted, 81% of leaders say monitoring the health of culture is under strain, and 79% feel pressure to ensure employee conduct aligns with ethical expectations. Yet only 43% believe companies in their sector are truly equipped to manage today’s ethical complexity – despite 96% saying it is critical to long-term success.
Topics covered will include:
- What we mean by culture and ethical culture, and how broad it’s impact really is
- The responsibilities and opportunities for Directors, NEDs and Chairs to lead on culture
- How progressive organisations are harnessing culture as a strategic lever, measuring it and improving it to reduce risk
- What future Board reporting might look like – and whether we need a Culture Index for investors
Speakers
Sarah Howe, Specialist Advisor, Principia Advisory
Sarah has extensive leadership experience in both international corporate environments and consultancy, supporting organisations to transform for sustainable growth and/or risk mitigation.
She has designed and led strategic change initiatives – aligning culture with strategy – advanced ED&I, and driven impactful change communications and sustainability efforts. Her expertise spans a range of sectors, including technology, professional services and sport, and also highly regulated industries such as energy and financial services.
Sarah was previously a Non-Executive Director for WB Directors, currently Chairs the ED&I Board Committee and Advisory Group for GB Surfing, and speaks at and chairs events regularly, with recent topics including: Developing Trust & Influence in Global Networks; Purpose & the Future of Leadership; Bringing a Sporting Lens to the Boardroom and The Ingredients of an Effective Speak Up Culture. Sarah’s last in-house position was as Director of Global Culture Transformation & ED&I at Urenco, a global nuclear, carbon free energy company. Previously she led diverse teams and P&Ls across the US, Europe, and Asia, advising notable organizations such as Avanade, IBM, Microsoft, Philips, UK Government and Zurich.
Clive Garfield, CEO, Principia Advisory
Clive is a seasoned culture and organisational behaviour expert with over 25 years of experience in the financial services sector and broader global industries. As CEO of Principia Advisory, he brings a deep understanding of how culture shapes ethical decision-making and organisational performance.
Before joining Principia, Clive led the Culture and Purpose practice at A&O Shearman Consulting, where he conducted in-depth culture reviews across multiple sectors and delivered training to thousands of employees worldwide. His work has helped organisations diagnose cultural challenges, design effective solutions, and foster more open, engaged, and values-driven workplaces. He also spent a decade at JP Morgan, where he played a key role in developing the firm’s Culture and Conduct Risk programme for the Investment Bank.
This event is included in our Directors’ Circle membership. Current Directors’ Circle members have received a calendar invitation already – if you haven’t, please get in touch with us via contact@wbdirectors.co.uk
Please note: Our Directors’ Circle events are fast-paced conversations, designed for those with experience of serving as a non-executive director and/or a strong understanding of the role. Full members with this background are also welcome to attend.