Advance Inclusion in your workplace
Lead the way to create inclusive workplaces with expert support, tailored resources, and a vibrant member community. Inclusive Employers membership gives you the tools and insights to advance inclusion and make a lasting impact.
1) Can you tell us how you came to be in your role
I didn’t know that inclusion could be a job but when I look back at my previous role, what they all had in common was a sense of supporting people and valuing difference.
I originally worked in community arts running workshops with adults with learning disabilities, young people impacted by violence and adults struggling with mental illness. I adored this work, but it had huge limitations due to funding. I then moved into local government where I honed my project management and communication skills, this time focusing on children’s social work. I volunteered to run the Council’s National Inclusion Week activities which is where I found Inclusive Employers.
I planned to stay with the Council as I had been offered a Project Manager job in the team who looked after 16-25 year olds leaving social care, but personal circumstances meant I was going to move to London. I started looking for a role and saw that Inclusive Employers were looking for a Consultant (I applied with all my fingers and toes crossed) and here we are, summer 2025 will be my 10 year anniversary!
2) Can you share an ‘inclusion moment’ with us – a time when you have felt included either at work or in your personal life?
Becoming a working parent has shined a light on inclusion in my own life. I’ve had experiences when I’ve felt most excluded and most included. I returned from my second maternity leave in January 2025 and was recently speaking to a trusted contact, sharing some of the challenges of adapting to working life again.
Without me asking, she held a metaphorical mirror up to me and helped me see the skills gained from my maternity leave rather than what I was seeing, which is how far behind I was with skills and knowledge. It really made me feel empowered and to value myself as both a professional and a parent. Sometimes inclusion is just helping a person to see themselves again.
“I love speaking to HR Leaders and listening to their challenges and working with them to find the solutions. I always come off calls feeling energised.”
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3) What do you love most about your role?
People. Anyone who knows me will know I love to chat, have a dry sense of humour and love to find shared ground. Every week, I meet new people and see friendly faces. I love speaking to HR Leaders and listening to their challenges and working with them to find the solutions. I always come off calls feeling energised. It is the relational aspect of the role that keeps me motivated.
4) What is a typical day like for you?
I have had a few different roles at Inclusive Employers, but right now my focus is on growth and impact. Most days I will be speaking to an organisation who is exploring who to partner with on their inclusion journey. It is my job to explain our approach and to discover if what they need and what we can offer are aligned. The calls will vary, from organisations with advanced inclusion maturity needing an expert to challenge them, to those needing foundational help and guidance. Whatever their needs and levels of maturity, I find satisfaction in crafting the right solution with them.
5) What’s been you most memorable moment in your inclusion career?
In 2020, I wrote our first members’ resource on miscarriage and baby loss. We hadn’t covered this subject before and decided we needed to put together a guide for organisations navigating this topic with their employees. We had spoken in 2019 about me writing this guide, but at the time I was still recovering from pregnancy loss myself and didn’t feel able. When I decided to take this task on in 2020, I found the process extremely rewarding. Knowing that this guide could support thousands of employees who are grieving, like I was, reminded me why this work is so essential. I will never forget the day I published the guide; I shed a tear, I was so proud.
Do you have more questions for the Inclusive Employers team?
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Advance Inclusion in your workplace
Lead the way to create inclusive workplaces with expert support, tailored resources, and a vibrant member community. Inclusive Employers membership gives you the tools and insights to advance inclusion and make a lasting impact.
Get to know more of the Inclusive Employers team
Five minutes with… Kate Adams