The Workplace Event Agenda 2026

Sustainability expectations within the cleaning and facilities management sector have evolved rapidly in recent years. What was once viewed as a compliance exercise is now becoming a commercial differentiator, influencing procurement decisions, supplier selection and long-term client relationships.

In this keynote session, Alan Stenson, CEO of NCZ (Neutral Carbon Zone) and one of the UK’s leading voices on practical sustainability, will explore how the sector is transitioning from high-level commitments to measurable, data-driven action.

Drawing on real industry examples, Alan will outline:
• Why carbon measurement is becoming essential for service providers
• The growing importance of Scope 3 emissions and supply chain collaboration
• How sustainability expectations from clients and procurement teams are changing
• Practical steps cleaning and FM companies can take to stay competitive

This session will provide delegates with a clear understanding of where the sector is heading, what organisations should prioritise today, and how sustainability can move from a reporting obligation to a strategic advantage.
The session will conclude with a short Q&A, giving the audience an opportunity to explore practical challenges and opportunities within their own organisations.

Most workplace decisions today are based on incomplete and often misleading data.

A single utilisation metric might look convincing. A dashboard might show 40%, 50%, even 60%. But like the classic “glass half full or half empty” analogy, that number on its own doesn’t tell you what you need to know and in some cases, it can lead you in the wrong direction.

This session challenges the idea that one number can define workplace performance.

We’ll explore how to “tame” your data by combining multiple perspectives, from entry data and desk sensors to behavioural insights that reveal what’s really happening when people aren’t at their desks. In many organisations, this missing layer accounts for over 30% of workplace activity, yet it’s rarely measured, understood, or factored into decisions.

If you’re relying on averages, snapshots, or a single percentage, you may only be seeing part of the picture and making decisions that are more costly than you realise. After all if you have your head in the oven and your feet in the fridge some statisticians will say you are at average temperature.

We’ll show how to move beyond fragmented metrics to a true source of truth, and how those who can interpret this data properly are creating real value whether by influencing better workplace strategy, building stronger business cases, or turning insight into new consultancy and career opportunities.

Workplace Reimagined, created by Bevi, has been bringing together end users across EMEA and the US for open, peer-led conversations under Chatham House rules. These sessions have created space for honest dialogue around the evolving world of work and the growing importance of workplace experience in shaping culture, performance, and belonging.

This time, we’re breaking the mould.

Join us for a special fireside chat hosted by Bianca Angelico, who will moderate a candid and thought-provoking discussion alongside Rod from UKTV, Chloe from LinkedIn, and Sarah from Lloyds Banking Group. Together, they will explore workplace experience through the lens of culture and strategy, asking whether it is simply another industry buzzword or a genuine business driver.

Expect an open, engaging conversation that moves beyond theory to real-world insight, examining how organisations are reimagining the workplace to create environments where people can connect, collaborate, and thrive.

Wellbeing is no longer about offering standalone initiatives; it’s about understanding what truly supports employees and how that connects to organisational performance. This session explores how health touchpoints can move beyond individual health checks to become part of a wider wellbeing ecosystem, embedded within workplace culture.

Attendees will gain practical insight into how wellbeing data can be translated into action. Helping organisations close support gaps, improve uptake of benefits, and align wellbeing strategy with core KPIs including engagement, retention and absence.

Modern offices have far more potential than employees experience every day. With sensor data, smart technology, and AI-driven insights, the workplace can adapt to people instead of the other way around.

In his keynote, Chris Wiegeraad, CCO of GoBright, demonstrates how to seamlessly connect office workers to their environment. By understanding behaviour and preferences, the building becomes a proactive partner in daily work.

GoBright acts as the intelligent engine between people and buildings. By unifying all data in a single smart platform, we create a personalised workplace experience that empowers people to work smarter and more efficiently.

Social value is no longer a “nice to have” but for many organisations, knowing where to start or how to turn intent into impact remains a challenge. This panel brings together leaders from across social enterprise, workplace strategy, and global FM to explore how workplace and facilities management teams can move beyond tick-box commitments and embed social value into everyday decisions, contracts, and partnerships. From social impact procurement and supplier collaboration to delivering measurable outcomes for people, communities and the planet, the discussion will unpack practical approaches that work at scale and the critical role workplace and FM leaders play in driving meaningful, long-term impact across their organisations.

Organisations have never invested more in workplace technology and employees have never been less connected to how they work. The problem isn't the tech. It's that technology is being procured by technology departments. Software is being bought, not experiences designed. And five generations of employees are being handed tools without ever being asked what they actually need. What if the real strategy isn't the platform, it's the people?

Leagh and Tom bring two lenses workplace technology and culture to make the case that the organisations seeing real adoption aren't rolling out from the centre. They're co-creating with their people. Using employee insight and data to design solutions together, then building the cultural conditions for those solutions to stick. Expect real data from Mitie's workforce research, a practical methodology for getting technology to actually land, and three things every workplace leader can act on immediately.

As workplaces continue to prioritise wellbeing, safety, and performance, gambling related harm remains one of the least recognised risks. This session highlights how gambling can impact both employees and employers, influencing decision making, concentration, safety behaviours, culture, and overall organisational stability.

The session explores how gambling harm can lead to unsafe shortcuts, reduced situational awareness, emotional strain, financial vulnerability, and compliance risks. Attendees will gain practical insight into how workplaces can recognise early signs, reduce stigma, and introduce supportive, preventative measures that protect people, performance, and organisational integrity.

As organisations embrace hybrid working and smarter ways of operating, flexibility has become central to the modern workplace. In this session, Tom Woodley explores how businesses can design adaptable environments that support changing needs while maintaining resilience and continuity.

Focusing on real-world applications, Tom will highlight how smart workspace solutions and data-led insights enable organisations to optimise space, improve efficiency and respond to change with confidence. The session will demonstrate how combining flexibility with intelligent design and technology creates workplaces that are not only agile, but truly future-ready.

When people feel they belong, work works better: How belonging unlocks productivity, retention and customer experience in FM.

The workplace as a destination has, for many, ceased to have its traditional relevance in our lives, yet it is widely acknowledged that to properly connect, to learn from and with one another, to strategise and problem solve together we still need to come together and have face to face interactions in the same physical space.

With many of us working flexibly and remotely, we get scarce opportunities to meet colleagues in real time and space, so it’s important to use these opportunities effectively – but what makes that work? 

We’ll explore this question for real in the most testing of formats: a drop-in session with random strangers from across the professional spectrum. Let’s lightly try joining minds and elevating our ideas and insights to produce something that’s more than sum of its parts. 

Emergent and uncertain, this could give you more insight than any speaker session!

This panel brings together representatives from Neutral Carbon Zone, Metsä, Sani Sen, Planet Mark, BICSc, Rubbermaid, Evans Vanodine, and Amplify Goods to explore what building a genuinely sustainable supply chain and service looks like in practice across the cleaning and facilities sector.

Panellists will discuss how sustainability is being embedded across the full lifecycle of products and services – from responsible sourcing and manufacturing, through to training, service delivery, measurement, and continuous improvement. The session will examine the role of standards, certification, and independent verification in providing confidence, transparency, and accountability.

The discussion will also address the commercial and operational realities of sustainability, including balancing environmental goals with performance, cost, and practicality. Attendees will gain insight into how collaboration between manufacturers, service providers, industry bodies, and sustainability partners can drive meaningful change, support responsible decision-making, and deliver long-term value for organisations, people, and the environment.

With workplaces undergoing fundamental change, the facilities and workplace profession is expanding beyond its traditional boundaries. This session examines how roles, responsibilities, and competencies are evolving to support more dynamic, digitally enabled organisations. Discussion will include the shift toward strategic partnership, sustainability integration, technology adoption, and the growing expectation for FM to enhance employee experience. The panel will outline the capabilities needed to thrive in a rapidly changing profession.

A no‑cost, high‑impact way to deliver compliance, operational resilience and social value across your own and client estates.

Facilities Management (FM) teams oversee vast, multisite estates, giving them a unique ability to transform national defibrillator readiness at speed and at no cost, all within their business‑as‑usual activity. This session explores how FM organisations can drive compliance, strengthen operational resilience and deliver meaningful social value by registering the defibrillators across their own estates on The Circuit, the UK’s national defibrillator network that tells ambulance services exactly where the nearest device is during a 999 call. It also shows how FM teams can extend this approach to clients, helping them ensure their devices are emergency ready and visible to 999 call handlers when every second counts.

The session opens by setting the national picture: the number of devices already registered, the significant gap that remains, and why rapid access to accurate data is essential for effective emergency response. A deep‑dive case study from the John Lewis Partnership shows what good looks like - streamlined processes, empowered staff and a single, trusted view of every device, leading to faster 999 access. Lives have already been saved.

The session closes with a clear call to action: make registration and logged checks routine - to unlock operational and societal benefits. FM companies can lead the way, starting today, with full support from British Heart Foundation.

Facilities professionals are being asked to do more than ever before, managing complex estates, meeting sustainability targets, and creating workplaces that truly support employees. But technology is changing the game- however while AI’s potential is widely recognised, most organisations haven’t fully embraced it. Instead, they’re stuck in the “messy middle”, experimenting with tools, running pilots, but lacking a clear, cohesive strategy.

This new whitepaper - co-written by Pareto FM and Vending Sense - explores how AI and smart technologies are transforming facilities management from a reactive function into a strategic driver of workplace experience.

It explores the key drivers behind AI adoption, the power of predictive maintenance and data-led insights, using refreshment provision as a practical example. From this seminar you can expect to receive;

• Examples of how AI is driving improvement through data
• Key insights from leading industry experts
• Practical takeaways to help you confidently take the next step in your AI journey
• Early access to a digital copy of the whitepaper “A Refreshing Take on AI. How tech is supercharging employee experience”

Tess is someone organisations turn to during periods of growth, acquisition or strategic change when culture is under pressure.

For over 15 years, Tess has partnered with boards and executive teams across the public and private sector, known for her systemic approach to addressing root cause rather than surface level issues.

Her research reveals that over 40 percent of senior leaders fail in the first 60 days of a new role because a critical piece is missing from how organisations onboard and integrate leaders.

Today, Tess will share hot off the press insights into what truly makes or breaks senior leaders in those early days, drawn from her forthcoming book, Your First 60 Days.

What if the best FM solutions aren't in your country? Join our panel as we explore how facilities and workplace management practices differ across Europe. Borders divide countries, but the best ideas travel.

Modern workplaces are under increasing pressure to make better use of space, yet many leaders still struggle to answer simple questions about how offices are actually used. Some organisations operate with little or no data. Others rely on booking systems, while some are beginning to incorporate sensor or badge data, often without a clear understanding of which occupancy and usage metrics to track or how to use the data to support better decisions.

This session explores how occupancy analytics helps leaders understand utilisation patterns, optimise space, forecast demand, and support hybrid work strategies. Whether starting with limited visibility or building on existing data, the goal is not simply to generate more data, but to ensure the right data is captured and used to make the decisions that matter about office design, real estate portfolios, and workplace experience.

Everything happens somewhere, and increasingly, things now happen in two places: physical and digital. This is the essence of the modern-day digitised workplace. The digital realm is increasingly being used to manage and control the physical space, and the effectiveness of this management is determined by how accurately these two realms reflect each other.

In property and facilities management, our role is to provide spaces where activities can occur. We strive to optimise these spaces to meet the needs of their users in the most efficient and effective manner. Delivering the best service requires a precise and ongoing dialogue between the users of the space, the properties that house these spaces, and the entities responsible for their upkeep. Technology plays a key role in facilitating this conversation, but it does not create value on its own.

This session will share insights and lessons learned on how to transform technological innovation into real business value by bringing people, data, and properties together. The goal is to create a truly modern digitised workplace.

For decades, cleaning has been one of the most essential yet overlooked professions. As buildings become more complex, expectations rise and labour markets tighten, the sector faces a critical challenge: how do we attract, retain and inspire the people who keep our spaces safe, clean and operational?

In this session, Jay Adderley C.Env.Cln, Chartered Cleaning Professional and Operations Director at CleanEvent Services, shares a frontline operational perspective on building engaged cleaning teams in high-pressure environments such as stadiums, arenas and major venues.

Drawing on real-world experience, the panel will explore how organisations can move beyond simply filling shifts and instead create roles that offer pride, progression and purpose. From empowering frontline teams and embracing technology to creating clearer career pathways within the industry, this session looks at how cleaning businesses can transform perception, improve retention and develop the next generation of professionals.

This is not a discussion about labour shortages, it’s about building an industry people actively want to join.

Healthcare estates face a common paradox: buildings that feel busy are often significantly underused. In this session, Officebooking and gbpartnerships Consult share how smart sensor technology and occupancy analytics are helping NHS trusts close that gap. Drawing on real-world case studies from NHS City of Coventry Health Centre and South Liverpool Treatment Centre, we show how temporary sensor deployments across both clinical and non-clinical spaces deliver the evidence base needed for confident estate decisions, from room reallocation and tenant consolidation to cost savings on cleaning, security, and energy.

Can you design a workplace that works for everyone? In this hands-on workshop each group faces the challenge of creating a workplace that genuinely works for people with different needs, work styles, and backgrounds. One-size-fits-all might not be the answer? 

Join Kevin Meighan C.Env.Cln ACA, WCEC Master and Denise Hanson C.Env.Cln, FBICSc, WCEC Head of Education, as they explore the WCEC Chartered Practitioner Register (CPR) and what it means for professionals working within the cleaning and hygiene sector. This session will explain the purpose of the Chartered Practitioner Register and how it supports the recognition of professional competence, experience, and ongoing development.

Kevin and Denise will outline who the register is designed for and the standards it represents, before guiding attendees through the process of achieving Chartered Practitioner status. This includes eligibility requirements, the types of evidence needed, and how professional practice, qualifications, and reflective learning contribute to the award.

The session will also highlight the value of Chartered Practitioner status for both individuals and organisations, supporting professional credibility, career progression, and confidence in capability across the sector.

Culture isn’t what’s written on the wall. It’s how people feel at work, especially when things are uncertain.

In today’s workplace, change is constant. New technologies, restructures, AI adoption, and shifting expectations ask people to adapt again and again. And in these moments, culture is revealed, not through values statements or engagement surveys, but through the emotional experience of everyday work.

Despite decades of leadership models and culture initiatives, organisations continue to struggle with the same blind spot: emotion. Leaders often focus on the culture they want to prescribe, while overlooking the emotional signals that shape the culture people actually live.

For some employees, change feels energising and full of possibility. For others, it creates anxiety, fatigue, or quiet disengagement. These emotions don’t just affect morale, they define trust, belonging and performance. Over time, they become the real culture of the organisation.

This is where culture, health and wellbeing intersect, not as programmes or perks, but as outcomes of how emotion is led every day. When emotional signals are ignored, pressure builds, psychological safety erodes, and wellbeing conversations start far too late. When emotion is understood and addressed early, people feel safer, more engaged, and better able to cope with change.

Drawing on the core ideas from Jennifer Bryan’s upcoming book, this keynote explores how leaders shape culture, intentionally or not, through the emotional experience they create in times of change. Jennifer reframes emotion as a leadership capability that directly influences culture, trust, and sustainable performance.

This is about closing the gap between prescribed culture and lived culture, and giving leaders practical ways to lead emotion with clarity, confidence, and humanity so change strengthens culture instead of draining it.

Insect light traps are an essential tool to help manage the risks associated with flying insects, within food and beverage facilities, protecting public health for you and your customers.

Whilst effective at catching insects, traditional fluorescent lamp insect light traps, (ILTs), are power hungry and there remains uncertainty over the future availability of replacement fluorescent lamps. The good news is that manufactures are now offering ILTs incorporating LED technology, which just like the switch to LED lighting in recent years, can provide huge running cost savings and significantly improved sustainability.

For large facilities with c. 200 ILTs, this is interesting. For national retailers with 1,000, 2,000 or even 5,000 ILTs across their estates, this can play a significant part in delivering meaningful annual cost savings and supporting sustainability goals.

However, there are some details to take care over - Not all LED ILTs are the same, with some promising savings but compromising on insect catch, whilst others lock users in to having to buy consumables from a single source, going forward.

Join us for this seminar, and we'll talk through the benefits, areas for care and have a look at the level of savings to be had, by starting the journey to LED technology.

Stress causes 52% of workplace illness, yet many businesses lack the one document the HSE actually wants to see. While 14,000 inspections now demand a formal risk assessment, paperwork alone isn’t enough to satisfy the law. We strip away the jargon to show how our A.C.T. approach turns legal requirements into human action. Learn how to satisfy the HSE while giving your team the confidence to truly support one another. 

This panel brings together voices from BICSc, CleanEvent, WCEC, HW Facilities, CleanManager and Foremost to explore how smarter systems and skilled people work together to build stronger, more resilient cleaning teams.

Panellists will discuss how structured systems, digital tools, and data-driven approaches can support operational efficiency, consistency, and compliance, while recognising that people remain central to service delivery. The discussion will examine the role of training, professional development, leadership, and engagement in creating confident, capable teams that can adapt to changing demands.

The session will also consider how collaboration across industry bodies, service providers, and media supports shared standards, innovation, and workforce progression. Attendees will gain practical insight into aligning systems and skills to strengthen performance, support staff, and deliver sustainable outcomes across the cleaning and facilities sector.

Facilities management margins are under increasing pressure — from competitive pricing, rising labour costs, and growing complexity across assets, contracts, and suppliers. Many organisations respond by investing in more technology, yet still struggle to see impact.

In this session, Stephanie focuses on how better information, not more tools, helps FM leaders protect margins by improving reliability, purchasing decisions, and client advice, without adding headcount.

You’ll take away:

- What “data” really means in FM and why it drives margin erosion
- How poor information increases admin, rework, and reactive maintenance
- Practical principles for improving data quality and system design so people work faster and with more confidence
- How to use existing asset, contract, and invoice information to make decisions more accurate and less manual

The session closes with a real-life hard services example showing how an organisation used better information to reduce complexity, support less experienced staff, and create commercial headroom — without replacing their core systems.

Chris Moriarty, host of the Workplace Geeks podcast, returns with a panel session that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Built around a completely original, definitely not borrowed TV quiz show format, panellists take on a series of questions based on the latest workplace stories from the national and trade press.

There’s a scoring system. Sort of. No one’s entirely sure how it works.

What you do get is a proper discussion of the issues shaping the sector, with a bit of back and forth, and a bit of fun along the way.

Back for its third year at The Workplace Event and always packed. Get there early. There may even be a drink in it for you.

What happens when the lights go out, the building next door catches fire, or disruption hits and your team can’t even get to work?

In this fast-paced, interactive session, the audience will tackle real-world scenarios inspired by genuine incidents affecting businesses today. From power outages and transport disruption to neighbouring incidents shutting down entire buildings, participants will help shape responses live during the session.

Designed for facilities and operational professionals, this practical session cuts through the theory and explores a simple question: is your business continuity plan part of your culture or just sitting on a shelf?

AI is everywhere, but what does it actually mean for facilities management?

Using real world operational use cases this session will explore how AI is being applied across FM bringing automation and intelligence to every part of business operations.

We’ll also explore the common pitfalls of AI integration into legacy systems and how to ensure your business platforms are optimised for AI.

In this engaging session, Martin, from CleanManager, explores how digitalisation can address the cleaning industry’s key workforce and operational challenges. Focusing on branding, efficiency, and attracting younger workers, Martin highlights how modern digital tools are reshaping perceptions of the sector and supporting a more engaged, motivated workforce. The presentation examines how technology improves communication, visibility, and accountability, while enabling managers to streamline operations and build stronger, more appealing brands.

The session includes a live audit demonstration, showing how digital audits can drive quality, consistency, and compliance through real‑time data and actionable insights. A dedicated Q&A will allow attendees to discuss challenges, share experiences, and explore practical ways to implement digital solutions within their own organisations.

Join Neil and Kelsey as they close out an enlightening three days at the Cleaning Innovation Hub, reflecting on the ideas, conversations, and breakthroughs shaping the future of the industry.

From hands-on demonstrations and expert panels exploring a cobotic future, to practical insights on navigating sustainable legislation, this session brings together the key lessons that matter most. At its heart, the show has reinforced that innovation isn’t just about technology, it’s about people, purpose, and progress. This final wrap-up captures the challenges, opportunities, and shared vision driving the cleaning operation forward.