10 years ago, a husband and wife set out with an ambitious vision; to challenge the UK corporate market to improve the opportunities for women to succeed. To encourage female pipeline progression and diversity at senior levels, and in doing so, improve business performance.
Working from a shed at the bottom of a garden, that vision soon became reality, and this year Talking Talent celebrates a decade in business as one of the world’s leading coaching organisations for women and working parents.
Celebrating the company’s landmark year, Chris Parke, CEO of Talking Talent and one of the founding partners said: “I am immensely proud of the difference our work has made over the last 10 years. We challenged the business environment to say ‘this simply isn’t good enough’ and through our consultancy and coaching programmes have influenced the focus and impact that organisations have in developing and retaining female talent.
“The corporate working landscape has changed quite dramatically in the past ten years and we are proud of the part we have played in pushing the debate and opening up possibilities for peopleand businesses. We are absolute believers in the commercial benefit this brings and have great evidence to support this belief – EY as just one example saved £17M in the first 18 months of our programme together.
“Most importantly though, we know that our coaches have really helped to change not just people’s careers, but their lives, helping women to achieve their most fulfilling ambitions at home and at work.”
Talking Talent’s 10 year milestone was marked by an anniversary event for clients and colleagues today (30 September 2015) at The Soho Hotel in London. It was an opportunity to celebrate the huge positive steps made but also served to highlight what more needs to be done to support the future of women and working parents.
Setting out his vision for the future of Talking Talent, Chris Parke continued: “We are committed to continuing to challenge businesses on how we unlock even greater possibilities across the gender space. There is a need to be even more creative and shift cultures in a faster way. To create more inclusive management across the layers, to invest in the talent pipeline much earlier in both male and female careers, and to help businesses become more sophisticated in how they engage and motivate.
“We are proud of the work some of our clients are leading in this area. They are being brave and pushing boundaries. Lloyds Banking Group has invested significantly in its whole talent pipeline and has now promoted, or given an enhanced role, to more than 80% of the coachees that we have supported.
“I am also very passionate about there being room for more male advocates across the gender arena. It is really important to engage and win over more men at the heart of the business. At times I have felt a rather lone voice and it has been a challenge for me to step forward and make a stand – I want more male leaders to join me.”
The Talking Talent event involved a lively panel discussion and Q&A session with long-time clients Wendy Papworth, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Barclays, Sally Bucknell, Director of Diversity and Inclusiveness at EY, and Sarah Churchman, HR Director at PwC.
The event also saw guests hanging wishes for the future on a specially installed Wishing Tree at the celebration party. For each wish made, Talking Talent has pledged to donate £10 to children’s charity The NSPCC, signifying the company’s commitment to coaching young people.
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About Talking Talent (www.talking-talent.com)
Talking Talent is the leading provider of consultancy and coaching for women and working parents in the UK and is at the forefront of developing the female talent pipeline across the globe.
Through listening to its coachees’ personal challenges, hopes, fears and ambitions, Talking Talent has developed bespoke, innovative and impactful coaching programmes. Talking Talent’s own flexible approach to working has attracted the very best in coaching talent and the company now employs over 50 of the most experienced coaches in the world, all with significant commercial backgrounds.
Talking Talent’s Top Ten achievements over the last decade:
- 10,000+ women coached
- Supported 4,000+ managers
- More than 50 coaches worldwide
- 100+ clients globally
- 10 industry research studies and insight guides published
- 80% of Lloyds Banking Group coachees promoted or given enhanced roles
- 2,500 coaching sessions held over the last year alone
- £17 million of savings in 18 months (EY)
- 13% increase in retention across maternity period for Citi employees
- 18 of The Times top 50 Employers for Women are TT clients
For more information, photography or to organise an interview with a member of the
Talking Talent team, please contact:
Laura Lally
T: 01491 821850
E: laura.lally@talking-talent.com
