A thought leadership and podcast series exploring how responsible business and leadership have changed since the pandemic
| What is the role of business within society? How do we build organisations that contribute responsibly and sustainably to the communities in which they operate? And what does responsible leadership look like, as we continue to lurch from crisis to crisis? |
To answer these important questions, the CIPD, working with the University of Bristol, presents a six-part series exploring the lessons leaders have learned and how the world of work has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on a three-year landmark research project exploring responsible business and trustworthy leadership during the pandemic, these thought leadership articles and the accompanying podcast series discuss what has changed about how we work, how we lead and how we think about responsibility and trust in business.
With exclusive insights from business and HR leaders and Professor Veronica Hope Hailey, Dean of the University of Bristol Business School, this series provides challenging, inspirational ideas on how we build more responsible, resilient businesses and a fairer, more equitable society.
While this research is based on perspectives of UK senior leaders, the insights and recommendations should be of interest wherever you are based.
Read the sixth thought leadership article in our series below.
Thought leadership
Lessons on integrating sustainability into your organisation’s purpose
Thought leadership
We discuss how collaboration and authenticity are key for responsible leaders of the future
Thought leadership
We discuss what it takes to create high-trust environments
Thought leadership
We discuss the role leaders play in creating a workplace community
Thought leadership
What has changed in the way we work and lead since COVID-19?
Professor Veronica Hope Hailey is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and inaugural Dean of the University of Bristol Business School.
Veronica is mainly known for her research on trust and trustworthy leadership. For the last 30 years, Veronica has worked all over the world to deliver leadership development at the most senior levels in the private, public and third sector. Her latest research, conducted in collaboration with the CIPD, focused on responsible business and leadership through crisis.
Katie Jacobs was senior stakeholder lead at the CIPD, where she rans the CIPD’s HR leader network for HRDs/CPOs. She is also a business journalist and writer specialising in business, workplace/HR and management/leadership issues.
Listen to episodes of HR People Pod, the CIPD’s fortnightly podcast providing expert insights from HR leaders discussing the topical issues impacting the world of work.
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Emma Jordaan, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based consultancy, Infinite Consulting, explores leadership’s role in embracing diversity to achieve the cultural unity needed to sustain organisational performance
In this guest blog for International HR Day 2026, David R Blackburn, Chartered CCIPD and Managing Director, David R Blackburn Consulting, explores the value of building trust for leaders and organisations looking to bring the best out of their employees.
In this guest blog for International HR Day 2026, Wendy K. Smith, Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management, University of Delaware and Faculty Fellow, Harvard Business School, explores how both/and thinking will define the future of leadership.
This month: What the King’s Speech meant for people professionals, four tribunal outcomes, a consultation on NDAs and increasing interest in fire and rehire changes
AI is moving from experimentation to everyday infrastructure. For HR teams, that shift brings a practical question: how do we make productivity gains while protecting the conditions for good work — fairness, capability, sustainable performance and employee trust?
Emma Jordaan, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based consultancy, Infinite Consulting, explores leadership’s role in embracing diversity to achieve the cultural unity needed to sustain organisational performance
CIPD’s Senior Performance and Reward Advisor, Charles Cotton, explores some of the more common misconceptions around reporting gender bonus gaps, and what employers need to do to comply with requirements.
Read the article
