Shape Talent Ltd

Let’s take a look at what your talent strategy needs to flex and adapt to: economic volatility; AI disruption; political uncertainty; and a workforce rethinking what loyalty really means. On Thursday 26th March at 10am GMT, join us for a LinkedIn Live designed for HR and Talent leaders focused on strengthening leadership depth and long-term talent sustainability. Hosted by Rachel Schofield, this live will feature Sharon Peake, Founder & CEO, Shape Talent, where we’ll explore: 🔹 Practical strategies to accelerate talent that move beyond traditional high-potential programmes Including immersive development plans, executive advisory boards and stretch experiences that build readiness, not just potential. 🔹 Why these approaches work in complex, fast-changing organisations What makes them effective when roles, expectations and operating models are shifting. 🔹 How HR and Talent leaders can implement them now Practical examples and implementation insights you can adapt in your own context. When change is constant, waiting for talent to “be ready” is a risk, your future leaders need to be ready before the moment demands it. 👉 Save your spot now to join us live #TalentStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment

As we approach International Women’s Day 2026, many large organisations are taking stock of their gender equity strategies - asking where progress is holding, where it’s stalling, and where new risks are emerging. Join us live on Thursday 26th February at 2pm GMT for an insight-led LinkedIn Live examining the current state of gender equity across the UK and Europe, and what this means for senior HR and Inclusion leaders responsible for leadership pipelines and organisational culture. Featuring: 🔹 Sharon Peake, Founder & CEO, Shape Talent 🔹 Dr Priscila Pereira Law, Director of Research & Innovation, Shape Talent We’ll explore: 🔹 What’s genuinely moved forward in gender equity across the UK and Europe What progress looks like in practice, and where data shows real change versus surface-level movement. 🔹 Where progress has stalled and why The structural, cultural, and leadership factors that continue to block women’s progression, particularly into senior roles. 🔹 What organisations need to prepare for next From evolving legislation and regulatory scrutiny to AI-driven change, and what HR leaders should be planning for now. This will be a focused, evidence-led session with time for audience questions in the chat. 👉 Register now to join us live #IWD2026

International Women’s Day (IWD) is often filled with good intentions… and light action. So, in the run up to IWD 2026 (8th March), we’re doing something different. This week marks the final of 5 powerful brand films we have shared which shift attitudes on gender equity; because culture changes when we change the stories we normalise. These campaigns aren’t “nice ads.” They’re masterclasses in: ✅ Calling out bias without alienating ✅ Challenging stereotypes at scale ✅ Moving people from awareness → accountability ✅ Making equity everyone’s business Gender equity work fails when it becomes “a women’s issue.” What’s interesting about Birra Peroni’s BeHer project is that it frames equality as a cultural shift - practical, shared, and rooted in the world of work. BeHer is built around multiple pillars (from education and research, to direct support), and also humbly addresses the ways in which the brand has exacerbated troublesome archetypes in the past. Because awareness without accountability doesn’t change outcomes. For senior HR leaders, the takeaway is clear: 👉 Gender equity isn’t a one-off initiative. It’s a system. And systems need: • Consistent leadership behaviours • Inclusive talent practices • Accountability and measurement • Investment (time, money, attention) • Reinforcement through storytelling 🎥 Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/eCvQWbEb Question: What’s one structural change you’ve seen make the biggest difference to women’s progression in your organisation? Let us know which of the film's we have shared resonated the most in the comments - we'd love to know. #BeHer #GenderEquity #HRLeadership #Culture #Inclusion

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿. And yet, that is exactly where many organisations are leaking talent. Our Three Barriers® research shows that at this stage, women face intensified structural barriers - not a lack of ambition. The impact? • Slower progression • Higher attrition • Costly replacement cycles That’s why we created Ascent - a practical, 6-month leadership programme delivered in partnership with The Quorum Initiative. In a comparable programme, 71% of participants progressed their careers within 12 months of the programme. On Wednesday 25th February at 3.30pm GMT, we’re hosting a webinar to share: • Why mid-career is the highest-impact intervention point • The research and methodology behind Ascent • Programme outcomes • Sponsorship options for organisations • Live Q&A If you’re a Chief People Officer, Head of Talent or DEI leader looking for measurable impact do join us. 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e45yvUuQ #WomenInLeadership

“𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱.” We hear this often, and it’s rarely about confidence. Our research across 7,500+ respondents shows that mid-career women face systemic barriers - sponsorship gaps, biased processes, invisible workload expectations - just as senior readiness is forming. This is not an ambition gap, it’s a systems gap. Ascent was designed to intervene at this critical point - equipping ambitious women with strategic clarity, influence capability and a powerful peer network. 71% of participants progressed their career within 12 months in a comparable programme. 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝟯.𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺 𝗚𝗠𝗧 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲: • Why mid-career is the pressure point • What effective intervention looks like • What this means for your leadership pipeline If pipeline retention matters to you, this conversation matters. 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e45yvUuQ or DM us for more information.

🌙 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸 🌙 As Ramadan begins, we extend our warm wishes to our colleagues, clients, and communities observing this special month. Ramadan is a time for reflection, generosity, and connection, and we wish you peace, wellbeing, and meaningful moments throughout this period.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is often filled with good intentions… and light action. So, in the run up to IWD 2026 (8th March), we’re doing something different. We are sharing 5 of the most powerful brand films ever created to shift attitudes on gender equity; because culture changes when we change the stories we normalise. These campaigns aren’t “nice ads.” They’re masterclasses in: ✅ Calling out bias without alienating ✅ Challenging stereotypes at scale ✅ Moving people from awareness → accountability ✅ Making equity everyone’s business Some bias doesn’t come from the room, they come from the way women are conditioned to speak to themselves. It comes from inside our own heads. Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches is still one of the most emotionally resonant films ever made because it surfaces a painful truth: Women are often far harsher on themselves than anyone else is. In the workplace, that shows up as: • Under-stating achievements • Avoiding self-promotion • “I’m not ready yet” • Perfectionism as protection • Taking on extra work to be seen as valuable This isn’t a personal failing. It’s what happens when people spend years receiving messages about what they should be, instead of being recognised for what they bring. For HR leaders, the opportunity is twofold: 1. Build cultures where recognition is specific and consistent 2. Train leaders to spot brilliance that doesn’t look like swagger 🎥 Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/en-gNAnc Reflection: What would change in your organisation if women didn’t feel they had to earn their place, twice? #DoveRealBeauty

As organisations prepare for IWD 2026, many senior HR leaders are asking tougher questions: Where has progress on gender equity held? Where has it stalled? And where are new risks emerging? Join us next Thursday, 26th February at 2pm GMT, for a LinkedIn Live taking a clear-eyed look at the current state of gender equity across the UK and Europe. Gender equity in 2026: What progress now requires from HR & Inclusion leaders Featuring: 🔹 Sharon Peake,Founder & CEO, Shape Talent 🔹 Dr Priscila Pereira, Director of Research & Innovation, Shape Talent In this session, we’ll explore: 🔹 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲 What progress looks like in practice, and where data shows real change versus surface-level movement. 🔹 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 The structural, cultural, and leadership factors that continue to block women’s progression, particularly into senior roles. 🔹 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 From evolving legislation and regulatory scrutiny to AI-driven change - and what HR leaders should be planning for now. This session is designed for senior HR and Inclusion leaders responsible for leadership pipelines, culture, and long-term talent sustainability. 👉 Save your place, or watch the replay: https://lnkd.in/ejfHk8vc #IWD2026 

International Women’s Day (IWD) is often filled with good intentions… and light action. So, in the run up to IWD 2026 (8th March), we’re doing something different. We are sharing 5 of the most powerful brand films ever created to shift attitudes on gender equity; because culture changes when we change the stories we normalise. These campaigns aren’t “nice ads.” They’re masterclasses in: ✅ Calling out bias without alienating ✅ Challenging stereotypes at scale ✅ Moving people from awareness → accountability ✅ Making equity everyone’s business This week we are sharing Gillette: “The Best Men Can Be” - a film that sparked real debate by asking a simple question: what do we tolerate, and what do we role-model? A masterclass in male allyship: this impactful film demonstrates how men can dismantle the narrow archetype of masculine power and challenge day-to-day examples of misogyny. 🎥 Watch the video here: https://lnkd.in/dTFYPjJt Question for HR leaders: Where do you see the biggest gap in your organisation between the values on the wall and the behaviours in the room? #IWD #GenderEquity Procter & Gamble

Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science - a moment to recognise the power of women in STEM, and the systems we still need to shift so they can thrive. At Shape Talent, we know that representation is only the beginning. Real progress means ensuring women in science, technology, engineering and maths are supported to lead, not just participate. That’s why in this month’s newsletter, we’re: 🔹 Celebrating STEM leadership and how we support women to rise  🔹 Exploring why International Women’s Day still matters – and how to use it with intent  🔹 Replaying our January LinkedIn Live on group coaching as a tool for leadership and inclusion  🔹 Inviting you to our next LinkedIn Live an IWD special, as well as other IWD events  🔹 Sharing a brilliant Meet the Team Q&A with coach and consultant Priscilla Akutu-Carter Read the full February newsletter here Let’s build equity into every level of science, innovation and leadership - not just today, but every day. #WomenInSTEM