Women in Power Event 2025

A Night at the Houses of Parliament: Celebrating Women in Power

On 16^th September, we hosted a fantastic event at the prestigious Houses of Parliament to launch our landmark report and celebrate women in power. We brought together individuals from across the sectors: our Top Flight alumnae – talented women leaders, our partner clients who are dedicated to diversity in leadership, our fabulous faculty who drive The Pipeline’s mission forward and long-time friends of The Pipeline. 

What the Data Tells Us: Key Findings from the Report

Our 2025 Women in Work report was an evolution of Women Count, with nationwide polling of 2,000 women in work to truly understand the barriers women face today. Our Chair, Professor Geeta Nargund, opened the night of speeches, sharing our key findings and urging the drive towards representation and diversity in leadership forward, especially in the wake of the USA’s anti-DEI rhetoric.

Key findings:

• Bias remains prevalent: Two in three women see gender bias as a barrier, and nearly 80% of Black women report racial or ethnic bias.
• Caregiving impacts progression: Almost half of women with caring responsibilities have missed at least a month of work, costing our economy around £10 billion a year.
• Ageism persists: More than 40% of women have been told they are either too young or too old for leadership.
• Health challenges are overlooked: A third of women with long-term health conditions experience bias – and among younger women, that figure climbs to nearly half.
• DEI is under threat: One in four women now feel less safe or comfortable at work due to the politicisation of diversity and inclusion.
• The future of work is uncertain: Almost half of young women worry that AI could replace their jobs.

Inspiring Voices: Our Speakers

• Baroness Harriet Harman - UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls 
• Jacqueline Totterdell - CEO of St Georges NHS
• Karen Blacket CBE - Former WPP President

Our speakers touched upon different insights from the report.

Harriet Harman: Always in Her Prime

Harriet Harman commented on the prevalence of ageism in politics, with women “never being in their prime” compared to men “always being in their prime.” Harriet has dedicated her life to promoting gender equality, paving the way for many women in politics and work through introducing women-only shortlists and the Equality Bill (now The Equality Act of 2010). Her revelation upon reflecting on our ageism findings was powerful: women should act like they are always in their prime – because in fact, they are.

Jacqueline Totterdell: Breaking Barriers in the NHS

Jacqueline Totterdell spoke about her experiences in the NHS, where 75% of staff are women but consultants are majority men. Jacqueline showed how engaging with women to become doctors has improved representation, and now St George’s has more female doctors than male. She also reflected on the sexism she experienced in leadership, with men and women underestimating her abilities due to her gender. For Jacqueline, this always kept her pushing forward and embracing her leadership as a woman with vulnerability and humility.

Karen Blackett: The Power of Authenticity and Inclusion

Karen Blackett was last but not least among our brilliant speakers. She spoke from her own life experiences as a Black female leader – experiencing the intersectional bias of both sexism and racism. A key finding from the report for Karen was how 43% of women are hiding a part of their identity at work, whether that be motherhood, sexuality or class – and how exhausting it can be. Karen emphasised the importance of celebrating difference, from a performance point of view and in future-proofing organisations. Growth and success, she reminded us, are linked to diversity of thought – not hiding identities, but celebrating them.

Why These Conversations Matter

Events like these – where people meet face to face, exchange stories, and engage in real conversations – are vital. They spark action by inspiring and motivating others, and by shining a light on the everyday realities women continue to face in the workplace. These moments of connection remind us why our mission matters and how collective dialogue can drive genuine change.

In Honour of Our Founder: Supported by Siobhain MacDonagh MP

The event was sponsored by Siobhain MacDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden, and sister of the late Margaret MacDonagh, The Pipeline’s founder and trailblazer in politics. Siobhain’s continued support for The Pipeline is greatly felt, as is her dedication to making the UK a better place for all.

Thank you to everyone who came and contributed to our Women in Power event. Thank you to everyone who continues to support The Pipeline and our mission. We could not do our work without you all.