Ahead of The MAD World Festival of Workplace Culture, Employee Health & Wellbeing, taking place at 133 Houndsditch in Central London on 17th October, we asked the sponsors and exhibitors to share what they’re looking forward to about the event and why now is the perfect time for the show. Here’s what they told us.
Insights are from the sponsors and exhibitors that responded to our invitation to comment. You can find the full list of sponsors and exhibitors here, including Aon, Onebright, Fairer and Unmind.
The exhibition is a central feature of the MAD World Festival and is open to all Festival delegates. Read on to the bottom of this feature to find out how to register.
It’s great to see the variety of solutions being showcased this year – reflecting the far-ranging content of the Summit agendas. From anaphylactic shock, to beating burnout. Next-generation Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) through to neuroinclusion. Financial wellbeing to supporting night workers. Whatever you’re looking for, it’s worth planning which exhibitors you want to check out.
I’ve classified the suppliers broadly here to help you navigate the offerings by:
- Physical and mental health & wellbeing
- Workplace culture
- Financial wellbeing
- Neuroinclusion and DE&I
1. Physical and mental health & wellbeing
Carecoins & Red Umbrella – Silver Sponsor
In the fast-evolving world of workplace culture, employee health and wellbeing, it’s essential to keep up to speed with the latest developments in the industry. The MAD World Festival of Workplace Culture, Employee Health & Wellbeing prides itself on its focus on both the now and what’s next, so it makes perfect sense for Carecoins to be be launching its new website and platform at the event.
Tim Ladd, Managing Director and Founder of Red Umbrella and Carecoins will also be hosting a discussion in the Festival’s Heads Together Hub focused on: “EAP 2.0 – What’s next for Employee Assistance Programmes?“
The message he wants attendees to leave the event with is: “AI is not a way forward in mental health; this should always be human to human”. A point that I’m sure will generate much debate.
HealthHero – Bronze Sponsor
HealthHero is also innovating with a proposition that provides a whole-health solution – integrating an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and primary service. This provides a variety of services that work together to support individual employees’ mental and physical health, wherever they are on their wellbeing journey, and whether they need short or long-term care.
As technology continues to disrupt the healthcare industry, and employees increasingly demand more flexible and higher quality wellbeing solutions, HealthHero believes now is the time for employers to consider wellbeing options that meet the holistic health of their employees, enabling them to retain top talent, optimise performance and increase their bottom-line.
They say: “Prioritising the mental health and wellbeing of employees should be the constant theme that drives all operational decision making, and EAP providers should never let commercial influences lead to an environment with fixed targets, budgets or quotas for referral rates and number of structured EAP counselling sessions per case. Now, more than ever, having an accessible, quality, clinically-led service that truly benefits employees matters”.
ESSTA
In a market which many find hard to navigate, ESSTA are taking the disruptive step of offering a free service without financial targets or time limits. They remind us that: “Simply offering a support service isn’t going to result in your employees feeling supported. From invitation to engagement can take a long time so don’t measure results or usage in the first year. Above all, employers need to practice what they preach”.
Kitt Medical
Kitt Medical, who have just launched their Anaphylaxis Kitt service for qualifying businesses through occupational health (starting with Alton Towers Resort), describes their offering as “Like a defibrillator but for allergies”. They are now partnering with and signing up a wide variety of businesses, from workplaces to hospitality venues, leisure facilities, transport hubs and more.
At the MAD World Festival, Kitt Medical are keen to speak with a variety of people across health, safety and wellbeing, to raise awareness for allergic conditions and increase access to emergency allergy treatment and training.
Night Club
Did you know that 97% of night workers do not adapt to working at night? Or that night workers are at increased risk of diabetes, caridovascular disease and cancer?
Night Club are specialists in making night work healthier, with unique support for night workers. With 8.7 million people working nights in the UK, they point out that this is the moment when employers are beginning to understand the need to support their night workers. With 477 people already registered for Night Club’s forthcoming Make A Difference webinar on 24th September, that certainly seems to be the case.
Night Club are excited to meet the MAD World community to talk about their research and approach to making night work healthier. They remind us: “Also we’re moving into the colder and darker months of the year, which are particularly hard for night workers – so this is a perfect time to offer staff more support”.
Personify Health – Leaders’ Club Sponsor
At Personify Health (previously known as Virgin Pulse), they prioritise employee wellbeing and empower thriving workplaces. Explaining why now is the right time for the MAD World Festival they say: “Our mission perfectly aligns with the MAD World Festival’s focus on evolving work models and personalised wellbeing. The festival brings together passionate HR professionals and wellbeing experts – a perfect space for collaboration and learning. We’re excited to contribute our expertise in workplace wellbeing, how to help anyone – and everyone – thrive at work, and scalable, personalised solutions alongside like-minded individuals”.
Personify Health are sponsoring the Leaders’ Lunch at the Festival. This will be an opportunity for 20 Leaders’ Club members to share challenges and brainstorm solutions around “Navigating the maze to pick the right wellbeing solution for your business”.
Smart About Health
Smart About Health is a team of over 180 doctors and specialists that are passionate about improving health and wellbeing. They believe that organisations need to consider a whole-person approach. A strategy that understands both the human and employee life cycle and considers how these intersect. They explain: “We need to shift our focus from reactive to preventative when it comes to health, which is why this is the perfect time for The MAD World Festival of Workplace Culture, Employee Health and Wellbeing”.
Key insights that they’d like attendees to take away are that health and wellbeing needs a proactive and preventative approach, it’s not enough to focus only on Mental Health – a holistic view needs to be taken, and it’s key to have reputable, qualified and professional providers to enable buy-in and safety.
The Positive Planner wants attendees to leave with a clear understanding of how simple practices, like journaling, can significantly improve employee wellbeing and mental health. Their key message is that supporting employee mental health doesn’t need to be complex—small, mindful actions can make a big difference. They believe that by encouraging self-reflection, mindfulness, and organisation through tools like The Positive Planner, employers can empower their teams to manage stress, stay focused, and enhance their overall wellbeing. They also hope that their brand new launch of their self care packages will be a welcome addition to reward schemes in the workplace – to make people feel seen, heard and valued.
After years of helping patients in both the NHS and private sectors, Workplace Ear Care has observed how many people neglect proactive hearing health. They’re calling on employers to help them address this issue by providing on-site ear checks and hearing assessments as part of their company’s wellbeing services.
They explain: “The MAD World Festival is the ideal venue for us to share this message. This event is dedicated to enhancing and transforming workplace culture, and prioritising employee health and wellbeing, which aligns perfectly with our goal of normalising ear care. We’re hoping to connect with forward-thinking employers who are committed to enhancing their employees’ overall health and productivity, in a way they might not have previously thought about”.
WONE – Gold Sponsor
WONE is an AI powered coach for workplace stress, which measures levels of stress and prescribes personalised interventions for employees, delivered in real-time. They explain: “Rising levels of workplace stress are pushing employee health to levels that we’ve not seen before. Stress can cloud your vision, diminish your decision-making capacity, and lead to burnout. Yet despite increasing employer spend on health programmes, stress-related health problems are worsening, and this in turn is leading to higher healthcare costs”.
“At WONE, we’re here to tackle this issue head-on. By prioritising preventative health with scientific and measurable outcomes, we can create a future where stress no longer impedes our ability to thrive. Join us at MAD World to explore how together, by implementing proactive systems to address stress, we can build a healthier, happier, and more sustainable future for all. We can’t wait to meet you!”
WONE are Gold Sponsors of the Legal Summit at MAD World. As part of this, their Founder and CEO, Reeva Misra will be speaking about “Bringing measurement to prevent employee burnout”. Reeva will also be facilitating a roundtable within the “Leaders’ Summit” focused on “Tech and AI in wellbeing – help or hindrance?”
2. Workplace culture
OnWellbeing – Silver Sponsor
OnWellbeing provide a behavioural science-backed employee wellbeing programme that is designed for the new era of work. Their innovative solution could fit in the “Physical and mental health” section above, but I’ve put it in “workplace culture”. This is because, recognising that statistics show that we must find more effective ways to support people, their approach focuses on building mental health literacy across an organisation to transform culture.
Dominic Bennett and Dr Nicola Eccles from OnWellbeing will be hosting the breakfast briefing at MAD World focused on “Reaching the hard to reach: a skills based approach to increasing employee engagement and wellbeing“.
Mojo
Mojo is an employee motivation platform designed to drive productivity, boost wellbeing and build resilience. They explain that: “For years, the common workplace approach to employee health and wellbeing has been to put a sticking plaster over any issues. But organisations and their employees are ready for a different type of relationship, one built on empathy and trust, that recognises and supports people’s intrinsic motivations to improve productivity, wellbeing and resilience – and enables employees to “work happier”.
The message they want employees to go home with is that if we really want to rehumanise the workplace, we need to offer solutions which help employees and line managers to understand what drives them and supports continuous improvements through mutual understanding and co-operation.
Talking Talent – Gold Sponsor
Talking Talent sits equally within the “Workplace culture” or the “DE&I” section of this show preview as, for nearly 20 years, they have partnered with leading global organisations to drive lasting cultural transformation and systemic change – helping businesses evolve for the better as a coaching-led DE&I consultancy.
They explain: “The MAD World Festival comes at a critical time as organisations worldwide are increasingly prioritising workplace culture, employee health, and wellbeing. With the ongoing changes in how we work—driven by the rise of hybrid models, growing attention to mental health, and the need for more inclusive, diverse workplaces—there’s never been a more urgent moment to reimagine how we support our employees”.
“The festival provides an invaluable opportunity to learn from industry leaders, share actionable insights on inclusive coaching strategies, and connect with organisations equally committed to transforming workplace cultures”. Dr Mary Clare Race, CEO of Talking Talent will be sharing her perspective as part of the DE&I Summit’s keynote panel: “Delivering a meaningful DE&I agenda – the key to transforming and maintaining DE&I in the workplace”.
3. Financial wellbeing
MoneyFit
MoneyFit is a digital money coach with a mission to make financial wellbeing accessible to all, and to increase peoples’ confidence, control, and capacity with their personal finances.
Francis Goss is Director at MoneyFit. He explains that it’s the perfect time for the MAD World Festival because: “We are now in an era where employers are taking intentional steps to implement strategies that have a direct positive impact on their employees’ physical, mental and financial wellbeing. I hope to learn, share and co-create solutions that have a positive impact on employee wellbeing, while also making new connections and broadening my network”.
Picking up a common theme which will clearly be a hot topic of discussion at the event, Francis believes that AI and technology have a part to play, but leaders will always have a greater influence on culture and employee wellbeing than technology. A point that we’ll no doubt be able to debate in the Leaders’ Summit session which Francis is joining, exploring “The next big thing in employee health and wellbeing benefits”.
Help to Save
Help to Save is a UK Government backed saving scheme aimed at encouraging a savings habit for people on lower incomes. They explain: “It’s important for people now more than ever to have savings to fall back on in times of need. We hope to share information regarding the Help to Save Scheme, making people aware and encouraging them to share information with family/friends and checking if they’re eligible”.
4. Neuroinclusion and DE&I
Genius Within
Genius Within is a social enterprise, established to drive change for all neurodivergent people, and the organisations that employ them. Their Genius Finder is designed to help organisations identify and support neurodivergent staff.
When asked why now is the right time for the Festival they explain: “The timing is perfect because there’s growing recognition of the importance of mental health, wellbeing, and neurodiversity in fostering a more inclusive workplace. This festival aligns with our mission to empower neurodivergent individuals and organisations by offering tools and solutions like Genius Finder that can create more accessible, productive, and supportive work environments”.
“Our goal is to spark meaningful discussions, share best practices, and explore opportunities to collaborate with organisations that are passionate about DE&I initiatives”.
MindView by Matchware
MindView is an assistive mind mapping tool that aims to transform the way we visualise and handle complex information. While it can be beneficial for everyone, it’s designed for those with neurodivergence, such as Dyslexia, Autism or ADHD, to find its features especially supportive.
MindView explain: “Some of the best ideas are born of a neurodivergent mind. It’s often the case that these individuals do not have the platform to express themselves. With MindView, and other assistive technologies, we hope that everyone has the same chance to succeed”.
“The Festival comes at a crucial time as organisations are increasingly recognising that a healthy workplace environment, where everyone feels supported and has access to the tools they need to succeed in their role, is pivotal to a company’s growth. We hope to learn from industry leaders, explore the latest trends and connect with other likeminded organisations to help with fostering creativity to equal the playing field for us all”.
Texthelp
Texthelp’s inclusive software is designed to support an entire workforce of diverse individuals. Its reading and writing tools help neurodiverse and multilingual teams thrive, whilst its digital inclusion software, supports organisations to communicate simply, clearly and accessibly for all.
Cathy Donnelly, Chief People Officer at Texthelp explains: “This is the perfect time for The MAD World Festival because we’re witnessing a crucial moment at the intersection of DE&I, employee wellbeing and the evolving needs of today’s workforce. Over the past year, we’ve seen significant shifts in how businesses approach inclusion, particularly around neurodiversity. As hybrid and remote work models become the norm, DE&I can no longer be treated as an afterthought or a “nice to have”—it’s now a core business imperative”.
“At Texthelp, we’re excited to contribute to this discussion, particularly around neurodiversity. We aim to support organisations in recognising the strategic advantages of neuroinclusive environments, where every employee can reach their full potential and contribute their unique perspectives and skills to the workplace”.
Thriiver – Gold Sponsor
Thriiver, a Gold Sponsor of the DE&I Summit, help organisations build neuroinclusive teams by supporting employers through the entire employee life cycle, covering recruitment, retention, and employee progression. They believe that it is the perfect time for MAD World as organisations will be looking at their plans to incorporate EDI strategies for 2025. They hope to network at the event and raise awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace.
The key message they would like attendees to take away is the business advantage of creating a neuro-inclusive culture in the workplace, and how with the right support these individuals can flourish.
Lawrence Howard and Emma Owen from Thriiver will be presenting a session during the DE&I Summit focused on “Creating complementary teams, cohesion, and longevity”.
You can find out more about all the different elements of the MAD World Festival of Workplace Culture, Employee Health and Wellbeing here and register with a 50% discount using code MAD50 here.
Employers who are eligible to join the Make A Difference Leaders’ Club benefit from cost-price attendance of the Summit. You can find out more about the Leaders’ Club and apply to join here.
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