Employee/Industrial Relations
ER/IR Network Webinar: Employment Rights Act: Getting Ahead
Wednesday 4 February, 12.00 – 13.00 GMT
Is your organisation prepared for the most significant and far-reaching piece of employment legislation for decades?
As the Employment Rights Bill has received Royal Assent and become an Act, CRF’s ER/IR Network has launched exclusive research on the approaches companies are taking to its implementation.
This one-hour session will explore:
- The why of the ERB and the factors that got us to this point
- The main points of the ERB
- The four distinct strategies employers are developing in response
- Next steps for companies in implementing the ERB
As part of the ER/IR network offering, it provides valuable insight to act confidently in this rapidly evolving landscape and prepare your organisation to prepare for the ERB.
We are opening this ER/IR event on an exclusive basis to non-members; register now to secure your spot.
Who is this event for?
- HR and ER Leaders
- Legal Advisors
- Anyone managing Employee Relations or navigating Industrial Relations disputes
Speakers
John Whelan MBE
Director, CRF
John Whelan is a Director at Corporate Research Forum. Formerly UK HR Director of BAE Systems, the FTSE 100 defence, security, and aerospace company, John’s experience and strengths lie in business and HR Transformation, Organisation Development and Employee Relations. Prior to joining BAE, he held a variety of HR roles in engineering, technology and manufacturing businesses across the telecommunications and semi-conductor industries including Matra-Marconi Space where he was HR Director for the UK and, latterly, Group HRD.
Kevin Rowan
Director of Dispute Resolution, Acas
Kevin Rowan joined Acas as Director of Dispute Resolution in March 2025. Prior to this, he was Head of Organisation and Services at the Trade Union Congress, responsible for trade union renewal, public services and transport policy, regional policy, workplace learning and the TUC’s extensive programme of workplace representative training.
Kevin has had many non-executive director roles over his career, including being a member of Acas Council, representing the interests of workers, collaborating with other board members to tackle issues such as HSE effectiveness, inclusion, L&D and equality and diversity.
Clare Ward
Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
Clare is a Partner at Eversheds Sutherland. She supports employers in all employment matters whilst focusing on Labour Relations and Employee Wellbeing. Clare carried out her training contract in-house with the Co-operative Insurance Society. She qualified in 2003 with a trade union firm and spent four years acting for trade unions and their members, gaining valuable experience and insight before joining Eversheds Sutherland in 2007.
Clare now spends her time helping employers define their trade union relationships and providing critical support if relationships breakdown.
She drafts collective agreements as part of helping clients review their relationships.
Clare supports restructuring and TUPE exercises where careful management of the trade union relationship can be crucial. Clare also defends failure to provide information claims, I&C complaints, unlawful inducements claims. Clare advises strategically when employers are faced with industrial action and has obtained industrial action injunctions.
Clare leads the relationship with a number of clients predominately from the transport, manufacturing and education sectors.
Clare has gained significant experience supporting employers in their employee wellbeing agendas and presents on various wellbeing subjects both publicly and in-house.
Employee and Industrial Relations Network
The Employee Relations (ER) and Industrial Relations (IR) network builds on CRF’s 30+ year track record of enhancing knowledge, capability and effectiveness in the HR function by recognising the issues, challenges and opportunities directly related to this specialist area.
