Anthropy 2025: Hope for the future in a time of chaos 

News

I’ve had a chance to reflect since my return from Anthropy 2025, the third of these special gatherings of leaders from all sectors of British industry and endeavour. 

At the Eden Project in Cornwall, I was one of 2,000 passionate individuals asking big, urgent questions about the future of the country - and how we should get there. 

Despite it taking place during a chaotic period marked by economic, geopolitical and environmental uncertainty, Anthropy buzzed with energy, compassion and a shared vision for something better. 

Leadership and long-term thinking were central themes, with the bemoaning of short-term political, economic and environmental cycles. Any solutions here will require a mixture of courage, complexity and vision. 

The environment was understandably front and centre, with agreement that we can’t build a prosperous future without valuing the planet we live on. But to address any such issues requires skills and innovation, on which the UK continues to lag. Did you know that the UK invests half as much in education and technology as our European neighbours? We’re not equipping all people with the skills to thrive, and artificial intelligence is only going to exacerbate the situation. 

Infrastructure and regulation also came to the fore. While the UK has made real progress on renewables, this is seen as having happened almost by accident. Strategy, investment and stability will be required to go further, with any future regulation about enabling purpose-driven growth rather than stifling it. 

As your representative at this event, I was struck by just how much IWFM members are ideally placed to be at the centre of so much of the work ahead. 

It’s WFM professionals who can both lead and support in the introduction of schemes to bolster compassion, fairness and opportunity within and beyond the organisations we support. And it’s WFM professionals who can play their part through skills and training and the underpinning of innovative schemes to boost this country’s productivity in so many sustainable and meaningful ways. 

I think of our search for new non-executive directors to ensure we deliver maximum value for all members. I think of the Strategic Leaders Forum, and the Leader of the Year category at this year’s Impact Awards, who leverage years of experience to create sustainable solutions. I think of the potential of a fresh cohort of volunteers, mentoring and so much more. How the community benefits, what it contributes and the ways it drives change.  

Anthropy wasn’t just about the problems, it was about the possibilities. In this country we have the people, ideas and energy to create meaningful change - but I would argue that nowhere is this combination of attributes so abundant as in our sector. From the experience of our Strategic Leaders Forum members to the pure energy and aspiration of our Rising FMs through to our expert-led Special Interest Groups we have a strong core of positively minded professionals perfectly placed to rise to these challenges. 

What’s more, our 2025 Market Outlook Survey report will talk about how optimism is well and truly alive in WFM - a spirit of possibility we can all take into this work. 

As we at IWFM develop the next stage of our own strategy, I shall take from this year’s Anthropy event that the future is ours to shape - let’s not miss the moment. 

Linda Hausmanis

IWFM CEO