What if work could be more than just a paycheck? What if it could be a force for belonging, dignity, and social transformation?

For too long, work has been viewed through a narrow economic lens—measured by productivity, performance, and profit. But in her bold and visionary new book The Work We Need: A 21st Century Imagining, Hilary Cottam flips the script. She sees work as a cultural force—one that shapes our lives, our communities, and our future.

Hilary Cottam, award-winning social entrepreneur and author, sits down at The Conduit for a powerful conversation on how we can rethink work in the face of today’s biggest challenges—from the rise of AI to the climate crisis to deep social inequality. Drawing on real stories from across the UK and US, and informed by years of radical listening, design-led research, and community collaboration, Cottam shares hopeful, human-centred ideas for a new work revolution.

Event Schedule

6:00pm: Pre-event socialising and networking

A cash bar will be available for refreshments.

6:15pm: Event begins

7:30pm: Event ends

Speakers:

Hilary Cottam is an internationally acclaimed social activist whose work in Britain and with communities around the world has focused on collaborative and affordable solutions to some of the greatest social challenges of our time. Her first book Radical Help was hailed as ‘mind-shifting’ by David Brooks in the New York Times and has been translated internationally. Awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to the welfare state, Hilary has been recognised by Fast Company in the US for her pioneering creativity and by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader. Hilary’s TED talk has had close to a million views. www.hilarycottam.com

Edie Lush is an award-winning journalist, an events MC and a communication trainer. She hosts events around the world — from the World Economic Forum in Davos to the COP Climate Summits. She has hosted several podcasts including Global GoalsCast, made in collaboration with the United Nations. She has been the Economics and Political correspondent for Bloomberg Television, a columnist at The Week magazine and the Associate Editor of Spectator Business magazine. Her work has appeared in many publications including Prospect, the Spectator and the BBC. She runs her own business providing senior Leaders, Influencers, Academics and Executives with Communication training — focusing now on increasing impact in both online and in person appearances.