Vulnerability Week UK 2025
T.R.U.S.T
23 - 27 June 2025
#VulnerabilityWeek2025
What is Vulnerability Week?
Following the success of the inaugural Vulnerability Week in 2024, we are thrilled to unveil plans for Vulnerability Week 2025. This year’s theme will centre around trust, with a special focus on helping businesses foster greater trust within their vulnerable customer demographic and beyond.
About Vulnerability Week 2025
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Vulnerability Week 2025 is dedicated to sharing insights and best practices across industries to help businesses create stronger, more empathetic connections with customers who have additional needs. The goal is to guide businesses in cultivating trust through transparency, empathy, and understanding, ensuring that vulnerable customers feel respected and supported at all touchpoints.
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Our Mission
Our mission for Vulnerability Week is to help businesses demonstrate how they can build trust by:
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Transparency: Opening lines of communication to ensure clarity
and understanding.
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Empathy: Developing an approach that reflects genuine concern
for the needs of vulnerable customers.
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Understanding: Offering solutions that respect the unique
challenges faced by these individuals.
By raising awareness of the barriers vulnerable customers face and the mechanisms that can be used to overcome these, we aim to inspire positive change. Vulnerability Week will encourage businesses, employees, and individuals to create safe and accessible spaces where trust is not only earned but actively nurtured. Through collaboration and meaningful action, we will strengthen the importance of trust as the foundation for empowering vulnerable customers and fostering lasting, positive relationships.
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Why Participate?
By participating in Vulnerability Week 2025, your business will demonstrate a commitment to ensuring all vulnerable customers feel:
• Valued
• Respected • Supported
Through transparency, understanding, and inclusive action, businesses will play an essential role in creating environments where vulnerable customers are treated with dignity and care. We look forward to working together to make Vulnerability Week 2025 a landmark event for driving positive, lasting change in customer relationships.
Programme for Vulnerability Week UK 2025
The below sessions will be hosted as webinars online via zoom unless stated otherwise. The Vulnerability Summit and Charity Walk will be in-person events.
Monday 23 June 2025
Transparency
When businesses are open about their practices, policies, pricing, and any potential risks, it reduces confusion and empowers customers to make decisions based on clear, honest information. This sense of openness and honesty not only strengthens the relationship but also demonstrates a commitment to ethical practices, fostering long-term trust and confidence in the business, especially for those who may already feel uncertain or at risk.
Creating a safe disclosure environment - 10am - 10.45am via Zoom
Case Study from Elizabeth Blakelock, Accessibility & Inclusion Manager and Kate Graham, Process Manager - Vulnerability, Accessibility, Inclusion & Bereavements, Monzo Bank
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/w8n1J-KbT9WJyGEmKlGnXA
Transparency on data sharing and how it helps customers - 11am - 11.45am via Zoom
Case Study from Ren Hooi, Founder & CEO, Lightning Reach
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Nr2DSd8rTIu69-u8RacUaw
The importance of clear communications to build trust - 2pm - 2.45pm via Zoom
Panel Discussion with Plain Numbers and Guests
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KflvbRLyRT60sGyHaMrXhQ
Tuesday 24 June 2025
Respect
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Respect plays a vital role in building trust with vulnerable customers, as it creates an environment where they feel valued. When businesses demonstrate empathy and treat customers with respect, it encourages open communication and confidence, allowing customers to feel more comfortable engaging with the business and sharing their needs or concerns.
Building trust through partnerships - 10am - 10.45am via Zoom
Case Study from Mike Rees, Corporate Partnerships Manager and Adam Whiteley, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Independent Age
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/c7SCXebzQniFGhBtLT6jmQ
Supporting colleagues to understand and respect customers situations using innovative approaches - 11am - 11.45am via Zoom
Case Study from Elephants Don’t Forget
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fMWHc-IwQMa5F7CoFhRL3g
Vulnerability strategy - where do we go from here? - 2pm - 2.45pm via Zoom
Fireside chat led by Chris Fitch, Vulnerability Lead, Money Advice Trust
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rbmV392iSNqCIAJBbPWy3A
Wednesday 25 June 2025
Understanding
Understanding your customers and their needs is vital to keeping their trust. Through partnerships with other organisations, continuously improving products and services based on need, equipping your colleagues with the appropriate skills and knowledge through training and utilising your data effectively, you can continuing to build a culture of trust between your customers, colleagues and business.
Vulnerability Summit, In-Person Conference, 9am – 4.15pm
BSI offices,
Kitemark Court,
Davy Avenue, Knowlhill,
Milton Keynes, MK5 8PP
Thursday 26 June 2025
Support
Providing the appropriate support to customers is key to gaining and keeping their trust. For example, onmi-channel contact options that can be switched between seamlessly, and are reflective of the needs of your customer base, are essential.
Providing support for customers during challenging times - 10am - 10.45am via Zoom
Case Study from Sam Gale, Training & Engagement Programme Lead, Samaritans
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/HpNZ88EPSeqcDq-bBKKO5A
Supporting customers using the right communication channels - 11am - 11.45am via Zoom
Insights from DeafPlus Pilot
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1ahUrIaKQ-i8BiSejRuLXA
Behaviour insights: why people who don’t use digital channels perceive it isn’t for them, and how to overcome these barriers -2pm - 2.45pm via Zoom
Research insights from Cambridge University and Cambridge Connect
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/hqyw-gQ2RXCYxmB3g8FD9g
Friday 27 June 2025
Tailoring
Customer trust can be gained through designing services and support which meet their needs. This can be partly achieved through inclusive design, but although through utilising data and feedback on an on-going basis to continue to enhance services, support and products offered to customers.
We will be completing a charity walk along the River Thames to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society. The walk will follow the Thames Path from Richmond to Battersea Park. We would be delighted to have you joining us for the day. Please let us know and we will share the full information if you are interested. If you would like to sponsor us, please visit our fundraising page.
How Can you Promote Vulnerability Week?
We are encouraging everyone to use LinkedIn during Vulnerability Week to share what they are up to and how their company is supporting the initiative. When doing so, don’t forget to tag @CollaborationNetwork and use the #VulnerarbilityWeek2025.
To help you post, we have created a template below which you may want to use [click to download].
Be sure to let others know you are getting involved in the week!
What Next?
Let us know how your organisation got involved, the changes you will be making and your learnings from the Week. We want to hear the action you are taking on the back of the participating in Vulnerability Week so that we can share best practice. If you want to be involved in this, or want more information on other sessions the Network is running, please reach out to Jess for more information.