From Passion Projects to Strategic Partners: A Conversation with ERG Blueprint Co-Chair Ajay Mistry
As Co-Chair of iCAN (the Insurance Cultural Awareness Network), Ajay Mistry has spent over a decade advising organisations on employee resource groups (ERGs), inclusion strategy and leadership. With expectations of ERGs now higher than ever, he’s now launching the ERG Blueprint Conference.
We spoke with Ajay about why this moment matters, what’s changed in the ERG landscape, and what leaders can expect to take away.
Ajay, you’ve spent years advising organisations on ERGs and inclusion. Why did you feel now was the right moment to create the ERG Blueprint Conference? What’s changed in the ERG landscape that made this necessary?
I think ERGs have really grown up.
When I was an ERG leader about ten years ago, a lot of the focus was on community, awareness, belonging and making people feel heard. Those things still matter, but in 2026 the expectations are much higher. ERGs are now far more outcomes driven.
They’re being treated much more like business units. You’re expected to have goals, deliver results and demonstrate impact. If you don’t, budgets get cut and focus shifts elsewhere. Accountability is significantly higher than it used to be.
What we’ve also noticed is that while there’s a lot of talk in the industry, there’s much less practical support being passed down. When I was a network leader, we constantly learned from one another through workshops, events and peer networks. That’s dropped off.
There aren’t enough practical, repeatable models out there anymore - things people can actually take back into their organisations and use. The ERG Blueprint Conference is about cutting through the fluff and focusing on how ERGs really operate, influence and deliver impact today.
You’ve described ERGs as moving from passion projects to strategic partners. What’s the biggest mindset shift ERG leaders and organisations need to make to unlock real impact?
You must run your ERG like a business.
That means having a strategy, a plan, a stakeholder map, priorities and clear ways to measure success, exactly like you would in your day job. Too many ERGs still focus heavily on engagement and awareness without tying their work to what the business actually needs.
The key shift is asking: What are the organisation’s goals, and how does our ERG actively help deliver them? Once you can answer that, buy-in becomes much easier.
Executive sponsors are critical here. That relationship has to be treated as a true partnership, not just a title. You need clear expectations on both sides; what support you need, what they can offer and how you’ll work together. Without that clarity, sponsorship becomes symbolic rather than impactful.
The most successful ERGs are the ones that bring structure, role clarity and consistency into how they operate.
Many ERG leaders are doing powerful work but feel stretched, under-resourced or unheard. What problem is this Conference specifically designed to solve for them?
A lot of ERG leaders are incredibly busy, but also completely stuck. They’re putting in huge effort and goodwill, but their committees aren’t aligned, the business strategy keeps shifting, budgets are unclear and their day job is competing for attention.
That’s not how you’d run a team at work, so why should it be acceptable for an ERG?
The ERG Blueprint Conference is designed to give leaders practical tools, templates and ways of working. Not just ideas, but things they can actively apply. Just as important, it gives them access to a peer network.
Many ERG challenges are shared challenges so – when ERG leaders connect, exchange experiences and learn what’s worked elsewhere, confidence grows. Consistency can then follow, which in turn builds trust, credibility and influence.
This Conference brings ERG leaders, executive sponsors and practitioners into the same room. Why is that cross-role and cross-industry mix so important right now?
Because everyone tends to come to this work from a different perspective, but the goals are usually very similar. ERG leaders, executive sponsors, HR, and D&I practitioners all wake up with different pressures, but they’re trying to solve the same problems.
The ERG Blueprint Conference is about getting everyone aligned on outcomes, rather than stuck in silos focused on why something can’t be done.
Cross-industry learning is especially powerful. Different sectors face similar barriers, whether it is budget, senior buy-in, certainty etc. but they solve them in different ways. Learning from those approaches helps ERG leaders avoid unnecessary trial and error.
When you connect with people who share your mission, barriers drop quickly. These aren’t just networking relationships; they’re working relationships that help move things forward faster.
For organisations questioning the value of ERGs in today’s economic or political climate, what’s the risk of not investing in them strategically?
The biggest risk is burnout. If organisations don’t invest strategically, ERG leaders burn out, and when that happens, credibility, momentum and trust disappear. That has a direct impact on underrepresented communities who rely on ERGs as safe spaces and support networks.
ERGs contribute hugely to employee experience, culture, retention and talent development. They enrich the workplace and make organisations places where people want to stay.
There’s also wasted potential. ERGs are powerful tools for insight, engagement and leadership development. When they’re unsupported, all that value is lost.
And finally, ERGs can’t rely on individuals alone. People leave. Without the right infrastructure, succession planning and strategic foundations, everything disappears when one leader steps away.
If someone attends the ERG Blueprint Conference and applies what they learn, what do you hope will be different about how their ERG operates six months from now?
They’ll have a realistic strategy they can run alongside their day job.
They’ll be measuring impact more effectively, telling stronger stories with evidence and focusing on outcomes rather than activity. They’ll also be using senior leaders more intentionally to move work forward.
Just as importantly, they’ll leave with a network of people outside their organisation they can continue to learn from, problem-solve with and grow alongside. That ongoing community is a huge part of long-term success.
Finally, if you could challenge ERG leaders with one question to reflect on before attending the Conference, what would it be?
Are you filling your ERG time with busy work - or are you genuinely focused on delivering outcomes?
If you looked back at everything you’ve done, could you confidently say you delivered impact? Or would you make different decisions if you were more outcome-focused?
That reflection is often the starting point for real change; and exactly why this Conference exists.
Why This Is a Day Worth Investing In
ERG leaders are already giving their time, energy and expertise, often on top of demanding day jobs. What many organisations don’t provide is the structure, capability and strategic clarity that allows that effort to translate into real, sustainable impact.
The ERG Blueprint Conference is a rare opportunity to step out of day-to-day delivery and spend one focused day strengthening the foundations that make ERGs successful long term.
This isn’t a motivational event. It’s a working day.
Attendees leave with:
- Clear, practical frameworks for running ERGs with structure and purpose
- A stronger understanding of how to align ERG activity to business priorities
- Tools to measure impact, build credibility and secure senior buy-in
- A trusted peer network of ERG leaders, executive sponsors and practitioners they can continue to learn from long after the event
Sending your ERG leads, committee members or executive sponsors isn’t a cost - it’s an investment in:
- Stronger leadership capability
- Reduced burnout and increased sustainability
- ERGs that deliver outcomes, not just activity
- A more engaged, resilient and inclusive workforce
One day spent building the strategy, success and network behind your ERGs can save months of inefficiency, frustration and rework.
If you want your ERG to evolve from passion to power…
Join us at the ERG Blueprint Conference.
Learn the systems, strategies, governance models, and leadership tools that turn ERGs into engines of long-term, measurable cultural change.
Buy your ticket today and take the next step toward building an ERG that changes culture for good.