International Women's Day
- Workplace culture expert and founder of The Culture Partnership
- Creator of the SERN™ Framework for cultural transformation
- TEDx speaker and author of Culture Blooming
Abi Adamson is the founder of The Culture Partnership and creator of the SERN™ Framework, helping organizations build workplaces where employees thrive. She ranks as one of the UK's top workplace culture experts by Favikon and earned recognition as a LinkedIn Thought Leader by The New York Times.
Abi delivered her TEDx talk "Who Owns Culture?" in 2025 and authored Culture Blooming: Nurturing Workplaces Where People Grow, published by Berrett-Koehler in 2026. She has partnered with organizations worldwide, including Google, Spotify, and Sony Music, providing leaders with practical frameworks for workplace transformation.
In her sessions, Abi guides leaders through the difficult conversations that create lasting cultural change. Her lived experience as a Black woman navigating corporate environments gives her insights that no textbook can teach and her easy-going approach means people actually look forward to doing the hard work of culture change. Leaders walk away with the knowhow to shift from a mindset of cultural ownership to one of stewardship and create environments where everyone feels safe to take risks, challenge ideas, and admit mistakes, because that's where innovation lives.
Book Abi to move your organization from performative culture statements to genuine workplace transformation that drives retention and performance.
Abi's showreel and videos
Topics, sessions and talks
The Art Of Difficult Conversations
Abi Adamson presents practical frameworks for navigating sensitive discussions on identity, equity, and belonging, emphasizing the importance of honest yet compassionate dialogue. Many leaders struggle with difficult conversations, often causing more harm than good. Abi's unique approach encourages leaders to invite participation instead of calling people out, ensuring uncomfortable truths are addressed while fostering an inclusive environment. Attendees will gain actionable strategies and the confidence to engage in tough conversations, ultimately driving meaningful change.
Who Owns Workplace Culture?
In this session, Abi Adamson discusses how the obsession with controlling workplace culture is detrimental to its growth. She argues that culture should be nurtured rather than dictated, as attempts to manage it often lead to poor results. Drawing from her TEDx talk and global consultancy, Abi encourages leaders to shift from ownership to stewardship. Attendees will learn how to empower their teams to actively shape culture, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive.
Growing Cultures Where People Thrive
Abi Adamson discusses the need to move beyond performative initiatives to foster environments where diverse talent truly thrives. Many organizations mistake activity for progress, implementing initiatives that fail to change the underlying culture. Through her SERN™ Framework, Abi reveals the gap between stated values and actual experiences, illustrating how culture functions as a living ecosystem. Attendees will learn practical tools to cultivate workplaces that fulfill their promises, enabling individuals to flourish rather than merely survive.
Psychological Safety In Practice
Abi Adamson discusses the importance of creating psychological safety in teams, emphasizing that it goes beyond being nice or conflict avoidance. She provides practical strategies for fostering environments where individuals can express themselves freely, take risks, and challenge ideas without fear. Attendees will learn actionable tools to shift their teams from self-protection to genuine contribution and growth, ultimately driving innovation within their organizations.
In this session, Abi Adamson shares how we can shift from passive support to active advocacy, highlighting that allyship is a commitment rather than a label. She argues that true allyship involves taking action, especially when it comes at a personal cost. Abi challenges attendees to transition from silent solidarity to visible, accountable advocacy, even in uncomfortable situations. Participants will gain a clear understanding of active allyship and learn how to build meaningful, impactful bridges across differences.
Why we recommend booking Abi
Abi Adamson brings real-world expertise and her proven SERN™ Framework to help leaders create workplaces where people thrive and innovation flourishes. Book Abi now to equip your team with actionable strategies for lasting cultural change and measurable results.
Trusted by Spotify, Sony Music, Match Group
Abi has been instrumental in bringing about change in the organisation I work for. She was able to create a safe space which allowed uncomfortable conversations to take place and to get the leadership team to hear about the unpleasant events that were happening to junior colleagues. Abi was able to get managers to understand why psychological safety is crucial in the office and to empower leaders to accept their responsibility in creating a psychologically safe space. Abi has helped my organisation to start the journey of visible diversity, equity and inclusion.
Abi led our team through a meaningful, spirited discussion on the origins of systemic racism, how it has impacted communities of color - particularly the Black community - and what direction we should take as allies moving forward. This workshop was a foundational one that everyone needed to hear, no matter how uncomfortable some of us felt. Please please please...if you are considering how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion to the forefront of your organization/team, speak to Abi. I cannot recommend The Diversity Partnership enough and their lifelong work to break down systemic racism and oppression.
It was one of the best work training sessions I've ever attended! Extremely engaging and full of insightful information. Abi has the ability to break down very complex topics in a simplified manner and answers questions in a non-judgemental manner, making everyone feel safe. I remember thinking How did she pack so much in so little time? Besides her razor-sharp intellect, one of Abi's best qualities is her positivity. One cannot be in her presence without feeling energised and uplifted. I highly recommend training by The Diversity Partnership for your workplace.
