Bond Conference and Awards

Our annual conference brings together over a thousand diverse professionals and leading thinkers from across the international development and humanitarian sectors over two days. The event includes the Bond International Development Awards, which celebrate the sector’s inspiring people and achievements.

Next year's conference will be held on 18-19 March 2019 in London.

Book for 2019

Raise your brand's profile by sponsoring or exhibiting at the 2019 conference and awards. Find out more. 

2018 highlights from Europe's biggest international development event


Keynote speakers: we had speeches from secretary of state for international development Penny Mordaunt, girls' rights advocate Memory Banda, CNN correspondent Arwa Damon, environmental activist Vandana Shiva, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka commissioner Ambika Satkunanathan, communications expert Patricia Mouamar and journalist Andrew Mwenda.

Highlights video: see highlights from the conference and the awards on Youtube.

Photos: see photos from both days on Flickr.

Social media: see highlights and conversations about #bondconf on Twitter, or check out our highlights of day 1 and day 2.

Speakers

  • Shabnam Amini
    Shabnam is the fundraising, partnerships and communications director at CARE International UK.
  • Will Tucker
    Will Tucker
    Will is a communications and advocacy consultant.
  • Memory Banda
    Memory Banda
    21 year old Memory Banda is a leader for girls' rights in Malawi and around the world.
  • Areti Kampyli
    Areti Kampyli
    Areti Kampyli has founded multiple startups and currently works with Alice.
  • Rebecca Baron
    Rebecca Baron
    Rebecca is the social mission manager for Ben & Jerry’s, heading up their activism in the UK.
  • Gail Steeden
    Gail Steeden
    Gail is one of the founding partners of Humankind Research. She was previously worked as head of...
  • Rupert Younger
    Rupert Younger
    Rupert Younger is director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, which he...
  • Ruth Fuller
    Ruth Fuller
    International development policy adviser WWF-UK
  • Helen Alderson
    Helen Alderson
    Helen Alderson is head of ICRC's Mission in UK and Ireland.
  • Sarah Mistry
    Sarah Mistry
    Sarah is chief executive of the British Geriatrics Society. She was previously director of...
  • Harpinder Collacott
    Harpinder is the executive director of Development Initiatives.
  • Tim Boyes-Watson
    Tim Boyes-Watson
    Tim Boyes-Watson is the global director, alliances and advocacy, at Humentum, and was previously...
  • Kathy Peach
    Kathy Peach
    Kathy Peach is co-head of the Centre for Collective Intelligence Design at Nesta
  • Harriet Lamb
    Harriet has been the CEO of Ashden.
  • Graham MacKay
    Graham MacKay
    Graham MacKay is Bond’s chief operating officer.
  • Molly Anders
    Molly Anders
    Molly Anders is the research impact and engagement Lead and the interim partner consultant at...
  • Frances Longley
    Frances Longley
    Frances is former chief executive at ActionAid UK.
  • Deborah Doane
    Deborah Doane
    Deborah Doane is the director of the Funders' Initiative for Civil Society.

Sessions divided into six strands

Connect: strategic partnerships across different sectors to achieve your mission

Fund: funding, alternative financing and diversifying income from donors and government

Impact: adapting to political, environmental and demographic changes

Influence: the latest issues affecting policy, advocacy and campaigning  

Lead: effective leadership and strategy to drive your organisation forward

Operate: optimise processes and operations to make your organisation more effective 

View full programme

Sessions

Plenary session

Plenary session 2018 - Tuesday morning

This session will feature conflict communications expert Patricia Mouamar and CNN correspondent Arwa Damon.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 09:15 to 10:15

How blockchain is transforming development

Learn how this revolutionary technology works and what types of development projects it will add real value to.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 15:15 to 16:15

Surviving the fall of the UK NGO empire

Find out what skills your NGO needs to stay motivated and effective to deliver your mission in challenging times.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 10:45 to 12:15

Turning funding trends into income

Interpret funding trends and generate ideas for investing in new income areas.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 15:15 to 16:15

Stepping up to the current challenge

In this session, three speakers from large agencies will look at the implications of recent news stories for how we work and what needs to change.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 13:45 to 14:45

Collaborating with business for bang, not buck

Learn about businesses' key drivers for engaging with CSOs and how to translate these into achieving your mission.

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 14:15 to 15:15

The new leadership challenge

This interactive workshop will challenge you to think about your own leadership journey and how you need to change to meet the demands placed on today’s leader.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 15:15 to 16:15

Provocative visions for the future of livelihoods

Explore ideas for positive livelihoods and jobs by considering trends such as automation, the rise of artificial intelligence, and resource scarcity.

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 14:15 to 15:15

Managing complexity II: practical approaches to transforming your organisation

This session explores three areas of an organisation that are crucial for creating an adaptive and agile organisation, namely strategic finance, te

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 14:15 to 15:15

Managing complexity I: building resilient and sustainable organisations

Find out how agile approaches will help you bring about more flexible operations that respond to changes in the sector.

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 11:15 to 12:45

Is there any impact in impact investing?

Hear from organisations who are using impact investment to grow their organisation and boost their impact.

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 14:15 to 15:15

How to raise funds from a sceptical public

Find out what organisations have been doing to increase their public fundraising at this panel session.

 

 

Mon, 02/26/2018 - 11:15 to 12:45

Surviving the fall of the UK NGO empire

Find out what skills your NGO needs to stay motivated and effective to deliver your mission in challenging times.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 10:45 to 12:15

Stepping up to the current challenge

In this session, three speakers from large agencies will look at the implications of recent news stories for how we work and what needs to change.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 13:45 to 14:45

Making Brexit deliver for development

Join experts to create a list of critical interventions to ensure Brexit brings about the best outcomes for development.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 10:45 to 12:15

Delivering the Paris agreement

In this session, experts from civil society, HMG, and the private sector discuss the “package” needed to deliver the Paris Agreement on climate change.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 15:15 to 16:15
Plenary session

Plenary session 2018 - Tuesday afternoon

This session will feature girls' rights advocate Memory Banda and her inspiring personal story.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 16:15 to 17:00

Meet the press

Hear the media talk about their views on humanitarian hot topics and development debates.

 

 

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 15:15 to 16:15

Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities

As Europe’s leading event for the international development sector, the Bond Conference is an unrivalled sponsorship and exhibition opportunity. Click here for further information on being involved.

Partners

Cigna is a global health insurance provider dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security.

Perrett Laver is a global executive search firm finding exceptional leaders within non-profits, civil society, education, research and healthcare institutions.

 

StoneX logo

StoneX specialises in transferring funds to the emerging markets and complex countries.

Western Union Business logo

Western Union Business Solutions partners with customers to offer solutions that help organisations improve cross-border cash flow and international growth

Main sponsor

Other sponsors and partners

Birches Group is a specialised consultancy whose core business is labour market surveys in developing countries.

Drinks reception sponsor

Bridge Insurance Brokers

Bridge Specialist Risks are the London based team of Bridge Insurance Brokers and are principally focused on arranging insurance programmes for NGOs, charities, government departments, United Nations programmes and commercial companies undertaking operations in hazardous environments.

Programme booklet sponsor

Business Fights Poverty logo

Business Fights Poverty energises meaningful collaboration around specific Challenges to harness the social impact of business. 

Supporting partner

D.A.I

DAI is a global development company working on the frontlines of international development consulting.

Notepads and pens sponsor

Devex logo

Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

Media partner

Diversity Travel is a travel management company that provides unparalleled service, unique technology and specialist fares to the charity and not-for-profit communities. 


Refreshments sponsor

Donor Tracker

The Donor Tracker is an independent, free website and mobile app that seeks to advance global development by providing advocates with easy access to high-quality quantitative and qualitative strategic information to support their work.

Fund strand sponsor

Islamic Relief is an independent NGO that responds to disasters and emergencies, promoting sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities.


Small member sponsor

 

Key Travel is a global Travel Management Company specialising in the humanitarian, faith and education sectors. 

International Development Awards sponsor
Penny Appeal

Established in 2009, Penny Appeal is a humanitarian charity, working in over 30 countries worldwide. The charity provides aid to support nations crippled by on-going crises.

Conference sponsor

SciDev.Net

SciDev.Net is the world’s leading source of reliable and authoritative news, views and analysis about science and technology for global development.

Media partner

Donkey Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare

The Donkey Sanctuary works to transform the quality of life for donkeys, mules and people worldwide. World Horse Welfare is committed to improving thousands of working equids’ lives and their owners’ livelihoods.

Influence strand sponsor

Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation acts to promote the highest standards in journalism and spread the practice of legal pro bono worldwide.

Media partner

Exhibition

NITCO

NISSAN TRADING is the official Nissan and Renault vehicle supplier to International Aid and Development agencies.

Open Society Foundations

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to criticism, whose laws and policies are open to debate and correction, and whose political institutions are open to the participation of all people.

NGO Online

NGO Online is a cloud-based program, project and grant management IT solution specifically designed for international humanitarian and development NGOs. 

Practical Action Publishing

Practical Action Publishing has been distributing and publishing books and journals on international relief and development policy and practice since 1974.

Blue Water Shipping

Blue Water Shipping assists in the Aid & Development Logistics projects along with the many humanitarian aid organizations and their partners to improving and saving lives wherever needed.

Big Plastic Modular Building Blocks for creating anything in the Office, Retail, Events, Exhibitions, Home, Garden & for Play.

RNLI

Since 2012, the RNLI has been working internationally to share learning and experience to reduce drowning, especially those in low and middle income countries in Asia and Africa, which carry the greatest drowning burden. 

Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger's MEL Services works to improve the NGO sector’s ability to learn, adapt, and change efficiently and effectively by supporting programmes and organisations in generating, managing and disseminating their knowledge.

Imres

Imres strives to make a difference by supplying high quality and affordably priced pharmaceuticals, medical consumables, hospital equipment and medical kits. 

Al-Khair Foundation is a UK-based international NGO that provides humanitarian aid and disaster relief to those in the world’s most deprived areas.

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Location

Queen Elizabeth II Centre
Broad Sanctuary
Westminster, London
SW1P 3EE