The Opportunity
WP Engine wanted a meaningful diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging experience for leaders attending its annual leadership summit. The aim was to move beyond awareness and create space for reflection, empathy and practical behaviour change.
With just 2.25 hours — and a hybrid audience of in-person and virtual participants — the opportunity was both focused and ambitious. Together with WP Engine’s DEI Lead, Emerging World sought to create a shared experience that felt personal, relevant and catalytic for leaders across the organization.
The Journey
Emerging World co-designed a focused hybrid session for approximately 200 leaders. Senior leaders opened the session by reinforcing inclusion as a shared leadership responsibility at the heart of performance and culture at WP Engine.
Leaders took part in guided exercises exploring identity and how power, privilege and interconnectedness shape workplace dynamics. Structured discussions created space for processing, reflection and dialogue.
A panel of leaders shared lived experiences and examples of allyship from managers and colleagues, helping ground the conversation in practical realities.
The session concluded with a collective call to action from senior leadership.
The Transformation
Leaders left clearer on their role in building belonging every day. They reported a deeper understanding of their own influence and a renewed commitment to building trust, allyship and belonging within their teams.
Many expressed their intention to cascade the learning, strengthening inclusive leadership practices across the organization and linking belonging to high performance.
On a scale of 1–5, 83% of respondents rated the session a 4 or higher. It was ranked among the top three sessions of the two-day Leadership Summit — a strong signal that when inclusion is approached with honesty and intention, it resonates.
More importantly, leaders left with a clearer sense of their role in shaping culture — and a shared responsibility to turn insight into action.
