From Charity Sector to Corporate Impact — Emma Connor on Purpose, Inclusion, and Partnership
Emma Connor spent over 13 years working with some of the UK's most recognised charities before making the move into the corporate world. We sat down with her to hear about what drives her work at SThree, why the partnership with Aleto matters, and what she believes it takes to make inclusion more than a statement of intent.
A Career Shaped by Meaningful Change
Emma's career has always been driven by a single ambition: to create change that genuinely matters. She spent more than 13 years working in the charity sector, with household names including Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research UK, and Make-A-Wish UK. Across that time, she held a wide range of roles — from events to philanthropy — before leading a team of fundraisers. It was this breadth of experience that sparked a deeper interest in ESG and the potential for purposeful collaboration between charities and corporate organisations.
In 2024, Emma made the move into the corporate world. When the opportunity at SThree came up, she recognised it as the right fit. "I had plenty to learn," she reflects, "but I was excited by the challenge." At SThree, Emma leads on volunteering and inclusivity as part of the ESG team — working alongside internal colleagues and external partners to deliver programmes that empower underrepresented communities, support inclusive hiring practices, and embed a culture of purpose across the company's global offices.
My career has always been driven by a passion for creating meaningful change. When the opportunity at SThree came up, I knew it was a great fit — I was excited by the challenge.
The Challenge: Moving from Intention to Action
Ask Emma what she sees as the biggest challenge in purpose and inclusion work today, and her answer is direct: the gap between commitment and sustained action. Many organisations genuinely want to embed inclusive values — but making those values visible in everyday decision-making, culture, and strategy takes significant time, resource, and accountability.
She is equally clear that inclusion efforts need to be thoughtful and intersectional — recognising the complexity of people's identities rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. "We need to continuously listen, learn, and adapt," she says. "Static approaches don't serve people well, and they don't serve organisations well either."
It's not enough to rely on static or one-size-fits-all approaches. We need to continuously listen, learn, and adapt — and we need to be honest about where we are falling short.
Why SThree Chose to Partner with Aleto
For SThree, the decision to partner with Aleto was rooted in alignment. Aleto's mission — to empower young leaders from underrepresented backgrounds — maps directly onto SThree's own commitment to inclusivity and to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the talent available.
What drew SThree in was Aleto's holistic approach. "It's not just about career development," Emma explains. "It's about confidence, leadership, and networks — all the things that shape whether someone truly feels they belong in a professional space." That whole-person approach is what makes the partnership meaningful rather than transactional.
The Partnership in Practice
The collaboration between SThree and Aleto has taken several forms over the years — from supporting interview preparation processes and delivering workshops for Aleto delegates, to hosting alumni events. Emma is candid about how the partnership has landed internally: the enthusiasm from SThree's own people has been a highlight in itself. Volunteering opportunities with Aleto are snapped up quickly, which says something about the culture the organisation is building.
For Emma personally, one moment stands out. Earlier in 2025, she delivered an in-person workshop in London — working directly with delegates on interview skills and watching their confidence grow across the session. "My colleagues and I left feeling genuinely energised," she recalls. The session was rated as impactful by every participant.
The upcoming hosting of an Aleto alumni event marks another milestone — a chance to celebrate what the partnership has built and to deepen SThree's connection with the Aleto community beyond the programme itself.
Meeting the delegates, supporting them with interview skills, and seeing their confidence grow was incredibly rewarding. We left feeling energised — and we were thrilled that the session was rated as impactful by every participant.
Looking Ahead
Emma's vision for the future of the SThree and Aleto partnership is one of growing depth and reach. Beyond continuing to support the leadership programmes, she sees potential to expand into mentoring and reverse mentoring — creating connections that benefit both Aleto alumni and SThree's own people in equal measure.
Ultimately, the goal is straightforward: to contribute to a more inclusive workforce where diverse talent is not just present, but genuinely thriving and leading. "We want Aleto alumni to feel supported long after their initial engagement with us," Emma says. "And we want to keep building something that's genuinely meaningful — for them, and for us."