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2025 September Symposium

Advocating for Your Office and the Ombuds Role

Save the date: 30 September 2025

 

Registration Rates

  • Members: $275.00
  • Student & Retired Members: $150.00
  • Non-Members: $475.00

Schedule

Tuesday, 30 September Session
9:15 AM - 10:00 AM ET

Coffee Keynote: ROI of Ombuds Programs - Examples from the Corporate Sector

This presentation will provide conference attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the ROI of Ombuds programs and equip them with the tools to advocate for their implementation in their own organizations. We invite conference attendees to join us in exploring the transformative potential of Ombuds programs. By recognizing and quantifying their value, organizations can foster more resilient and adaptive workplaces, ultimately driving success in an ever-evolving landscape.
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Developing Relationships and Allies

Developing relationships in your organization is critical not just for effectiveness, but for survivability. Hear from four seasoned ombuds who work and have worked in different sectors on how they approach relationship development and how developing positive relationships creates allies for you and your office.
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM ET Navigating Relationships and Outreach in Light of the SOPs
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM ET Why Is It So Hard to Advocate for Our Roles? Imposter Syndrome and Ombuds
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM ET Social/Small Group Conversations
1:15 PM - 1:45 PM ET

Ready, Set, Go! Getting Your Advocacy Toolbox Set

It's always better to have an emergency plan in place before an emergency hits. That's why the IOA's Advocacy Committee has prepared several toolkits to help you address and triage issues that come up, like litigation holds. Hear from our Advocacy Committee Co-Chairs who will go over the various toolkits and resources available.
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM ET Keynote: General Counsel/Human Resources Roundtable
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM ET

Surviving Organizational Change

Change is the only constant so surviving organization change is a daily reality for ombuds and their visitors. How should ombuds approach, plan for, and address change as independent, neutral offices? Hear from four ombuds who have survived and thrived when both internal and external forces impacted their organizations and their offices.
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM ET

Using Data from the Practice Survey and Your Survey to Support Your Advocacy

Data collection and analysis are critical tools to help explain our impact and value and to help defend our offices. What should we focus on? And how could we use data to effectively describe our role? How could we use data to help advocate for our offices if we are under threat? How can storytelling and using data about our most significant cases help? There are no two better ombuds to deliver our closing plenary. Learn from their years of expertise using data to effectively advocate for ombuds offices.

 

 

Past September Symposiums: 

2024 IOA September Symposium: Organization as Visitor

2023 IOA September Symposium: Ombuds as Change Agents: Ombuds Intersections in the Modern World