As we approach the end of another exciting and successful year, LimeCulture would like to take a moment to express our  gratitude to our partners, clients, colleagues, and friends. Together, we’ve made 2024 a year of growth, innovation, and impact.

2024 has been a milestone year for LimeCulture, filled with opportunities to expand our reach, deepen our impact, and continue delivering exceptional training and consultancy services across sectors. From launching innovative initiatives to strengthening existing partnerships, this year’s achievements reflect our unwavering commitment to safeguarding and supporting those impacted by sexual violence and misconduct.

While it’s impossible to capture everything, here are some highlights that made 2024 exceptional:

• Partnering with Avon & Somerset Constabulary: Assisted in launching their specialist internal support service to provide specialist workplace support for officers and staff experiencing sexual misconduct or witnessing inappropriate behaviours. This specialist service was the first of its kind in policing and has since been adopted by Cheshire Constabulary. We will be working with other forces in 2025 to expand this internal model of specialist support.
• Supporting Pinsent Masons: Helped launch a unique safer culture, safeguarding, and child protection service for their clients.
• University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust: Leveraged our Safer Cultures Framework to support the implementation of the NHS Sexual Safety Charter. This project includes developing a tailored prevention and response approach and establishing a new support model for staff facing sexual misconduct or inappropriate behaviour.
• Trauma-Informed Training Initiatives: Introduced new training programmes to help employers meet their duties under the Worker Protection Act 2023 (Amendment of the Equality Act 2010). Our training equips employers to prevent sexual harassment and respond to cases with fairness, sensitivity, and efficiency. This includes training for Sexual Misconduct Discipline Panel Members and Investigators
• Best Practice Guide for British Gymnastics: Developed and launched a Best Practice Guide in response to the Whyte Review, an independent investigation into abuse allegations in gymnastics.

• ISVA Development Milestone: Reached over 1,000 new ISVAs trained on our ISVA accredited Development Programme and introduced new courses, including the ISVA Refresher Programme and ISVA’s Role in Family and Court Proceedings.
• Safeguarding in Sports: Expanded our training to Premier League academies, first teams, and women’s teams, along with collaborations with the England and Wales Cricket Board and other sports.
• Supporting Schools and Universities: Hosted a seminar for schools on addressing sexual misconduct, increased the number of schools and colleges adopting a whole-school approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct. Continued supporting universities with a range of training initiatives including our accredited training for Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs)
• ISVA Quality Standards: Expanded the number of ISVA Services receiving LimeCulture’s Quality Mark for achieving the Quality Standards for ISVA Services.
• Bespoke Risk & Needs Assessment for the Catholic Church: Commissioned by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Authority to develop and implement a consistent approach to sexual misconduct risk identification, management and escalation across Catholic Church in England and Wales.
• Consultancy Projects: Delivered independent reviews and improvement initiatives for sexual violence services in areas including Durham, Northumbria, Norfolk, and in St. Lucia.
• Professional Networks: Continued driving innovation through our Professional Networks.

• Independent Safeguarding Reviews: Conducted reviews for a range of National Governing Bodies in sports. These reviews include desk based research and extensive stakeholder engagement to identify areas of good practice, areas for improvement and key recommendations to make sport safer.
• Collaborations in Sports: Partnered with 45 National Governing Bodies, Sport England, and Sport Resolutions to transform safeguarding case management practices.
• Lead Safeguarding Officer Development: Expanded our accredited Lead Safeguarding Officer Development Programme to further support safeguarding leaders.
• Safer Sport Knowledge & Network Conference: In July 2024, we hosted our inaugural Safer Sport Knowledge and Network Conference with delegates from more than 50 wide-ranging national, regional and local sporting organisations.

• Workforce Investment: Enhanced governance by strengthening our Board reporting to Non-Executive Directors, expanding the Senior Leadership Team, and prioritisng staff training, development, and leadership coaching.
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined administration, digitised processes, and refined financial systems to help us to work smarter and more efficiently.
• Brand Evolution: Collaborated with Manifestive to redefine our vision, mission, and values, ensuring our brand reflects our dedication to safer cultures.

Reflecting on this year’s accomplishments, we’re incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made. However, it is important to recognise that behind these achievements are the talented individuals who make up the LimeCulture team. Their dedication, expertise, and passion are the driving forces behind everything we do. We are so very grateful to each and every member of the LimeCulture team for all that they do.

To all our partners, clients, and supporters – thank you for your unwavering commitment to LimeCulture’s mission. We’re excited about the opportunities that 2025 will bring and look forward to working with you to create safer, healthier, and more inclusive cultures.

From all of us at LimeCulture, we wish you a peaceful and joyful festive season. See you in the New Year!

At LimeCulture, we are passionate about fostering safer cultures where individuals and organisations can thrive. A safer culture is one where expectations for behaviour are clear, inappropriate and unwanted sexual behaviours, harassment, and abuse are not tolerated, and responses are swift, fair, and trauma informed. This is becoming a fundamental expectation of effective organisations.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) NHS Trust, one of the first NHS trusts to sign the NHS Sexual Safety Charter. Their commitment to embedding a whole-organisation approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct is a testament to their dedication to creating a safe and supportive environment for their people.

Over the past three months, we have been working with UHNM using our Safer Cultures Framework to support the Trust in embedding the NHS Sexual Safety Charter.  We have also been supporting the organisation to meet its duties under the Worker Protection Act, which came into force in October 2024 and provides a new legal duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment.

Our work with UHNM will inform the development of a tailored prevention and response approach for the organisation, which will include specialist trauma-informed training for key staff involved in investigations and disciplinary processes for sexual misconduct cases.

Establishing an internal model of support for NHS Staff

Recognising the importance of effective support, LimeCulture is working with UHNM  to establish a new model of support for any member of  staff who experiences any form of sexual misconduct or witness inappropriate behaviours

A cadre of Specialist Liaison Officers (SLO’s) will be trained by LimeCulture to provide end-to-end, trauma-informed support for colleagues, confidentially supporting those who have experienced sexual violence, harassment or abuse to consider their options, and navigate internal systems and misconduct proceedings.

Importantly, Specialist Liaison Officers will provide the specialism within the organisation to support victims/survivors, as they navigate the specific organisational context in which they operate, which external support services often find difficult to navigate.

Embedding the Specialist Liaison Officer model within an NHS Trust-wide approach to addressing sexual misconduct will enable the organisation to:

• appropriately respond to staff who have experienced sexual violence, harassment or abuse;
• allow staff to raise concerns about Inappropriate behaviours and attitudes of colleagues in a trusted space;
• be assured of the consistency of the response to sexual misconduct, ensuring effective identification, management and escalation of individual risks and needs, and the ability to retain clear oversight of levels of organisational risk and risk to the public;
• encourage reporting through the provision of confidential, trauma-informed support; and
• gather information around sexual misconduct, which may will enable early intervention where necessary to prevent escalation.

Reinforcing Zero Tolerance

UHNM continues to demonstrate its commitment to fostering a safer culture by reinforcing its zero-tolerance approach. Most recently, the Trust utilised national media coverage around the Gregg Wallace scandal to amplify messages from its Sexual Safety Working Group, highlighting its proactive stance on sexual safety and prevention of sexual misconduct.

A Model for Change

The partnership between LimeCulture and UHNM exemplifies how organisations can lead the way in creating safer, more inclusive workplaces. By embedding robust prevention strategies, trauma-informed responses, and comprehensive support systems, UHNM is setting a powerful example for the NHS and other public sector organisations to follow.

If you’d like more information about creating safer cultures within your organisation, please contact LimeCulture’s Sexual Violence Consultancy Services Team by emailing info@limeculture.co.uk or calling +44 203 633 0018.

 

 

 

Recent headlines have brought the issue of workplace culture into sharp focus, with the Gregg Wallace scandal highlighting the critical need for employing organisations to prioritise safety, respect, and accountability. Wallace, a well-known TV personality, now faces multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour in a professional setting, sparking widespread discussion about the standards we should expect in our workplaces.

The Gregg Wallace scandal, once again, reveals the urgent need for change and for employers to be held to account for prioritising the reputations of powerful individuals over the safety and well-being of others.  It serves as a stark reminder that a safe workplace culture isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for the well-being of employees and those for whom the organisation is responsible, such as volunteers or  customers.

Thankfully the new employment legislation – the Worker Protection Act 2023 (Amendment of the Equality Act 2012 – which came into force just over a month ago (on 27 October 2024), marks a significant shift in the legal landscape regarding sexual harassment in the workplace, requiring employers to take reasonable steps to prevent employees from experiencing sexual harassment. Employment tribunals will have the authority to increase compensation for sexual harassment by up to 25% if an employer is found to have breached their duty.

This new legislation means it is more important than ever for organisations to take steps to ensure healthy and safer cultures in their workplaces, and give employees the confidence to come forward, in the knowledge they will be heard, supported and their concerns acted upon appropriately. The Gregg Wallace scandal also provides a powerful call to action for leaders across all sectors to rethink their approach to safer cultures in the workplace.

LimeCulture believe that now is exactly the right time for organisations to drive safer cultures within their workplaces – where expectations of behaviours are clear and inappropriate behaviours, misogynistic attitudes, harassment and abuse are not tolerated, and responses are swift, fair, and embedded in an understanding of trauma – allowing the organisation and all the individuals working within it to thrive.

#LimeCulture #SaferCultures #Workplace #WorkerProtectionAct #PreventionDuty #SexualHarassment #TraumaInformed #SexualMisconduct #Training #PanelMembers #Fairness #Support #SurvivorCentric #VictimFocused #HumanResources #Investigations #GreggWallace

Through our specialist consultancy and training services, LimeCulture can support you to create and embed a safer culture in your organisation, prioritising the protection and wellbeing of your employees, volunteers, users, and stakeholders.

We can carry out a comprehensive, independent review of your organisation against our Safer Cultures Framework. We can also work with your leadership team to identify what is needed to model and embed safer cultures, creating bespoke action plans for your organisation. We can also provide ‘safer cultures’ training for your workforce to support the prevention of and response to sexual misconduct, harassment and abuse – including awareness training for all staff; specialist support provision; and trauma-informed training for investigators and discipline panel members involved in sexual misconduct case and provide advisory services to support effective reporting processes and support mechanisms in your organisation.

 

Contact us today
Email: info@limeculture.co.uk
Web: limeculture.co.uk
Office: +44 203 633 0018

 

Here at LimeCulture, we’re celebrating World Children’s Day and reflecting on what more we can do, through both our work and our partnerships, to ensure children’s rights are recognised, respected and upheld.

We see every day that the impacts of sexual violence on children and young people are severe and long lasting, and reach into every area of a child’s life. We know that interactions with the criminal justice system where their unique and distinct needs and risks are not recognised can compound trauma and distress for many children – and their families. And we know how hard it can be for a child or young person to access support, and sadly, that sometimes that support simply isn’t good enough.

But we also know that providing the right support to a child or young person, at the right time, can be empowering and life changing.

The right to be protected, and the right to recover

Importantly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child enshrines in international law not only the right of every child to be protected from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse (Article 34), but also the right to recover (Article 39). It places clear obligations on governments – which include those public authorities commissioning or funding support – to take ‘all appropriate steps’ to promote children’s recovery from neglect, exploitation and abuse in an environment that promotes their health, self-respect and dignity.

Acknowledging children as ‘rights bearers’ first and foremost completely changes the foundation from which support services for children who have experienced sexual violence are designed, commissioned and delivered. Services designed specifically with children’s needs in mind must be put in place, not as an add-on to adult services, nor out of a gesture of kindness, but because children have a fundamental right to access tailored, specialist support.

The Convention give us a rights-based framework for designing and delivering specialist, age-differentiated recovery services for children and young people who have experienced sexual violence; with support that is equitable and accessible, guided by a child’s wishes and feelings, tailored to each child’s unique needs and risks, prioritises their best interests, and adapts to their evolving capacities.

For children and young people that have experienced sexual violence, children’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) are at the forefront of upholding their rights. They are a trusted and independent professional, outside of statutory services, there to help children and young people understand and navigate a bewildering array of information, support and services that will often feel overwhelming, and to ensure their wishes and feelings are heard.

Meeting our obligations to children

We’ve seen important progress over the last few years in recognising the rights of children and young people to sexual violence support, and a welcome move towards the commissioning of distinct ISVA services for children and young people in many local areas.

We’ve also been privileged at LimeCulture to contribute to equipping ISVAs to work with children and young people, and to see increasing specialism and capability emerging within local services to deliver rights-based support to children. Children are seldom supported in isolation, and we’ve also seen many examples of ISVAs working effectively with schools and within local safeguarding arrangements to support children and young people and of course, their families. Our Quality Standards for ISVA Services now include distinct standards and indicators for children’s ISVA services, informed by best practice from many local services. This means that many more children are benefiting from being able to access child-focused support near to their homes.

However, we know too that ISVA services for children and young people remain under-resourced and under-pressure, with children presenting with increasingly complex needs, ISVAs managing increasingly high caseloads and high levels of risk. All these challenges are set alongside the landscape of dreadfully long court delays, appalling criminal justice outcomes for so many children and young people and a general lack of appropriate therapeutic support services. Despite this, we know that ISVAs supporting children and young people continue to do their very best in the toughest of circumstances and for this we should be grateful.

On World Children’s Day, we remind local and national commissioners of their obligations to ensure children and young people can access high quality specialist sexual violence support, and urge them to make it an explicit priority.

Find out more about the Quality Standards for ISVA Services.

Find out more about our specialist training for children’s ISVAs.

By Sam Whyte, Director (Sexual Violence & Education)

 

 

LimeCulture is delighted to share the news that we will be working in partnership with Pinsent Masons in a unique new safe cultures, safeguarding, and child protection service for
their UK and global clients.

This new provision, launched by the leading multi-national law firm with whom we have worked on many occasions in the past, aims to offers a holistic and human approach to safe cultures, safeguarding and child protection for organisations and companies across all sectors.  Intersol Global, who provide safeguarding investigation services and Straight Road
Consultancy, who provide specialist communications advice, are also joining with us to
complete the Pinsent Masons team.

The core aim of the new service is to offer comprehensive ‘survivor first’ support to
organisations needing to protect children and vulnerable adults, advising on policies,
systems and regulations, thereby reducing the chances of a safeguarding failure. We will
also support organisations in the creation and maintaining of a safe culture within which
their employees and stakeholders operate.

The multi-disciplinary make-up of the team means that we can bring a wealth of skills to
companies needing support, including legal expertise and sub-specialisms such as
counselling, investigative interviewing and communications and reputation management.
As you would expect, all services will be delivered with consideration sensitivity and
discretion.

LimeCulture is thrilled to be working alongside Pinsent Masons once again, and the rest of
the team, to deliver the highest level of support in this most crucial of fields for all
companies and organisations.

 

We’re excited to announce that our latest cohort of Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) has officially begun their accredited training at LimeCulture, marking an incredible achievement for us. With this new cohort, we have now trained over 1,000 new ISVAs through our accredited ISVA Development Programme—and that’s not counting all the ISVAs we’ve supported through our ongoing professional development training initiatives.

Since the launch of our ISVA Development Programme in 2011, we’ve successfully delivered training to 47 cohorts of new ISVAs. This milestone provides us with immense pride and a continued sense of responsibility. As the leading provider of ISVA Training, we are committed to continue to deliver excellent, high-quality training for ISVAs which provides them with the skills and knowledge to undertake their vital role to support victims/survivors of sexual violence.

Our commitment to ISVAs remains unwavering. We consistently review, update and refine our training materials to ensure our training is as good as it can be. We are committed to ensuring that the ISVAs who train with LimeCulture gain both the confidence and competence needed to navigate the complexities of their roles.

 

On Friday 8 November at 13.30-14.30, LimeCulture is inviting Managers from all ISVA Services across the UK to join us to discuss the future of ISVA Training. This workshop provides an opportunity to shape the training available for ISVAs by sharing views and suggestions to support  the professional training of the ISVA workforce. If you are the Manager of an ISVA Service and would like to attend on 8 November, please email info@limeculture.co.uk

 

The new duties for employers to prevent sexual harassment – as set out in the Worker Protection (Amendment to the Equality Act 2010) Act 2023) – will be coming into force on 26 October 2024.  As organisations take steps to comply with this new duty to prevent sexual harassment, there will likely be an increase in the number of reported incidents of sexual misconduct, particularly in organisations where employers have built trust and confidence amongst their employees that they are prepared to tackle sexual misconduct and will take these issues seriously.

With this new legislation, it is more critical than ever for employers to be prepared to respond to cases of sexual misconduct swiftly, fairly and with sensitivity. We believe that creating healthy and #SaferCultures in workplaces is essential. Employers must build environments where employees have the confidence to come forward, that they will be heard, supported and their concerns acted upon fairly and appropriately. However, we also know from experience that organisations often struggle with these issues, leading to mishandling of sensitive cases, which can result in severe consequences for both individuals and the organisation as a whole.

The need for organisations to take a trauma-informed approach to handling sexual misconduct cases is crucially important. We’ve frequently been told by those who serve on disciplinary panels that they lack confidence when it comes to managing sexual misconduct cases – and quite understandably so. They are tasked with making decisions about often highly emotive cases, that can significantly impact the lives of the victims/survivors who are reporting, those who have been reported against, and the wider workforce – who will undoubtedly be observing how the organisation manages sensitive cases of this nature.

Given the impact of the new duties on employers to prevent sexual harassment will likely result in an increase in reported sexual misconduct cases, it is absolutely critical that Panel Members have the confidence and the competence to handle sexual misconduct cases.

With this in mind, LimeCulture is pleased to announce the launch of our new, specialist training programme designed specifically for discipline Panel Members handling sexual misconduct cases.

 

Why trauma-informed training matters

For Panel Members, understanding the complexities of trauma and how it can affect an individual’s behaviour, memory, and response is crucial to ensuring fair and empathetic outcomes. Unfortunately, many disciplinary processes lack this critical lens, potentially leading to misinterpretations, biases, or re-traumatisation of those involved.

Our new 1-day training course equips discipline Panel Members with the tools, knowledge and skills to:

• Understand the impact of trauma on reporting behaviours, memory recall, and emotional responses
• Recognise and respond to trauma in both the reporting party (the victim/survivor) and the reported party (the person accused)
• Avoid re-traumatisation during hearings or investigations, creating a safer environment for all participants and
• Understand how unconscious biases, myths and misconceptions can affect the decision-making process within the panel
• Identify and understand the risks associated with sexual misconduct cases
• Make informed decisions while maintaining fairness, transparency, and sensitivity
• Consider the emotional impact on panel members and promote strategies for well-being and self-care.

 

What LimeCulture’s Training Offers

LimeCulture’s trauma-informed training is a comprehensive course developed by experts in sexual misconduct, safeguarding, and trauma. Participants will learn through:

• Working through interactive case studies and scenarios to better understand the dynamics of trauma in sexual misconduct cases
• Exploring best practice approaches for conducting fair and sensitive disciplinary hearings
• Discussing practical approaches for creating supportive environments that protect the wellbeing of everyone involved.

By completing this training, discipline Panel Members will be better equipped to carry out their roles with compassion, competence, and clarity—ensuring that sexual misconduct cases are handled with the sensitivity and integrity they deserve.

 

Creating Safer Cultures

At LimeCulture, we believe that trauma-informed training is essential for creating safer cultures across all sectors. Whether in health services, universities, hospitality, sporting organisations, financial services  or any other type of employing organisation-  it is critical that those tasked with making decisions in sexual misconduct cases are properly trained to recognise and respond to trauma and its effects.

Our new training is part of LimeCulture’s ongoing commitment to creating safer cultures and improving responses to sexual violence and abuse by ensuring that victims/survivors are heard, supported, and respected throughout the process.

 

Want to Learn More?

For more information on how LimeCulture’s trauma-informed sexual misconduct training can support your organisation, contact our team at info@limeculture.co.uk

 

Empowering Discipline Panel Members with the right tools not only ensures fair outcomes, but also helps build trust in workplace processes. LimeCulture is proud to lead this important initiative, fostering safer cultures for everyone.

#LimeCulture #TraumaInformed #SexualMisconduct #Training #PanelMembers #Fairness #Support #SurvivorCentric #VictimFocused #HumanResources

 

 

Carrying out a workplace investigation into a report of sexual misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual assault and/or rape) is extremely challenging for several reasons: these types of investigations require balancing emotional sensitivity, legal compliance, confidentiality, and fairness, all while navigating highly charged and personal issues.

Therefore, it is crucial that anyone conducting a workplace sexual misconduct investigation is properly equipped with the skills and sensitivity needed to handle cases involving victims/survivors of sexual misconduct with care, fairness, and respect.

LimeCulture is delighted to launch new specialist trauma-informed training for those conducting a workplace investigation into sexual misconduct.

Maria Putz, Head of Training at LimeCulture said:

‘Sexual misconduct often results in psychological trauma, and victims/survivors may exhibit a wide range of emotional and behavioural responses. Trauma-informed training helps investigators to understand how trauma may affect memory, behaviour, and communication. This can explain why some victims/survivors may appear inconsistent or detached during interviews and it prevents misinterpretation of trauma symptoms as dishonesty or lack of credibility’

Sadly, we know that some of the traditional investigative techniques can unintentionally re-traumatise victims/survivors, where for example, there is a lack of sensitivity to their emotional state.

The stakes are extremely high when it comes to investigating cases of sexual misconduct and it’s so very important that workplace investigations are conducted properly, fairly and with respect for all parties involved’

LimeCulture’s trauma-informed training helps investigators to recognise these risks and modify their approach to minimise the potential for re-traumatisation, allowing victims/survivors to share their experiences without feeling attacked or disrespected.

Investigators who are trained in trauma-informed principles are more likely to build trust with victims/survivors, ensuring they feel heard and supported. This fosters a more open dialogue and can lead to more accurate and comprehensive accounts of the events in question.

LimeCulture’s 1-day trauma-informed training for sexual misconduct investigations is now available to all employing organisations who wish to demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being and a serious approach to handling sexual misconduct.

Our trauma-informed training will build trust among staff through demonstrating that the organisation is prepared to address difficult issues with  sensitivity, responsibility, and fairness.

For more information about this training and pricing please email info@limeculture.co.uk