What Leaders Plus does

Leaders Plus is a UK Community Interest Company (social enterprise) headquartered in London, founded in 2017 by Verena Hefti MBE. Its core function is delivering structured Fellowship Programmes and supporting services that help working parents progress into senior leadership roles while managing family responsibilities. The portfolio centres on three Fellowship variants — NHS Fellowship, Future Leaders Plus, and Cross-Sector Fellowship — complemented by an Alumni Programme, a mentor network, a resources library of workbooks and guides, a podcast, and events. The organisation also runs employer-facing services including the Leaders Plus Learning Lab, the Flexibility Fluent Leadership Programme for managers, and workplace-policy benchmarking, reflecting a hybrid B2C/B2B model.

The underlying "technology" is a proprietary, evidence-informed programme methodology: facilitated peer cohorts, mentoring pairings, training modules, and outcome measurement. Reported impact metrics include 67% of participants promoted or progressing to a more senior role, 97% taking proactive career action, 96% reporting improved wellbeing, and 89% reporting improved work/life balance. Underlying infrastructure is standard SaaS (HubSpot CRM, Mailchimp, Google Workspace), with no proprietary software platform.

The business model is fee-based: individuals pay (or are sponsored by employers) to participate in Fellowship cohorts, while employers purchase training, benchmarking, and learning-lab subscriptions. Named enterprise logos include BBC, NHS, HSBC, RSPCA, Ørsted, Global Witness, Salvation Army, and Action Tutoring, indicating employer revenue concentration in large UK-headquartered organisations across media, healthcare, financial services, energy, and non-profit verticals. The organisation holds Social Enterprise UK accreditation, RSA support, and Cambridge University Social Ventures Programme membership, and has accumulated multiple industry awards through 2024.

Name

Leaders Plus

Legal name

Leaders Plus Community Interest Company

Website

https://leadersplus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leaders Plus is a UK social enterprise running award-winning Fellowship Programmes, employer training, and resources that help working parents progress into senior leadership while addressing the gender pay gap.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development Services

NAICS

Employment Services (5613)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH), Coaching Leadership & Mentoring Skills (EDABAAAG), Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

Keywords

• Leadership fellowship programmes
• Parental leave support
• Career progression training
• Working parent development
• Employer flexibility consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

London, Holborn

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Programme Fees: The organisation offers award-winning Fellowship Programmes that provide access to peer support networks, training, mentoring and role models. Revenue is generated through programme participation fees charged to individuals and/or employers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leaders Plus designs and delivers structured Fellowship Programmes (NHS Fellowship, Future Leaders Plus, Cross-Sector Fellowship) that support working parents in progressing into senior leadership roles while navigating parental leave and return-to-work transitions. The organisation also offers employer-facing learning interventions — including the Learning Lab and Flexibility Fluent Leadership Programme — alongside workplace flexibility benchmarking for organisations seeking to retain and progress talent.

Product overview

Leaders Plus is a social enterprise offering a portfolio of award-winning Fellowship Programmes designed to help working parents progress in leadership careers whilst managing family life. The core offering consists of three fellowship variants (NHS Fellowship, Future Leaders Plus, and Cross-Sector Fellowship), supported by an Alumni Programme, Mentor access, and a Resources Library containing practical workbooks and guides. The organisation also provides employer-facing services including the Leaders Plus Learning Lab, benchmarking tools, and the Line Manager's Guide. Supplementary offerings include a Podcast and Events programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NHS Fellowship: Fellowship programme specifically designed for NHS staff who are parents
• Future Leaders Plus
• Fellowship (Cross-Sector)
• Leaders Plus Learning Lab
• Flexibility Fluent Leadership Programme

Products and services

• NHS Fellowship A structured fellowship programme for NHS staff who are working parents, designed to support their progression into senior leadership roles during and after parental leave. Delivered through workshops, mentoring, peer coaching, and action learning sets.
• Future Leaders Plus A cross-sector fellowship programme for working parents seeking to progress into senior leadership roles. Combines cohort-based learning, mentoring, and peer support to accelerate career progression.
• Cross-Sector Fellowship A fellowship programme designed for working parents across industries who are aiming to progress into senior leadership positions. Uses a peer-cohort model with workshops, mentoring, and action learning.
• Learning Lab An employer-commissioned learning programme that equips managers, HR teams, and working parents with the skills and practices needed to support career progression during and after parental leave.
• Flexibility Fluent Leadership Programme An employer-facing programme that develops leadership capability to implement and champion workplace flexibility, supporting retention and progression of working parents.
• Flexibility Benchmarking Service A benchmarking service that assesses and compares employers' parental leave, return-to-work, and flexibility policies against sector peers, supporting evidence-based policy improvement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 67% of programme participants promoted or taken a significant step towards a more senior role during the programme
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Social Enterprise UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeaders Plus is accredited by Social Enterprise UK, indicating compliance with social enterprise standards and recognition within the UK social enterprise sector.
• RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeaders Plus has been supported by the RSA, a global organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges.
• Cambridge University Social Ventures ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeaders Plus is a member of the Cambridge University Social Ventures Programme, indicating academic partnership and support for social innovation.
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated NHS Fellowship programme specifically designed for NHS staff who are parents, supporting career progression in the healthcare sector.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Everywoman: UK organisation running leadership development programmes, networks, and awards for women in business. Comparable in women's leadership development focus but broader than the parental niche.
• Talking Talent: UK-based provider of coaching and programmes supporting working parents and returners, with both individual and employer offerings. Highly comparable in mission, target audience, and B2B/B2C dual model.
• Women Returners: UK consultancy specialising in returner programmes for parents and carers, offering coaching, employer programmes, and research. Directly comparable niche focus on parental career progression and employer partnerships.
• 30% Club: Global campaign driving gender balance at board and senior management levels through employer and cross-company programmes. Comparable mission around the leadership gender gap with broader scope.
• Timewise Foundation: UK social enterprise focused on flexible working and parental/caring workforce inclusion, with employer consultancy and content. Overlaps on the employer advisory and policy benchmarking side of Leaders Plus.
• Career Returners: Operates structured returner programmes with employer partners across multiple sectors. Closely comparable programme model and target population, with overlap in enterprise customers in the UK.
• The Pipeline: Provides cross-sector mentoring and leadership programmes for senior women, including parents returning to senior roles. Comparable mission of advancing women's leadership with peer cohort models.

Broad incumbents

• Development Dimensions International (DDI): Global leadership development firm offering leadership programmes, manager training, and assessment at scale. Competes for the employer-side learning and manager development budget Leaders Plus targets.
• Korn Ferry: Global organisational consulting firm with extensive leadership development, executive coaching, and talent management practices. Broad incumbent offering overlapping capabilities across Leader Plus's employer services portfolio.

Emerging players

• MotherBoard: UK-based organisation supporting mothers returning to and progressing in tech and business careers through mentoring and community. Niche player with overlapping parental progression mission but more sector-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/leadersplus
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeadersPlusUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leaders-plus
• Instagraminstagram.com/leadersplus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Leaders Plus