From the Chair and Vice Chair’s Desk: Welcome to 2025

As we enter 2025, we are excited to share our vision for the year ahead with the Association for Business Psychology (ABP) community. This year, the theme of Guardianship and Growth remains at the heart of everything we do, driving us to uphold the integrity of business psychology while embracing the future with courage, collaboration, and passion.

Harmony and Challenge: Working Together for a Stronger Future

Our roles as Chair and Vice Chair have shown us the incredible power of working well together, challenging each other to be better, and always keeping our eyes on the greater good of the profession. We are committed to making brave decisions that will strengthen the ABP and ensure we leave the field in an even better place for the next custodians of these roles. The road ahead is one of continued professionalisation, innovation, and growth—watch this space for exciting updates in the coming months.  We are proud to build upon the incredible work of our previous Chair, Clodagh O’Reilly.

The Workforce Experience Conference 2025

We are delighted to invite you to our flagship event, the Workforce Experience Conference, which will take place on 30 April – 01 May 2025. This conference offers a platform for thought-provoking discussions, meaningful connections, and insights that drive the application of psychology in the workplace. We are currently welcoming speaker and keynote applications—if you would like to share your expertise, please contact us at conference2025@theabp.org.uk.

ABP Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence

Planning is already underway for the ABP Awards 2025, where we celebrate the remarkable achievements in business psychology. These awards not only recognise excellence but also inspire us all to push the boundaries of what is possible in improving the quality of working lives. Stay tuned for updates on nominations and categories.

Expanding Horizons: New Affiliations on the Way

In the spirit of Growth, we are thrilled to announce that new affiliations will be revealed in the coming months. These partnerships will expand our reach, strengthen our voice, and reinforce the ABP as the home of business psychology. We look forward to sharing these developments and how they will benefit our community.

Nurturing the Next Generation

The ABP is proud to be working with, and nurturing, emerging talent in our field and showcasing the brilliant work that they are doing – this is a major part of our Guardianship agenda.

The 2024-25 ABP Biz Psych Cup

Since Dr Dawn H. Nicholson launched the ABP Biz Psych Cup in 2022, it has been a shining example of innovation and passion. This student competition provides a platform for future business psychologists to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges set by our corporate members. As a Pro-Coach Angel/Event Co-Ordinator, we have witnessed first-hand the remarkable talent, creativity, and dedication these student teams bring to the table.

Applications for the 2024-25 competition are now closed but we are already planning for the 2025-26 event. If your university hasn’t yet joined this incredible initiative, now is the perfect time to start thinking about getting involved for next year and be part of shaping the future of business psychology!

The MSc Grad Dissertation Symposium

Dr Dawn H. Nicholson launched and facilitated the first MSc Grad Dissertation Symposium in November 2024. Five exceptional MSc students and graduates each presented their latest research in 10-minute sessions, followed by a dynamic 25-minute facilitated Q&A. This represents a terrific opportunity to profile emerging business psych. talent and their cutting-edge research, a big part of our Guardianship & Growth Agenda. We anticipate running this event again around the middle of 2025, after the completion of the 2024-25 Biz Psych Cup.

Looking Forward: Guardianship, Growth, and Bravery

As we embark on this new year, we remain passionate about our roles and dedicated to professionalising the field of business psychology. Together, let us continue to work harmoniously, challenge one another, and make bold choices that will shape the future of our profession. Through collaboration, bravery, and commitment, we will ensure that the ABP—and business psychology as a whole—thrives now and for generations to come.

Here’s to a year of growth, guardianship, innovation, and lasting impact!

Warm regards,
Claire Lish (Chair) and Dr Dawn H. Nicholson (Vice Chair)
Association for Business Psychology