When NatWest’s Internal Audit Academy returned to EICC in 2026, the team wasn't interested in simply repeating the measures that had worked the year before.

The 2025 event had achieved Gold-level accreditation through the Welcome Brain Neurodiversity in Events Checklist, with accessible pre-event information, Neuroinclusion Champions, quiet rooms, adaptable seating and low-sensory spaces among the measures introduced.

Feedback was positive, but it also highlighted something useful: many of the measures designed to support neurodivergent colleagues were valuable to the wider audience too.

So, rather than simply adding more adjustments, the team changed the way it approached the event.

The aim for 2026 was to consider neuroinclusion from the beginning of the planning process, looking at everything from pre-event communications and the physical environment to participation, catering, support and follow-up.

The result was the first event to achieve Platinum accreditation through the Welcome Brain checklist, with 400 colleagues attending the Audit Academy at EICC in June.

EICC

Designing with, not just for, delegates

One of the biggest changes was bringing different perspectives into the planning process earlier.

EICC worked with NatWest and Welcome Brain from the planning stages, looking at how the requirements of the checklist could be applied to both the event and the venue.

The planning was also informed by lived experience, with a neurodivergent member of the NatWest team helping shape the event and challenge decisions about the delegate experience.

That helped the team consider how proposed measures would work in practice and identify areas that might otherwise have been missed.

The organisers also took a more proactive approach to individual support, contacting delegates about potential adjustments rather than waiting for requests to arrive.

It meant the conversation about accessibility started before delegates walked through the doors.

Helping people know what to expect

For many delegates, knowing what an event will look and feel like can be as important as what happens once they arrive.

The Audit Academy website was already used to provide information ahead of the event, but for 2026 the team expanded the content and made it available earlier.

Delegates could access an accessibility and neurodiversity FAQ, details of available adjustments and who to contact, information about the Neuroinclusion Champions, a Q&A webinar, a social story and a pre-event video for people who preferred audio or visual information.

Virtual tours and maps gave delegates the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the venue, while more detailed information was provided about the building, agenda and menus.

The principle was simple: give people enough information, in different formats, to decide what they needed before they arrived.

For planners, that is a relatively straightforward change to make - and one that can benefit the whole audience, not just those who identify as neurodivergent.

Treating the venue as part of the experience

The physical environment was another area where the team went beyond individual adjustments.

A structured sensory audit of EICC was carried out as part of the planning process, with the venue team working with NatWest to consider flexible and low-sensory routes, adaptable spaces and dedicated quiet room options.

Lighting and acoustics were also considered, alongside catering and other practical requirements.

Bringing the venue into those conversations early was important. Rather than trying to solve issues shortly before the event, the organisers could consider how the building itself would affect the delegate experience and identify practical solutions during the planning process.

NatWest senior auditor - finance, internal audit, Libby Embling, says: “The EICC team took time to understand our objectives and worked closely with us to implement meaningful adjustments across the venue. Their proactive and flexible approach played a significant role in helping us achieve a Platinum Standard event.”

On the day, EICC provided technical and accessibility support and worked alongside the NatWest team to respond to any requirements that arose.

Welcome Brain also provided practical advice throughout the planning process, helping the team use the checklist to track progress and identify further opportunities for improvement.

Embling adds: “Welcome Brain were a great support throughout the planning process right through until the event day. Andy Williamson was always available to answer questions, offer expert guidance, and share insights, which helped us confidently embed neuroinclusive principles across every aspect of the event.”

EICC

Making inclusion a choice, not a disclosure

Another important shift was giving delegates more choice without requiring them to explain why they needed it.

The number of trained Neuroinclusion Champions was increased, giving delegates more people they could approach if they needed support. Real-time support and feedback mechanisms were also introduced so that issues could be raised during the event rather than having to wait until afterwards.

Catering was reviewed too, with grab-and-go lunch boxes introduced alongside the existing options.

Crucially, these options were available to everyone. A delegate could choose a grab-and-go lunch, spend time in a quieter space or use a different route around the venue without having to disclose a diagnosis or explain why they needed a particular adjustment.

Rather than creating a separate experience for neurodivergent delegates, the Audit Academy incorporated flexibility into the main event experience and allowed people to make their own choices.

The same principle applied to information. Providing a social story, video, maps and virtual tours wasn't about creating different communications for different groups. It was about giving everyone more than one way to understand what was coming.

What changed?

The 2026 Audit Academy achieved Platinum accreditation, building on the Gold accreditation achieved the previous year.

But the accreditation was only part of the outcome.

The more significant change was that different delegate needs were considered much earlier in the planning process, rather than starting with a standard event format and adding adjustments afterwards.

Neuroinclusion was considered across planning, communications, the physical environment, event delivery and follow-up.

Attendee feedback was also positive, with 84% of respondents rating the event four or five stars for inclusivity and accessibility.

For EICC, the event demonstrated the role a venue can play when it is brought into the conversation early. The physical environment, lighting, acoustics, catering, technology and on-site support all became part of the wider planning discussion.

Four lessons for planners

Start early

Inclusion works better when it is considered during the initial planning process rather than added in response to individual requests. Starting early gives planners, venues and suppliers more time to understand different requirements and find practical solutions.

Use lived experience

Research and checklists can provide a useful framework, but people with lived experience can identify issues that might otherwise be missed. Having a neurodivergent member of the NatWest team involved in the planning gave the organisers another perspective on how the event might actually be experienced.

Give people options

Different ways of accessing information, participating in sessions, taking a break or having lunch give delegates greater control over their experience. Making those options available to everyone also means people don't have to disclose a diagnosis to use them.

Bring the venue in early

A venue is more than a room in which an event takes place. Lighting, acoustics, routes, spaces, catering, technology and on-site support can all affect the delegate experience. Bringing the venue team into the planning process early gives everyone more time to work through what is possible.

The biggest lesson from NatWest's Audit Academy is that neuroinclusion doesn't necessarily mean creating a separate experience for some delegates.

By considering different needs from the outset, involving people with lived experience and giving everyone more choice, planners can create events that are more flexible and accessible for a much wider audience.

Back to M&IT

From adjustments to design: how NatWest made its Audit Academy neuroinclusive

NatWest’s Internal Audit Academy became the first event to achieve Platinum accreditation for neuroinclusive events at EICC, after the team moved beyond individual adjustments to build neuroinclusion into every stage of the delegate experience.