FAQs
Please find below a list of frequently asked questions. If these do
not answer your questions, please contact us via the Contact Us page.
Joining and membership
What are the benefits of Leading Edge membership?
Whether you want to benefit from the knowledge and skills offered at our events or to build your industry contacts by networking with other members, you will find that Leading Edge membership offers you a fantastic opportunity for developing yourself and your career.
- Value – Over £3,500* worth of free training at our nationwide events
- Insight – Keep up to date on industry topics and key trends via our website and newsletter
- Contacts – Build a network to help further your career both at events and online
- Evidence – Annual certificate to highlight your training for appraisals and on your CV
Join online here.
Who can become a member of Leading Edge?
Anyone from any part of the food and grocery industry is eligible to become a Leading Edge member.
How do I join Leading Edge?
You can join Leading Edge by completing our
online application form. Your request will then be checked by our administration team and authorised within 24 hours. If we have any questions about your membership request, we will email you.
If you have filled in a membership form but have not received a welcome email within 48 hours,
email us.
How do I get a password?
As you fill in the online membership form you will be asked to set a password. This password will then be associated with your login (email address) unless you email us to request a change.
You will not be able to log in or request a forgotten password until your membership has been authorised, so please wait 24 hours for us to process your application before emailing.
If you try to request a forgotten password before we have authorised your membership, you will get a notification explaining that your email address is not recognised; this is normal, you do not need to fill out the form again.
If you wish to change your password, you will need to
email us with your details.
Is there a membership fee?
No, there is no membership fee associated with joining Leading Edge or when attending our events. We will never ask you for any payment or card details.
Wondering why membership is free? See here
Are there any limits or restrictions on Leading Edge membership?
Previously Leading Edge was for graduates and new entrants to the food and grocery industry, however, this restriction was lifted some time ago.
Membership is now open to anyone involved with the food and grocery industry who feels they will benefit from the tools, knowledge and skills that Leading Edge provides.
Our membership base reflects a wide variety of levels and backgrounds, from juniors and graduates to CEO’s and company owners across all facets of the industry.
My company are already IGD members; doesn’t this mean that I have access to Leading Edge straight away?
Unfortunately no. Leading Edge membership is separate from IGD membership, therefore, even if your company is already an IGD member or if you have login details for other IGD websites you will still need to join Leading Edge separately, using your individual details.
Does my company have to be a member of IGD for me to join Leading Edge?
Your company does not need to have an IGD membership or any association with IGD for employees to become Leading Edge members.
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Networking
I want to network with other people are your events; am I allowed?
Yes! Leading Edge is here to provide members with an easily
accessible network of like-minded people, and we encourage discussion and
networking at our events.
There is an opportunity to meet other members at every
event before the start of sessions, as we open master classes at 6:00pm – half
an hour before lectures start. Other events – such as our Getting Started and
Convention days – also have scheduled times for networking built into the
programmes, so check the agenda for each event on the event page.
Hot and cold drinks and snacks are provided during
networking time which we hope will encourage a relaxed atmosphere and promote
good discussion. The only thing we ask is that everyone remembers that members
are in attendance to learn and not to be sold to, so please refrain from
undertaking any recruitment or promotional activity.
I want to know who will be at an event before I come along so that I can prepare; can I see this?
Members can now view delegate lists for all Leading Edge online.
To view delegate lists for events, choose the relevant session from the list on our
Calendar. Once you are within an event page, you will see a link to the right hand side in the ‘Bookings’ box labelled ‘Delegates’. Choose this, and you will see a drop down list of all the sessions taking place within that event series. Choose which venue/date you are interested in and a list of attendees will appear underneath the drop down box.
Each name is linked to that persons profile within our
Members Network*, and from here you can contact them.
You can also download these lists by clicking on the small Excel icon to the right hand side of the drop down.
Example: If you wish to view the list of people booked to attend our Fresh Thinking event taking place in London, you would take the following path:
Login > Events > Calendar >
Fresh Thinking >
Delegates > choose London from the drop down
*Note that not all members have profiles visible within our
Members Network. Only people who have chosen to be listed on the site will be visible in this list. You can update your visibility status by choosing ‘Update my details’ to the top right hand side of the page and changing
I am happy for my profile to be visible in the Members Network to ‘yes’.
Unfortunately that we cannot guarantee that a person booked to attend an event will be present. Bookings and attendance are at members' discretion, and it is advisable that you check with the person in question whether or not they will be at the event.
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Twitter and LinkedIn
Leading Edge has a presence on both
Twitter and
LinkedIn. We hope that you will support us in integrating social media into our members’ network by following us on
Twitter and joining the
LinkedIn Group.
Events
Do I have to pay to attend events?
No, Leading Edge events are free to attend.
Where are Leading Edge events held?
Events are held in various locations around the country. Please take a look at our
events calendar for details of upcoming events.
The event is at a retailers’ head office, does this mean that the event is for their employees or aimed biased towards that retailer?
No. As Leading Edge is part of IGD which is a charity, many retailers help us by giving us the use of their facilities for the hosting of our events. Though members of that retailer may come to the event, anyone is free to come along and the session will not be biased towards any retailer.
Will I be able to look around the venue?
Facilities are offered for event hosting only, therefore we kindly ask delegates not to access other areas of our hosts’ building.
There may be security in place at some venues, in which case we ask for your co-operation.
Can I bring a colleague or friend to a Leading Edge event?
Yes, you are welcome to bring a colleague or friend to an event provided they are involved with the food and grocery industry and register for the event in advance.
When you reserve your place at an event online, you can also use the booking form to request a place for colleagues and friends.
People outside of the food and grocery industry are unfortunately not eligible to attend Leading Edge events.
Do I have to be a member to attend Leading Edge events?
No, you do not have to be a member to attend an event
provided you are involved with the food and grocery industry and register for
the event in advance.
To register for an event without a membership, you will need to be booked as a colleague by someone who is a member.
Joining Leading Edge will give you access to additional resources such as
presentations, articles and online training videos.
What is the format for events – will I be asked to participate in anything?
The format varies depending on the meeting topic and speakers.
Many Leading Edge sessions take place after work, and there is also a one day annual convention along with other dates throughout the year.
Meetings always include an opportunity for networking and interacting with other
members, for example carrying out activities in small groups or taking part in a
quiz, however some are more interactive than others. You will not be asked to do
anything you are uncomfortable with, and participation is voluntary.
Please have a look at our Events section for more details about the format of upcoming events.
How can I see what events I’m attending?
Members can now see what events they have booked to attend
via our website. Once logged in, choose ‘My Booked Events’ from the links at the
top right hand side of the page.
You can also get to your ‘My Booked Events’ page when in the Events section of the site by choosing the link on the left hand side labelled ‘My Booked Events’.
Please note that only members who have booked their own place can view their bookings online, therefore, if your place has been booked by a colleague you will need to email us for more details. We recommend that people wishing to attend Leading Edge events register for membership and book their own place on events so that online
booking management is easier for them.
How do I cancel my place on an event?
You can manage your bookings online by choosing the ‘My Booked Events’ link towards the top right hand side of the page (once logged in). Under here, you can cancel your place on events by clicking on the green ‘X’
graphic next to the event. Once you have cancelled your place online, your booking has been removed from our system and your place has been released. If you have cancelled a place by accident, you can re-book in the usual way or email us.
Please note that only members can cancel their place online, therefore, if your place has been booked by a colleague you will need to
email us for more details. Only places booked by members (i.e. whoever is logged in) will be cancelled, so if you have booked colleague places which also need to be released, please
email us. We recommend that people wishing to attend Leading Edge events register for membership and book their own place on events so that online management is easier for them.
I don’t have time to eat before I arrive at your event; is food provided?
A selection of buffet food is provided at our events, however, please note that only sweet snacks will be provided at events taking place at Sainsbury’s Head Office.
I loved/didn’t like something about an event; can I give you my feedback?
Yes! After every event we send around a feedback poll which encourages you to leave feedback – both good and bad – about the event. Alternatively,
email us!
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Calendar
What do the icons on the calendar mean?
 | Event is being run by IGD |
 | Event is being run by Leading Edge |
 | Event is part of IGD Academy training schedule |
 | This event is not free to attend |
 | This event is free to attend |
Why am I taken to an external page when I click on some links? And why can’t I book IGD and Academy events through the Leading Edge website?
At present, you can only book places on Leading Edge events via the Leading Edge website. If you are taken to an external link when you click on an event, it is an event run by another department of the IGD business. Leading Edge includes these events on its calendar to give members a clear representation of what events IGD and IGD Academy are involved in and can help with, however, the Leading Edge team only arrange, host and answer queries on our own events. Questions about IGD or IGD Academy events or training will be passed on to the relevant departments.
Visit www.igd.com/ for details on how to
contact the IGD events team.
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Miscellaneous
Why is Leading Edge membership and event attendance free?
Leading Edge is part of IGD which is a charity. Leading Edge membership, resources and events are provided under IGD’s charitable objectives to develop the food and grocery industry and people within it. As such, we wholly funded by IGD, meaning there are no costs involved for our members.
We would, however, remind you that although events are free for you to attend they are hosted at considerable cost to us. We therefore ask that you let us know if you cannot attend an event as far in advance as possible to help us manage our costs and so that we can offer your place to someone else.
I need proof that I’ve attended your events; can you provide this?
Yes. Leading Edge produces Continuous Learning Certificates on an annual basis for our members, which are posted towards the end of the event calendar year. If you require something sooner, please don’t hesitate to
ask us. Many members like to use this proof within appraisals and to bolster information on their CV.
What is Leading Edge’s relationship with IGD and the IGD Academy?
Leading Edge is part of IGD, and is a brand underneath the umbrella of the
IGD Academy – IGD’s training and development department. IGD runs the Leading Edge offer as part of its charitable objectives. For more information on why IGD is a charity, visit
igd.com.
Where can I find event slides?
The presentation slide sets from the majority of our events
are available once the series has finished on our website under the Downloads section of each event. You can find this by choosing the event in question from our
Previous LE
Events page, and the clicking on the green Download link at the top of that page. If resources are available, they will be found here, along with venue directions and promotional posters for the event.
On occasion there may be no resources available.
How can I help?
As a charity initiative, Leading Edge is grateful for any promotion that our members can provide; after all, our biggest
new membership source is word of mouth!
There are posters and calendars available for download from our
Resources section, and we are more than happy to provide you with printed materials or to create graphics for your intranet or websites. We can also visit your company to do a short engagement session if you wish!
Email us for more information.
On the website, there is a featured member’s area
here, and we’d love to put you on it! Fill out
this short survey and
email us a photograph and we’ll put you on the site! It’ll take between 10 and 15 minutes to complete the survey and we’ll send you a link to your profile once it’s live.
What is a Leading Edge Champion?
Our Champions are – simply put – big fans of Leading Edge! They are a group of people who support what we as an initiative are involved with and the events that we organise.
The level of involvement as a champion is really up to you; you may want to fully participate in promoting Leading Edge and our events across your organisation, and we’ll give you the tools to do that, or you may just wish to be a silent supporter.
Champions will occasionally get slightly different communications containing extra posters and resources for distribution amongst colleagues, and we will earmark them as a first point of contact within your organisation for Leading Edge engagement, however, there are often multiple Champions within companies, so if you’re too busy to help, don’t worry!
For more information on becoming a Champion, visit the
Champions section of our Resources section
here.
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If your question has not been answered, please contact us
via the Contact Us page.