This past week saw the launch of the Events Industry Council’s first phase of its landmark Equity Acceleration Plan.
The Events Industry Council (EIC), a global voice of the business events industry on advocacy, research, professional recognition and standards, has launched its Equity Acceleration Plan.
This first phase of the plan will benchmark the current state of the events industry through a survey to assess diversity, equality, and inclusion within the workplace. The results of the survey will inform the development of tools and resources and make recommendations in the next phases on the Equity Acceleration Plan. This forms part of the EIC’s Centre for Sustainability & Social Impact and is a long-term project that will regularly measure the impact of its interventions in addition to making recommendations for further improvement.
The survey will allow respondents to share their experiences and put forward their own suggestions for improvements within the sector. The findings will then be used as the basis for a report in addition to a series of educational courses and resources to support the industry in its vision towards greater inclusivity.
“With over 10.3 million direct jobs and over 1.5 billion participants in our sector, and as the industry that at its heart fosters human connection and collaborations, we have the opportunity and responsibility to be a catalyst for meaningful and measurable change. The Equity Acceleration Plan will enable us to support event professionals to create more diverse and inclusive environments, develop career pathways, and ensure representation in leadership and supply chains by providing the learning and resources intended to reach and support our community,” commented Amy Calvert, CEO of EIC.
Jason Dunn Sr., co-Chair of EIC Equity Task Force and the Immediate past board chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, believes that tourism empowers communities and that business events can be a driver for change.
“This survey is an important step toward emboldening our global industry to lead and be an example of how to move the moral compass of DE&I to the centre of everything we do. I’m looking forward to seeing the results and to working with the EIC Equity Task Force to create what will be incredibly valuable guidance and resources for event professionals,” notes Jason, who is also the vice president for the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and will close on 15 October 2021. To participate, click here.
