Events Industry Council (EIC) is looking for meeting professional feedback to develop a landmark Equity Acceleration Plan packed with tools, resources and recommendations to lead the challenge against discrimination and systemic racism in the events industry. The survey, which closes Oct. 15, takes about 10 minutes to complete and uses an AI-powered chatbot from Culturelytics to make completion easier and more efficient.
Have your voice heard. Take the survey by Oct. 15, 2021.
A Meaningful Starting Point
The survey is the first phase of an initiative that will focus on establishing a benchmark to measure progress of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the events industry. The results of this benchmark will inform the development of tools, resources and recommendations in subsequent phases in an Equity Acceleration Plan.
The goal: a framework to turn the EIC Equity Task Force’s vision into action.
By sharing personal experiences and opinions about what is needed to improve the sector, meeting professionals can help point the way to meaningful change, the task force says. Findings will be used as the basis for a report and a series of specially created educational courses, tools and resources to support the industry in its shared goal of a more diverse and inclusive future.
“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,” in the words of Amy Calvert, CEO of EIC. “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.”
Jason Dunn Sr., co-chair of EIC Equity Task Force, immediate past board chairman of National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, and vice president of Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau, has this to say about why broad participation is important: “I believe 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 DEI to the center 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.”
Mark Cooper, CEO of IACC and EIC 2021 board chair reinforces the point. “We encourage our global community to openly share their experiences and insights so that the Events Industry Council can create the resources and support necessary to drive genuine long-term change.”
