Promoting Equity, Embracing Diversity and Facilitating Inclusion for All

Sarah Markey-Hamm

President, IAPCO

Dear IAPCO Members and Friends,

Welcome to our latest edition of The PCO! This edition we are focusing on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). I have spent some time reflecting on what EDI means to me and how this is represented in our personal and business lives.

On a professional level, when we assist our clients to host their business events it is part of our nature to ensure that all our guests (delegates, speakers, partners) are made to feel welcome and comfortable in their temporary environment. The definition of comfortable has changed over time as society has changed. As PCOs, we quite often see this change before it becomes mainstream as a lot of our clients are socially progressive. We are privileged to be in a position to learn about different cultures, the needs of our First Nation Communities, our LGBTIQ+ communities and people with disabilities to ensure that we are able to make their experiences as seamless as possible.

How do we do this? I have found coming from a position of curiosity and asking genuine questions to understand how we can make the experience as welcoming as possible, treating people as you would like to be treated is an adage that comes to mind.

EDI is such an essential part of who we are not only as professionals but also as who we are as human beings, embracing all things EDI is a “no-brainer”.

Please enjoy.

Martin Boyle

CEO, IAPCO

As the CEO of IAPCO, I am proud of the commitment we have to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of our work. We recognize the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members, event attendees, partners and suppliers that we work with around the globe.

In such a global environment, we believe that embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion are essential for fostering innovation, creativity, and success for all.

This edition of the PCO features articles, commentary and examples that demonstrate the diversity of our community, ingenuity of thoughts and our combined ability to raise any barriers to succeed in the industry that we all love.

Like all organisations, large and small, we must continuously learn and evolve our approach to EDI, as we recognize that this is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort. I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing from our contributors and partners when pulling together this edition of the PCO and I invite all of our stakeholders to join us in our journey, as we continue to work together to create a more inclusive and equitable events industry that can benefit everyone.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the PCO as much as I do.