Insight: Issue 137 | Wed 24 May

Expect warmer weather, sunny spells and scorching events news.

Looks like we might be reaching the dizzying heights of 18° this week! Well, shorts on, sunnies on, and let’s crack on with proceedings, shall we?

In the week where morning TV became prime time drama: isla releases first industry report; mia calls on eventprofs to complete Insights Survey; Behind The Scenes at Eurovision; The Valuable 500: Working to end disability exclusion; and ‘Hybrid work could boost Europe’s economy by €113bn’.

isla releases first industry report

At this years transform, hosts Isla launched their first industry report – ‘a temperature check 2022-2023: an exploration of sustainable progress in the UK event industry’.

The report combines info collected from the industry body’s TRACE platform as well as its wider membership community. The ‘temperature check’ looks at the progress of the industry on its journey towards Net-Zero.

So what’s in it you ask?

 – Trends in event carbon emissions from TRACE
– Practical actions the events industry can take today
– Why the concepts of climate literacy and carbon instinct are key to business transformation against the backdrop of the climate crisis
– How organisations can reframe key challenges on the path to event decarbonisation as opportunities and the rewards these can present to businesses
– How the events industry can work together to harness the power of collaborative advantage

Isla’s climate strategist and report lead, Rebecca Lardeur comments: “This report breaks new ground in event data. It is so much more than a collection of facts and figures. It is a coming together of an industry that has collaborated to put sustainability into practice and ask hard questions.”

mia calls on eventprofs to complete Insights Survey

In order to garner info on the challenges facing the industry such as supply chain issues and business lead times, The Meetings Industry Association (mia) is reaching out to eventprofs to complete its latest survey.

mia’s CEO, Kerrin MacPhie, lays it on the line: “To ensure our latest report is a true reflection of what’s happening right now, we would be grateful if as many industry colleagues as possible could spend a few moments completing the survey. Every response makes a difference so, even if you’re not able to answer the questions, please forward it to whoever in your organisation is best placed to answer.”

You’ve got until the 31 May to submit your response. The clock is ticking – get on it!

Behind The Scenes at Eurovision

Liverpool rose triumphant in its bid for hosting rights for the 67th edition of Eurovision this year – and boy, did they put on a show. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, ACC Liverpool Group took on the task of prepping the city’s 11,000-capacity M&S Bank Arena to accommodate 37 countries from 9-13 May. It goes without saying that with major events like the MTV Music Awards and World Gymnastics Championships under its belt, the ACC Liverpool Group was a fitting choice.

Managing Director Faye Dyer expresses pride in the host city.

“Fundamentally it comes down to the people,” she says. “The vibe of Liverpool very much sits in line with Eurovision. We’re welcoming, inclusive, and a place where everyone can come and be themselves. I think that really shone through to the judges.”

Jump over to accessaa.com and get the full lowdown.

The Valuable 500: Working to end disability exclusion

In a recent sit-down with James Dickson of EIN, Valuable 500’s Ryan Curtis-Johnson sheds light on the group’s composition and mission.

A CEO network focused on ending disability exclusion, its 15 influential global chief executives (including representatives from companies like Apple, BBC, Sony, and Microsoft, and 485 other important members) aim to improve inclusion for the 1.3 billion people worldwide with disabilities. Ryan talks the importance of taking action, and how steps such as providing advice and guidelines, addressing hidden disabilities and promoting inclusive events go ways to creating a more inclusive event industry.

Catch the full interview over at eventindustrynews.com

‘Hybrid work could boost Europe’s economy by €113bn’

Recent research by workplace technology integrator Ricoh Europe has found that European businesses are missing the boat when it comes to reaping the benefits of hybrid working.

The study, conducted by Opinium and analysed by CEBR, indicates that business head honchos believe workers are some 4% more productive in a hybrid work environment – meaning for a potential €113bn additional boost to the European economy.

Here’s the rub. Only 53% of business have implemented hybrid work systems, putting the brakes on realising this potential for growth. If companies sped up the move to this flexible way of working, Ricoh predicts they would begin to see increased productivity, enhanced employee satisfaction and reduced commuting time. Equipping workspaces with the tools and technology for on-site/off-site collaboration can only benefit organisations, with the majority of the research
pointing towards increased productivity and the associated financial benefits.

Nicola Downing, CEO of Ricoh Europe, comments: “Supporting people to work flexibly will help businesses unlock significant financial gains, while creating a happier and more fulfilled workforce. However, a hybrid work policy is futile without implementing the technology required to facilitate collaboration between colleagues and customers, wherever they are.”

That rounds things off nicely for this week.

Catch you all next time for some more event punditry.