Every edition of The Meeting Professional in 2020 will include an original story addressing diversity and inclusion—an important topic with unique challenges, an issue that’s essential for all of us to work on in order to have a truly open and welcoming meeting and event industry.
In our quarterly Meetings Outlook research surveys throughout 2019, we posed a variety of questions seeking to better understand the manner and extent to which meeting professionals experience inequality, and how we can get to a more diverse and inclusive future.
In the February edition of Meetings Outlook, 37 percent of female respondents said they’re treated worse in a professional setting due to their gender; only 8 percent of male respondents claimed similar discrimination. The main ways in which this inequality appears are especially egregious in that, individually and collectively, they can all hinder success. Sixty-four percent of female respondents reported having limited career opportunities compared to male peers, 54 percent say they’re treated as less capable or intelligent and 54 percent noted being paid less.
Some of our latest diversity- and inclusion-related data from the Fall 2019 Meetings Outlook survey didn’t make it into print last month due to space limitations, but we believe it helps to paint a fuller picture of the situation for industry professionals.
How much does gender and racial equality at a destination/venue affect your site selection?
27% A great deal
22% A moderate amount
22% A little
29% Not at all
Of the respondents who cited equality as a factor during site selection, 91 percent said destinations with strong gender and racial equality laws are more attractive (yes, 9 percent said such destinations are somehow less attractive).
Rate the importance you place on ensuring diversity and inclusion through the following aspects of your events.
Further Reading from The Meeting Professional
“A Better World for Us All”
By Gwen Migita, January
Diversity, equity and inclusion are critical in today’s world—and businesses that embrace that are leaders in their industries, creators of innovation, financially stronger and adapt to change more readily.
“Value and Respect”
By Jason Hensel, May
Organizations need to be intentional in fostering diversity and inclusion in all areas of business in order to stay relevant.
“The State of the Industry”
By Blair Potter, May
Industry peers share how they’re promoting diversity and inclusion at events, and the unique challenges faced.
“Setting the Gold Standard”
By Elaine Pofeldt, July
Meeting Industry Leadership RISE Award winner Gary Murakami advocates for equality through his local MPI chapter and MPI’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
“A Sense of Belonging”
By Jessica Pettitt, September
Why and how to create and moderate diverse and engaging panels.
Inclusivity Education
The Inclusive Event Design certificate program—offered live and online by the MPI Academy—instructs participants on how to build on event strategy and design to create more welcoming environments at events, including how to make the business case for inclusivity at your organization. This exclusive program is US$299 for MPI members ($399 for non-members).
