MPI Potomac DEI Event Checklist andGuidelines

MPI Potomac is an inclusive community of meeting professionals who embracelearning, collaboration, and your development.

Accessibility
Accommodate participants mobility needs, especially if the event requires participants towalk any distance or use stairs or escalators
Inclusive signage and parking/transportation to and from venue, event, different meetingrooms
If there are folks with mobility aids like wheelchairs or scooters, , make sure adequate spaceis allocated to navigate the room, and that the stage is equipped with a ramp
Offer a quiet space/nursing parent/prayer room
Plan your meeting to align with attendee demographics
Offer gender-neutral bathrooms
Provide different types of seating / furniture to match delegates' needs / preferences
Provide chairs without arms
Provide tables. Make sure wheelchairs/scooters can roll under tables
Provide sufficient space for wheelchairs/scooters within audience seating
Provide chairs even when you expect participants to be standing, for those who want to sit
F&B Inclusivity
Provide for attendees with food/beverage restrictions and serving restrictions (noncomprehensive examples, Kosher/Halal meals, vegan meals, or meals after sunset/before
sunrise during Ramadan)
Food preferences – make sure there is at least one exciting vegan entrée or entire
vegetarian meal comparable in presentation and quality to other entréesConsider build your own stations so folks can customize their meals
Share event menus in advance
Provide good non-alcoholic options
Registration
Be sure to ask:
Do you require sign language interpretation?
Do you require a service animal? What do they need?
Do you require a mobility assistant? What do they need? Do not charge registration for amobility assistant
Ensure to ask about dietary allergies and restrictions
Have a process within the registration system for participants, speakers, andvendors/exhibitors to request additional accommodations.
Communicate a deadline for making requests (identify barriers that cannot be eliminated)
At registration, make it opt-out to select gender pronouns for your nametag – this is not just agender issue, it is cultural as well. Including pronouns can help people of different cultures
correctly address people they are addressing.
Share your code of conduct at registration/on your app/in your program to set the tone foryour event
Make sure your organization has a comprehensive sexual harassment policy that is easilyaccessible and outlines concrete steps that can be taken by attendees if they feel threatened
Develop and share an anti-human-trafficking policy for your organization and make itavailable
Marketing
Design web pages/materials to be fully accessible; audit your web materials for accessibility,
including color accessibility, readability, accessible language, etc.
Include image descriptions
Are fonts/words large enough for everyone to read? Are pages/materials compatible withreading devices?
Check that all materials are accessible and compatible with the range of hardware andsoftware used by persons with disabilities.
Add diverse images to the social media campaigns, marketing materials, etc. keeping in mind
what will create a sense of belonging/equity.
Programing
Consider these points when scheduling your event:
Add a land acknowledgement to the beginning of your event.
Be mindful of not using venues that are controversial or offensive to your attendees
Consider supplier/vendor diversity – look for equity in your partnerships
Ensure the speakers and/or moderator represent a broad variety of gender, race, LGBTQ+status, national origin, ability, veteran status, geography, etc.
Find expert perspective on topic/content beyond your own circles
Consider attendees religious and other obligations (be mindful and check for conflicts withholidays, holy days, and local school schedules). Start on Monday and end on Thursday tosupport family life balance
Ask speakers to identify their pronouns in their introductions/and on the screen (whenvirtual)
Eliminate titles or use gender neutral titles. Inform speakers of design and delivery practices
that enhance inclusive presentations
Allow anonymous questions
Are your entertainment options appropriate, is there any chance they could be considered
offensive to anyone? Could they be considered appropriation?
Caption videos
Ask all your speakers to verbally describe themselves/their appearance for blind attendees
Consider your neurodivergent attendees.
AND FINALLY
If your event is not diverse, equitable and/or inclusive, please give a one sentence explanation
why not. Please keep in mind that in order for this to be authentic and not feel
performative is to make sure implementation of a DE&I strategy is linked to a strategy, andnot just a checklist.
For MPI Potomac events, if you are not hitting these guidelines, please check the with the DE&I
team for recommendations or see database (in the works) for options for diverse panelists andmoderators.
Updated March 2023
Note: This checklist is meant to address the baseline for DE&I - the topical issues. This is not meant to be comprehensive or allencompassing. This checklist can be modified to suit your organization/budget/ability.