RESEARCH REPORT by Meeting Professionals International

The State ofInclusion in
Meetings &EventsSponsored by

In September 2018, Meeting Professionals Internation-al (MPI) launched a pan-industry initiative to determine thecurrent state of inclusion in the global meeting and event
industry. The mission of the project was to determine a) how
and to what extent event professionals plan for inclusivity
and diversity, b) knowledge gaps in this area and the needfor information and support and c) best practice examples
for the creation of inclusive experiences.
To realize this mission, MPI partnered with New York University’s Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality to conduct an
exhaustive literature review, research study and series of expert interviews. Dr. Lynn Minnaert conducted 16 interviews
and oversaw an MPI member survey that received 1,087
responses. This report presents an overview of the resultsfrom this project, and introduces good-practice examples ofdiversity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.
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Methodology

Diversity and inclusion currently dominate political, social and professional
discourse. Legal systems exist to penalize
active discrimination; however, regulations are not sufficient to achieving actual
inclusion and belonging. As awarenessof diversity and inclusion grows in thebusiness community, so does the understanding of its complexity. MPI’s researchfound diversity expressed itself in a wide
range of categories, including the following.
• Ability (emotional, mental and physical abilities)• Culture (cultural background, customs, language, religious and spiritualbeliefs)• Demographic Characteristics (age,ethnicity, gender identity, marital
status, nursing, parental status, socioeconomic status)• Health (allergies, fatigue, hunger,
medical conditions)• Personal Characteristics (happiness,learning preferences and needs, life
experience, motivation, political beliefs, sexual orientation)• Professional Background (education,
experience, goals, occupation, skills,
technologic comfort)
This study examines to what extent,
and how, event professionals plan forinclusivity and diversity in their events.
It identifies knowledge gaps and areas
where there is need for information andsupport, and it highlights best-practice
examples that can be applied in a rangeof event contexts. The study applies bothquantitative and qualitative methods, bymeans of a membership survey and a series of in-depth interviews with diversity
experts and practitioners.
Responses to the survey came from avariety of meeting professionals.
• Total responses: 1,087• 84 percent female, 15 percent male,
1 percent other / gender non-binary• 68 percent planner, 22 percent supplier, 10 percent other• Predominately U.S.-based

Diversity Practices

The survey asked respondents about
the primary objective for diversity andinclusion (D&I) initiatives at their organizations (see chart 1). For 20 percent
of professionals, the main purpose forsuch programs is complying with legal
requirements. Nearly one third of respon-

OBJECTIVE FOR DIVERSITY AND
1 PRIMARYINCLUSION INITIATIVES IN THEIR ORGANIZATION

20%

13%

7%

Comply with legal
requirements

Attract and retain
talented staff

Other

10%

31%

19%

Enhance external
reputation

Respond to guest
expectations

Achieve business results andenhance the bottom line

dents (31 percent) use D&I reactively, torespond to guest expectations. Nineteen
percent of respondents say their main
goal is achieving business results, highlighting a strategic approach to D&I thatis still somewhat uncommon in the event
industry.
Fifty-six percent of respondents say they
have written diversity and inclusion policies, and 42 percent say their businesses
host these statements on their websites.
Thirty-nine percent report no barriers tocreating truly inclusive experiences attheir meetings and events, though an
additional 40 percent say they have information and knowledge gaps that keepthem from excelling in this area.

that they believe inclusion initiatives are“just about being politically correct.”Overall, respondents agree somewhat
that the event industry needs better training and technical tools around diversity
and inclusion (mean 3.8). See Chart 2 onnext page.

Barriers to planning			
inclusive event experiences

The research findings show that industry
professionals include most good practices
more than half the time when marketing
their meetings and events. “A statement
about the event’s dedication to inclusivity” is the only practice implemented lessthan half of the time, despite the fact that
it is easy to implement and sends a strong
positive signal to event audiences.

13% —I don’t have enough time
20% —I don’t have the budget
14% —I don’t have the leadership 		
support
40% —I don’t have all the information/knowledge needed to plan 		
inclusive experiences
39% —There aren’t any barriers to 		planning inclusive experiences
7% —other

Diversity Attitudes

In terms of current attitudes toward D&I,
respondents say they feel there is a stronger focus on diversity and inclusion thanthere was 10 years ago, and that this isa focus area for their organizations. Thatsaid, some meeting professionals report

Diversity Practices by Function

Respondents also reviewed statementsthat reflect good practices in inclusive
event design and delivery and indicatedhow often, if ever, they adopted thesepractices into their business operations.
The best practices featured five event functions from marketing to event feedback.

MarketingMore than half the time

• A designated contact person for the
event, with contact details• A range of contact methods for delegates (in-person, phone, email, text)• Language that is carefully chosen to beeasy to understand and universal• Materials in different formats (digitaland paper)• Web materials that are carefully de-

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tion to educate advertisers and sponsors
on imagery that will connect well with thetarget audience of the event.

2 DIVERSITY ATTITUDESSTATEMENTMEAN SCORES

There is more focus on diversity and inclusion now than there was 10 years ago

4.5

Diversity and inclusion are priorities for my organization

4.0

The event industry needs better training & technical tools around diversity & inclusion

3.8

The event industry is inclusive and welcomes diversity

3.8

If our events are not inclusive, it will impact our bottom line

3.6

It is challenging to plan and deliver fully inclusive events

3.2

There is too much focus on diversity and inclusion nowadays

2.5

Diversity and inclusion initiatives are just about being politically correct

2.3

signed to be fully accessible

Less than half the time

• A statement about the event’s dedication to inclusivity

Paula Sotnik of the Institute for Community
Inclusion argues the importance of using
words like “inclusive” to signal event
philosophy. “It is a message to the community, and people look for that message.
When the messaging is inclusive, people
feel more comfortable identifying accommodations they would like to request.”
She also advises meeting professionals
to study their attendees, and their staff.
“Look at who is in the room. Who are you
not attracting? Your advisory / planninggroup needs to be diverse and include representation from different groups. This willallow you to recognize the needs of diversedelegates, and to do targeted outreach.”
In addition, images can be powerfulindicators of the people meetings welcome—or would like to welcome.
“Attendees need to be able to seethemselves in the images we choose,”
according to industry advocate and strategist Jeff Hurt, a strategic facilitator. “And
while meeting professionals use images
with people of different ages, races andgenders more than half the time, images
with people of different abilities, sexual
orientations and religions are less common.

More than half the time

• People of different races• People of different ages
• People of different genders

Less than half the time

• People with different abilities• People with different sexual orientations• People with different religions

Craig Jacobs, co-founder of close the gap,
says event professionals have the opportunity to lead with inclusivity in marketing,and the images they choose. “In practice,
we often have little opportunity to convey
our diversity and inclusion message inwords, so we can say it with images. We
need to be thoughtful about the images
we choose—images that add tone andcontext, that are subtle and hit the perfecttone, that are not cliché, but authentic
and intelligent.” Jeff Tidwell of Next For
Me agrees that “delegates need to seethemselves represented in the images wechoose.”But challenges exist for meeting professionals looking to enhance their marketingand event materials. “In image banks,
searching for ‘leadership’ will usually
yield images of white men. Searching for‘work life balance’ usually yields images of
distraught-looking women,” says Mariela
McIlwraith, director of industry advancement for the Events Industry Council. “We
need to make conscious choices to avoid
this. Images of people in wheelchairs willoften be taken with terrible wheelchairs—
the type you get at the airport or hospital.
It’s come to a point where it is hard to haveimages with people in them, as so many
perpetuate stereotypes.”
SITE Head of Events Tahira Endean
adds that images need to be diverse, butalso authentic; it’s important that they
don’t appear chosen just for diversity’ssake. Ideally, she recommends planners
use pictures of actual events rather thanstock photos, or choose stock photos
based on actual representation during
events.
Longtime industry leader Joan Eisenstodt of Eisenstodt Associates points outthat choosing images deliberately is also
important when event programs, websites
and materials include advertisements, andevent professionals may be in a good posi-

Registration

Many meeting professionals feel that it
is challenging to make the registration
form both short and comprehensive. A
request to indicate food restrictions is themost regularly included request related
to inclusion. Interestingly, a deadline to
make requests for accommodations israrely included.

Most of the time

• A request to indicate food restrictions• Examples of the type of requests thatdelegates can make (e.g. different
dietary options, access needs, etc.)• A designated contact person for the
event, with their contact details

Half of the time

• A variety of registration options (online, telephone, text phone, email)• Information about accessible parking
near / transport to the venue• A request to indicate food preferences• Information about the accessibility ofthe venue• A request for delegates to share any
personal/medical information they
feel is important for you to know

Rarely• A request for delegates to highlightany diversity requests they have
• A deadline to make these requests• A request for delegates to write down
their goals for event• A request to indicate the preferredgender pronouns of the delegate• A question about whether personalcare attendants will be accompanying
the delegate

SITE’s Endean points out that registration forms can be challenging. “Whatshould you ask, and how do you ask it
in a sensitive way? Privacy laws in somecountries do not allow us to collect certain information—that means sometimes
event organizers have to prepare basedon assumptions. In Canada, organizersof government conferences cannot ask
about specific dietary requirements. This
is why we provide menus in advance andmention that dietary needs can be accommodated.”
In situations where it is allowed, Tracy
Stuckrath, president and founder ofThrive! Meetings & Events, recommends
asking an open-ended question, such as:“Do you have any dietary preferences?”

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She also asks guests to explain theirrequests by offering a number of categories, such as allergies, religion, illness orinteraction with medicine. She advises
against using menu cards that can be
freely picked up at registration.
“Menu cards at events don’t work
if they are just left on the registrationtable for delegates to pick up,” she says.
“Anyone can take one, so the card may
not reach the person who requested it.
This means no accurate numbers areavailable for the chef and the wait staff. It
can result in a delay for the correct meal
to be produced, which means guests may
not be able to eat together, leading topotential embarrassment.”
Being conscientious about dietaryneeds will not only lead to higher attendee satisfaction, she says, but also
helps protect the event planner legally.
And trust plays an important part in thisprocess. “We need to gain the trust of ourattendees, so they will disclose information. Many may have had unpleasant experiences in the past. The more information you provide about F&B policies andpractices, the better off you are legally.
State the kitchen is not allergen-free ifthat is the case. You will show you havethought about it, which may instill confidence. Be honest and transparent andprepare meals to the attendees’ restrictions without intent to harm.”
Gender pronouns are another aspectof registration forms that can be noninclusive, if only two options are offered.
Bernadette Smith, founder and presidentof The Equality Institute, says that nonbinary guests may feel frustrated if they
are forced to choose a pronoun and none

represent them. She points to HSBC as a
inclusivity goals and needs for thegood practice example. The bank introduced
event
10 non-gender-specific titles for customers to
Half of the timechoose from (Mx, Ind, M, Mre, Msr, Myr, Pr,• A discussion with the venue about
Sai, Ser or Misc).
your inclusivity goals and needs for the
Event Design
event
Meeting professionals say they carefully• Selection of speakers/presenters that
select the dates of their events, conduct sitereflect the diversity of the audience you
visits and discuss their inclusivity goals withwish to attract
caterers most of the time. Discussions with
• Internal planning meetings focused on
the venue, speakers and suppliers about
inclusive event design and planninginclusiveness, however, happen only around• A discussion with other suppliers about
half of the time, and venue staff members
the inclusivity goals and needs for theare rarely briefed. Sharing event menus in
event
advance, preparing event materials in differRarely
ent languages and providing prayer rooms• Event menus that are shared in adare also rarely implemented practices. Lanvanceguage patterns may vary based on region.
• A brief primer related to interacting
Most of the timewith diverse participants to all venue• A carefully selected date that does not
staff
coincide with religious holidays in differ• Event materials in different languages
ent faiths• Prayer rooms onsite• A site visit to assess the accessibility of
Meeting professionals say delegates’ acthe destination and the venue• A discussion with the caterers about your cessibility needs are important considerations when planning events.
Universal and accessible design expert
Rosemarie Rossetti says that assessing
venues starts with accessible parking andramps near the entrance. Doors need toaccessible, with curb cuts nearby, andwithout gravel or grass. Inside the venue,
there needs to be a clear path of travel.
When conducting site inspections, event
professionals should mind the width ofdoors and hallways and pay close attention to floor surfaces. While carpets tend
to be ubiquitous in hotels, some can bedifficult to navigate for attendees who use
manual wheelchairs.
Room set-up is also of great importance. Rossetti says she often sees tables“In image banks,and chairs set close together to accommodate as many guests as possible. But
searching forthis is challenging for attendees who
use wheelchairs. It is important to have‘leadership’ will
reserved places (and not always at theback of the room). Attendees who use
usually yield images
wheelchairs may also find it hard to sit atround tables.
of white men.
People who use sign language interpreters
will need to sit at the front of the
Searching for ‘work
room, as will people who lip read or use
electronic hearing aids. Aisles should belife balance’ usually
kept clear—center, left and right. People
don’t want to be intrusive and disturb
yields images ofothers, for example, when they need toleave to use the restroom. There should be
distraught-looking
ample time for delegates with disabilities
to move between sessions and rooms.
women.”For large events, it is good practice to
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reserve space for attendees with differing
abilities and their guests, or to provide
them with early access to the space, inorder to avoid getting caught in crowds.
When it comes to catering, it can be hard
for attendees who use wheelchairs toreach elevated buffet food. Table-heightitems are preferred, and Rossetti suggests raised flower arrangements instead.
Ideally, buffets should have access on
both sides, with adequate room to movearound, and the tables should not be too
close to the wall.
Rossetti says the stage should also beaccessible from every angle, and should
not be too small. Lapel microphones help
speakers use their hands to navigate.
Ramps should be carefully checked; often
they are inappropriate for the height of thestage.
Sotnik highlights the importance ofa sans serif font in high-contrast colors.
Sans serif fonts are types that do not haveserifs (the extra strokes that often look liketails at the start and end of the letter). The
most widely used serif font is Times New
Roman. Examples of sans serif fonts are
Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Futura, Univers
and Franklin
The destination is an importantconsideration for attendees in the LGBTQ
community. Smith says LGBTQ customers
can still be refused services legally in 29
U.S. states. Meeting professionals could
consider choosing places that have LGBTQ
inclusive ordinances, she says.
In terms of education, meeting professionals select speakers / presenters thatreflect the diversity of the audience theywish to attract about half of the time. And
the “manel” (or all-male panel) has increasingly become a contentious issue inthe meeting industry.
If you have womenin the audience, you
should have them on
the stage, says Sam
Lippman, president and founder ofLippman Connects.
That said, leadershipexpert Joe Gerstandt
notes that whitemales should not be
excluded from discussions about diversity.
For large events, it is good practice to re“We need to engage
white men. This isserve space for attendees with differingsometimes seen as aabilities and their guests, or to provide
fringe perspective, butorganizational power
them with early access to the space, instill rests there. They
tend to not be in theorder to avoid getting caught in crowds.
conversation, so we
don’t develop a combeing prepared for onsite access requests. mon language, a common world view.”“Including accommodation requests on
John Nawn, founder of The Perfect
the registration form is key, but bear in
Meeting, points out that the key motivamind that many requests will be madetions for attending conferences are educaonce delegates reach the venue. Fortion and networking. “When it comes toexample, a delegate may request a scooter learning, we can measure success by exin a large convention hall, even if theyamining how much information is retained
are mobile.” This means it is vital to haveand transferred back to the job. Most
funds set aside to make these accommolearning at conferences is not designed fordations, and to have telephone numbers
maximizing retention and transfer, whichavailable for specialized service providers
makes it a waste of time and money. We
if unexpected needs arise.
need to think more inclusively and design
McIlwraith also cautions meeting
differently.”
professionals to consider technology careEndean adds that learning methods
fully. “We have added bells and whistles to can vary by background. “Too many events
PPT presentations to make them fancy, but are like learning modules from the ‘50s.
we don’t always think of people with low‘Here is your manel. Take away what you
vision.” HDRC (2009) states that materican.’ We need to consider there are difals are easiest to read when printed using
ferent ways to access, learn and contex-

tualize information, for example, workshopping, testing, prototyping.” People
remember images better than bullet points,
she adds. “As an industry, we are not yet
good at that. We are good at creating flashy
videos that leave you with a feeling, but cancreate a cacophony in the brain. They create
energy and excitement but are not good forlearning.”
This also applies to networking. Leading
experience expert Hurt says he tries to approach networking in an inclusive manner,
paying particular attention to delegates
who may be more introverted. “I always include smaller cubbies in the design of bigger ballrooms, so people can observe what
is going on in the bigger crowd, so they canrecharge or stay with a few people they feel
comfortable with.”
Networking isn’t getting as many business cards as you can, he adds. “I seekout people who are different from me, andintroduce them to my tribes. I design andstructure the experience. I tell attendees
to seek out someone who is different fromthem and share one thing other people
wouldn’t know about them. This releases
oxytocin, the bonding hormone. I aim tobuild a deeper ‘connexity’ with just a few
people, rather than superficial contact withmany. Networking is seen as a way to geta hand up—finding a new job, service ordeal. I approach it differently: What can I
offer you? What do you need? By being more
serendipitous about it, it becomes moreauthentic.”
Rossetti says space design and furnitureis important, and accessibility for people
with mobility aids should be considered.
“It can be problematic if there are only barheight tables. At networking events there
should be more seating and lower tables.
This is not only helpful to people who
use wheelchairs, we also need to think ofpeople who can’t stand very long.”
In terms of catering, meeting professionals pay close attention to making inclusive
and beverage arrangements, bearing in
mind food restrictions and intolerances,religious norms and health considerations.
Daniel Love, co-chairman of the MPI Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce, emphasizes that‘food is a very personal and private thing.
When you are in a position to make F&B
decisions, understanding that personal desire to feel good about what you consume
is critically important to the success of theevent. Food can be a bridge to other people.
F&B can also be an opportunity to educate
the audience about culture and people.”
Stuckrath agrees that food provides
opportunity to bond. “We use F&B at events
to create connections. Yet, we don’t always

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go about it the right way. People may be
excluded if they have a food allergy or
religious dietary restrictions. We need to be
more mindful.”
Key allergens include wheat, soy, milk,
eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish.
The EU, Canada and several other countries
have laws that require producers of freshand pre-packaged foods to clearly indicate
if these allergens can be found in foods.
In the U.S., this rule only applies to prepackaged and not fresh food. Stuckrath
supports labeling as an inclusive practice.
“Labeling is comprehensive and comforting. Guests who are used to the system may
be disappointed it isn’t available at U.S.
conventions.”

Onsite Delivery

When it comes to onsite delivery, meeting professionals consider obstacle-freepathways, clear food labeling and easy-tounderstand signage most of the time. They
offer different types of seating, discussions
with onsite event staff and moderators anddiversity-trained event managers about halfof the time. However, multi-lingual event
staff, designated nursing spaces for mothers and child care options are rare (though,again, language may regionally vary).

Most of the time

• Consistent obstacle-free pathways into
and throughout the venue• Clear labeling of food options by foodrestriction/allergy or ingredients• Signage that is easy to understand or
non-text

Half of the time

• Different types of seating/furniture tomatch delegates’ needs/preferences• Discussions with onsite event staff
about the inclusivity goals of your event• Moderators who create a safe space forall delegates to express themselves• An event manager onsite who has received diversity training

Rarely• Onsite event staff who speak different
languages• Designated nursing spaces for mothers• Child care options

Discussions with event staff about theinclusivity goals of the events are fairly rare,
and this can lead to participant dissatisfaction, even if the event was carefully planned
for inclusion.
For industry expert Eisenstodt, whouses a scooter, poorly trained venue staff
can adversely impact her experience, as

3 DELEGATED GROUP SCOREB
Male
Extroverted

B-

C+

C

C-

FemaleOlder

Disabilities

Introverted

Less work
experienceLess
comfortable w.
technology

YoungerMore work
experienceFood
restrictions

LGBTQ
Ethnicminorities

can high check-in and registration desks.
Maribel Denner of Marriott International
highlights the importance of multilingual
staff. As someone who speaks multiple
languages, she has experienced how
helpful it can be in facilitating communication. “English is not my first language,
which means that sometimes I can translate the question in my native language
so nothing gets lost in translation.”
Stuckrath points out that people withdietary needs still face incomprehension
from personnel. “Event staff may be hiredfrom employment agencies and not beproperly trained, so staff sometimes roll
their eyes. But it can happen to anyone.
You may think, ‘Oh not another one ofthose people,’ until you are one. I don’t
expect staff to know every detail about
this, but I do expect them to respect
the attendee’s need. There is often notenough training about this. The goal
should be to come at the guest withcompassion.”
Love says it’s important not to makeattendees with dietary needs feel likeoutsiders. “Nobody wants to be seen as
the problem. Attitudes are improving,
but there can still be an overt or covert
stigma, and the attendee will know it.
The only way to really address that is
acknowledging the need upfront and following up to make the person feel fully included. For example, if gluten-free pasta
is an option, make sure that is stated on
the menu. The person may wince if theyneed to ask.”
Moderators and speakers need to be
informed about inclusivity, and these
discussions are only held about half ofthe time. Hurt encourages event professionals to discuss D&I objectives withspeakers and moderators beforehandand suggests the use of a presenterattendee agreement, the goal of which is
to create a safe environment, that invites
attendees to fully engage.

Non-dominantreligions“If there is not a little bit of tension
you are not learning. It can be somewhat
discomforting, but we can lead our attendees there. We can make them feelsafe and invite them in, but they have theright not to participate if they choose to.
We start off every presentation with ourpresenter-attendee agreement, which has
12 principles. One is the ‘law of motion.’
You have the right to get up and take careof your needs during any presentation.
The attendees can also text and share
their experiences on social media during presentations. Attendees have freepasses. If they don’t want to participate inan activity, that is OK. It is a freeing thing
to do. The presenters and moderators are
there for the audience, not the other way
around.”Event Feedback

Most of the time, event professionals
meet with their teams to review feedback,develop improvement plans and offer
participants the opportunity to comment ina variety of formats. They include vendors
in the feedback discussions about half ofthe time, along with asking participants
specific questions on how the event could
have been more welcoming. However, theyrarely include questions specifically focusing on delegate satisfaction with disability
accommodations.

Most of the time

• A post-event meeting where the feedback is reviewed with your team
• Action plans are developed to incorporate feedback in future events• Opportunities for delegates to give
feedback in different formats (email,online form, phone)

Half of the time

• A post-event discussion with vendors
where the feedback is reviewed• A specific question asking how you

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could have made the event more welcoming for the delegate

Rarely• Specific questions asking about satisfaction with ability-related accommodations• and access requests

Nawn emphasizes that data collection andattendee feedback are vital to an event’s
success. This includes gathering information before, during and after the event—rather than only seeking feedback after the
event is over. But this can be challenging.
“Often, not enough data are collected at
events, or the wrong data are collected, or
the right data are collected but the organization doesn’t have the analytical capabilities to make use of them,” he says.
To help event professionals in thisarea, he introduces participant games thatencourage attendees to share information
about themselves, their views and theirgoals. The more information delegatesshare, the better the host will understandtheir wants and needs. He sets up a boothat a central location, and shares information about the initiative in advance.
Delegates are free to play as few or many
games as they like. Some are individualand can be played on an iPad. For example, attendees may answer different
questions about a number of scenarios.
Others are on a large screen, and a groupof attendees can play.
Nawn emphasizes that he doesn’t col-lect (or need) identifying information. “Mostdelegates don’t object if you are transparent
about what you want to accomplish.” Hurt
recommends that staff observe attendee
behavior, taking notes on participants andhow they are interacting.
Love and Sotnik add that a direct
feedback loop is important for attendees
who have requested certain D&I accommodations, whether they are accessibilityrelated or have to do with dietary needs.
“It is important to follow up, and make sure
you know how delegates with special foodrequests were taken care of. If there arenegative comments, follow up.

Industry Evaluation

The final section of the survey asked meeting professionals how well they felt theevent industry serves the needs of different
delegate groups on a scale between one(terrible) and five (excellent). On the basisof these scores, a grade can be calculated
ranging from A to F. The groups comprisedof the following.
• Male attendees• Female attendees• Younger attendees• Older attendees• LGBTQ attendees• Introverted attendees• Extroverted attendees		• Attendees with food restrictions• Attendees from ethnic minorities• Attendees with disabilities• Attendees from non-dominant religions• Attendees with more work experience• Attendees with less work experience• Attendees less comfortable with technology
Meeting professionals say the groups bestserved by the event industry are male andextroverted attendees. They say introverted
attendees are least-served. See Chart 3.
Lippman offers a few tips that can help
introverted attendees feel more welcome.
He suggests meeting professionals use
technology to allow delegates to ask questions in alternative ways. He also recommends that meeting professionals assign
seating at lunch times, which not only leads
to new connections, but reduces awkwardness (and can work as a sponsor benefit).
Lippman also suggests avoiding loud musicor video and keeping addresses short. In
networking receptions, he makes sure theroom is well-lit and plays low-volume music.
He schedules breaks for 40 minutes to allow networking, and does not include commercial programming during the breaks.
Benjamin recommends offering asmall-group exercise before asking audience members to speak, so that people
have an opportunity to formulate ideas andvalidate them. Lippman encourages selfintroductions during which people sharesuccesses—any excuse really to get people
talking. “Polling questions can also work to
get people engaged,” he says. “Sometimes,
I call up certain delegates and ask them totake the lead on certain topics, to ensure
the conversation starts smoothly.”

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest meeting andevent industry association worldwide. Founded in 1972, the organization
provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities andbusiness exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion andgrowth of the industry. MPI has a global community of 60,000 meeting andevent professionals including more than 17,000 engaged members and thePlan Your Meetings non-traditional meeting planner audience. It has morethan 90 chapters and clubs in 24 countries.
For additional information, visit www.mpi.org.

Meeting Professionals
International Headquarters
2711 LBJ Freeway, Suite 600
Dallas, TX 75234-2759
tel +1-972-702-3000
email: feedback@mpiweb.org

A Research Report: The State of Inclusion in Meetings and Evnts | Page 7

The MPI Foundation is a nonprofit organization that fuels the advancement of MPI members by providing them professional development
and career opportunities through grants and scholarships. The MPIFoundation also propels the meeting and event industry forward by
funding innovative research and pan-industry initiatives that support thestrategic plan of MPI.
For additional information, visit www.mpi.org/foundation.

With thanks to our expert interviewees.
Bill Benjamin
Partner, Institute for Health and Human Potential
www.ihhp.com
bill.benjamin@ihhp.com

Daniel Love
Co-chairman of the MPI Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce,
Independent Event Planner
daniel@inyourserviceevents.com

Maribel Denner
Director of Sales, Group and Catering,SWS Sales Office, Marriott International
www.marriott.com
maribel.denner@marriott.com

Mariela McIlwraith
Director of Industry Advancement, Events Industry Council
http://www.eventscouncil.org/
mmcilwraith@eventscouncil.org

Joan Eisenstodt
Founder, Eisenstodt Associates
joanleisenstodt@gmail.com
www.eisenstodt.com

John Nawn
Founder, The Perfect Meeting
http://theperfectmeeting.com/
john@theperfectmeeting.com

Tahira Endean
Head of Events, SITE
tahiralovesevents@gmail.com

Rosemarie RossettiExpert in Universal and Accessible Design, Speaker, Consultant and Author
www.rosemariespeaks.com
Rosemarie@rosemariespeaks.com

Joe Gerstandt
Keynote Speaker, Author
www.joegerstandt.com
joe.gerstandt@gmail.com

Bernadette Smith
Founder and President, The Equality Institutewww.theequalityinstitute.com
bernadette@theequalityinstitute.com

Jeff Hurt
Strategic Facilitator
jefflhurt@gmail.com

Paula Sotnik
Project Director, Institute for Community Inclusionwww.communityinclusion.org
paula.sotnik@umb.edu

Craig Jacobs
Executive Vice President and Co-Founder, close the gap
www.closethegap.com
craig@closethegap.com
Sam Lippman
President and Founder, Lippman Connects
http://www.lippmanconnects.com/
sam@lippmanconnects.com

Tracy StuckrathPresident and Founder, Thrive! Meetings & Events
www. thrivemeetings.com
tracy@thrivemeetings.com
Jeff Tidwell
Founder, Next For Me
www.nextforme.com
jeff@nextforme.com
A Research Report: The State of Inclusion in Meetings and Evnts | Page 8