Connecting as a Community, Sharing Our Story of Meaningful Impact

This past month provided an amazing opportunity to connect with and be inspired by CMPs, CMP Fellows, EIC Members, Strategic Partners, our Board and Council of Delegates, and so many business event professionals from around the world.

Starting with CMP Advance and our inaugural CMP Fellows Think Tank in New York, and wrapping up the month with IMEX Frankfurt, EIC focused on its pillars of People, Planet and Purpose to explore belonging, mindfulness and wellbeing, regenerative and sustainable event practices, negotiations, accessible and inclusive environments, digital strategies, and the future of the events economy.

Against this backdrop of interaction, idea exchange and impact that IMEX Frankfurt provides, EIC also launched the 2023 Global Economic Significance of Business Events study.

This latest study, which measures the full scope and economic significance of the $1.6 trillion USD global business events industry, also for the first time measured the critical role business events serve in areas like knowledge sharing, innovation and employee engagement – areas we all know as going beyond direct event spending.

The study illuminates how the value proposition of events is evolving. Event organisers have always understood that building culture and engagement, supporting environmental, social and corporate governance objectives, advancing the business of the organisation, and knowledge-sharing are high priorities for organisations. As global business event industry professionals, we work together to solve for our societies’ most pressing challenges and support our incredible global workforce.

EIC partners with Oxford Economics, a leader in global economic forecasting and analysis, on this valuable research that helps us share the story of how our industry, our people, and our innovations are so economically significant and how events are a catalyst for meaningful change.

We know that business events offer irreplaceable benefits like knowledge sharing, research collaboration and human capital development. Our research findings will help industry professionals like the CMP community make more informed decisions and deepen our relevance and connection with our global society.

The way we understand, measure and communicate the importance of business events is vital to showcasing its overall value. I invite you to access the study’s Executive Summary via our website here. We will have much more discussion and interaction on the study’s findings and how we can best utilise them to help all of our stakeholders better understand our industry’s influence and impact.

I want to personally thank the CMP Community for your support of our CMP Advance programme in New York City as well as all of our host and strategic partners whose support has made possible the unique opportunity for the CMP Community to connect in person with peers.

Please save the date for 2024 in Toronto at the Fairmont Royal York, 10-12 March, and join us for what promises to be a memorable and meaningful experience!

 

Amy Calvert, CEO, Events Industry Council