PCMA seeks solidarity for more inclusive events

The Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) Ascent CEO is rallying support for more inclusive workplaces and events. More than 50 senior executives have made the commitment since the pledge was unveiled last week at IMEX Frankfurt. The pledge is set to have 100 signatures by the end of the month.

“The momentum tells us that industry leaders understand that there is work to do, and that they’re ready to do it,” said PCMA President and CEO Sheriff Karamat. “In the next few months, we will be introducing ways to track our progress. By working together, we will cultivate meaningful social change.’’

The initiative seeks to empower those challenged by gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or disabilities to find success in the industry. The pledge highlights three initial goals:

1. We will make our workplaces and events open and trusting settings.
2. We will provide education on barriers to inclusivity, including unconscious bias.
3. We will share what we know, what we learn and what needs improvement.

To make sure CEOs fulfil their promise to provide workplace education, PCMA-Convene is developing a series of webinars around unconscious bias that can be used in the workplace.

On top of that, an Ascent Studio at PCMA’s Education Conference on 10 to 13 June in Cleveland will provide two days of sessions around inclusion and diversity topics. Attendees can participate in sessions such as “Remove Implicit Bias to Improve Interactions”, “Beyond Professionalism: Channelling Vulnerability” and more.

Ascent is an initiative by PCMA-Convene to promote inclusion and diversity across the business events industry.