Designing inclusive events: a guide for the events industry
We sat down for coffee with Dale Hudson, IMEX’s Knowledge and Events Director to learn more about our flagship EDI program IMEX AVoice4All - thought leadership - in association with Destination Toronto.
What is AVoice4All?
AVoice4All is part of our education program dedicated to designing and creating more inclusive events. In 2023, with Human Nature as the IMEX Talking Point it feels more important than ever to focus on how we can design truly human-centric events and workplaces.
This program has been designed to elevate the thinking on some of today’s most important topics: from leadership skills to event spaces, from neuroinclusion to allyship, and much more. Our aim is to give our attendees some highly practical action points that they can start using immediately in their organizations and at their events.
Inclusivity is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for companies – it’s an essential part of modern business practice. For companies and events to grow they need to create a place at the table for all groups and create an environment that promotes positive change.
Who should join these sessions?
The program’s been designed for individuals and companies who want to really understand inclusivity and bring about a better future that welcomes and celebrates everyone.
Whether you’re a leader, an event organizer, a meeting planner or you’re simply keen to become an ally – the program will help you build a better workplace culture and more inclusive events. You’ll gain a deeper level of empathy for people from diverse backgrounds, and understand how to recognize – and call out – discrimination.
So tell us – who’s speaking on the program at IMEX?
We have some fantastic high-profile speakers joining us for open and honest discussions to drive the agenda on inclusivity in events.
At IMEX Frankfurt we’ll be joined by Janet Sperstad as moderator and facilitator for the program. Janet’s one of the best-recognized champions of inclusivity and diversity in the events community and brings clarity and commerciality to the essential human skill of kindness.
The program will also feature a conversation with neuroinclusive design advocates and change makers, Onyinye Udokporo, Neurodiversity Consultant & Content Creator, and Megan Henshall, Global Events Strategic Solutions Lead at Google. And we’ll be joined by our Thought Leader Sponsor, Destination Toronto, who’ll be opening up the conversation on how we can embrace an empathic, human-centric approach to designing more inclusive experiences.
The program will also run at IMEX America 2023 – we’ll be announcing details of the speakers and sessions later this year.
