Latest accepted practices guide designed to provide event professionals with resources for business continuity planning amidst major disruptions
The Events Industry Council has released the Business Continuity Accepted Practices Guide. It is the latest guide produced by EIC’s APEX (Accepted Practices Exchange) COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force.
The EIC guide focuses on:
- How organizations prepare for future crises or disruptions, such as the current global pandemic
- How businesses reliant on in-person events navigate through a crisis when such traditional in-person event models are not possible
- Curating business continuity resources for event professionals
- Understanding and implementing value-based adaptions and innovations
“It is critical we continue to raise the notion of resilience and adaptions to drive innovative practices,” says Amy Calvert (pictured right), CEO, Events Industry Council. “A resource that aggregates and curates principles of Business Continuity will support industry professionals and organizations as they work to strengthen their business models and prepare for recovery and their future relevance.”
The guide presents a three-stage framework for recovery: Assess, Adapt and Accelerate. The Assess–Adapt–Accelerate framework may be applied to any business, but event organizers have unique needs and specific opportunities which are highlighted in the Guide.
“Continuing to operate through the pandemic puts many business continuity plans to the test,” says Amy Ledoux (pictured left), CAE, CMP, chief learning and meetings officer for the Amer
ican Society of Association Executives. “This guide delivers a methodology, case studies and resources to build a plan to come out stronger and better positioned.”
“Organizations may be at different stages of continuity planning,” says Peggy Fritz (pictured right), event services supervisor, Toyota North America. “Our hope is that regardless of the stage, the steps and examples we outline in the Guide will help organizations continue that journey to succeed and thrive.”
“This guide helps organizations of all types re-think their strategies, diversify their revenue streams, and pivot quickly,” says Chuck Ghoorah (pictured left), co-founder & president of sales & marketing, Cvent.
Previous releases of EIC accepted practices guides and supporting materials include the Meeting and Event Design Accepted Practices Guide, a Code of Conduct, Health and Safety for Hotels Accepted Practices Guide, EIC Principles for Recovery, Key Questions for Event Organizers, Resources for Workforce and Wellness Accepted Practices Guide, and Resources for Destinations Best Practices Guide.
The APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force is led by co-chairs Michael Dominguez, president and CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International, and Kristin Horstman, senior director, strategic events, Salesforce. With representation from across the many sectors and regions of the global events ecosystem, the APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force provides a voice in planning, preparing and participating in our recovery and our future. The full roster of Task Force members can be found on the EIC website.
Members of the Business Continuity working group hosted a webinar on Jan. 27 to review the guide.
The Events Industry Council’s more than 30 member organizations represent more than 103,500 individuals and 19,500 firms and properties involved in the events industry. The EIC’s vision is to be the global champion for event professionals and event industry excellence. It promotes high standards and professionalism in the events industry with the Certified Meeting Professional program and signature program activities. The CMP credential is recognized globally as the badge of excellence in the events industry. The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam. The four signature programs—Sustainability and Social Impact, Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX), Knowledge and Leadership—represent the key initiatives, assets, services and products for the Events Industry Council. For more info, visit www.eventscouncil.org.
