What Meetings Mean Business Coalition Has in Store for 2020
January 22, 2020
At PCMA’s Convening Leaders Conference in San Francisco earlier this month, the Meetings Mean Business Coalition announced its 2020 plans to promote the value of face-to-face meetings, as well as to safeguard the industry from financial and reputational threats.
MMBC’s co-chairs — Trina Camacho-London, vice president of global group sales at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company — shared the below plans detailing the organization’s approach to advocacy, engagement and continued growth. These were the five main focus areas:
1. Leveraging the 2020 elections to engage policymakers around the industry’s value and remind them that they, too, leverage face-to-face meetings to do their jobs effectively.
2. Celebrating Global Meetings Industry Day (on April 14, 2020); the 2019 celebration resulted in 275 events across more than 50 countries.
3. Renewing MMBC’s focus on economic data, as other industries carefully watch market trends and indicators of what could be another global recession.
4. Strengthening MMBC’s efforts to reach external leaders online.
5. Identifying strategic partnerships to grow the coalition’s reach globally.
“We are doubling down on external outreach to ensure the value of meetings is better understood by those who make decisions, policies and protocols that impact our industry,” said Dixon. “Our ‘Worth Meeting About’ campaign will focus on educating and recruiting mayors, city council members and local chambers of commerce.”
He continued, “These groups are incredibly important champions for our industry and see firsthand how meetings support businesses and the economy.”
Dixon added that Global Meetings Industry Day will play a central role in the coalition’s advocacy agenda by helping to energize advocates across six continents.
“As a coalition, we’ve made a concerted effort over the years to create deeper, more sustained engagement among those who influence the meetings economy,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association and a MMBC founding member.
He continued, “We’ve helped protect the industry from any number of potential threats, from security issues to an economic downturn to the ‘weaponization’ of meetings for political purposes. We’ve created an insurance policy for industry’s continued success and look forward to the year ahead.”
To learn more about MMBC or to get free resources for hosting a Global Meetings Industry Day celebration, go here.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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