UFI Teams With Grip for Speed Networking Program at Sold-Out European Conference
June 2, 2023
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, is partnering with Grip, an AI-powered event platform, to automatically schedule, manage and host more than 400, four-minute meetings during the UFI European Conference 2023. The sold-out conference, set for June 14-16 at the MECC Maastricht in Maastricht, Netherlands, will bring together more than 270 event professionals for networking and knowledge sharing.
UFI is using MustMeet, Grip’s new AI-powered meeting scheduler, to power the pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings, which will take place June 15, enabling organizers, venues and suppliers to meet and learn from one another.
“People come to our events to meet, network and do business with colleagues from across Europe,” said Nick Dugdale-Moore, UFI’s regional director for Europe. “Speed networking is becoming an integral part of UFI events, and in Maastricht, thanks to Grip, this process will be much easier to manage.”
With MustMeet, UFI will gain vital process efficiencies that will enable it to expand and enhance pre-scheduled meetings with ease, according to Dugdale-Moore. The association will easily be able to host the complex meeting formats automatically, saving hours of manual work. For example, previously it would have taken several hundred post-it notes, spreadsheets and hours of manual work to pre-schedule speed networking meetings. In addition, last minute dropouts would have thrown carefully planned schedules into disarray.
According to Tim Groot, founder and CEO of Grip, pre-scheduled meetings are an important industry trend in 2023, as detailed in the recent B2B Relationships Report.
“As such, UFI understands the importance of being deliberate when it comes to arranging meetings at its events,” Groot said. “Connecting its members is a vital part of its European Conference, and I’m proud that our MustMeet product is helping UFI members and the wider community build and maintain valuable relationships.”
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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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