News
Aug 26, 2022
Destinations International Launches Industry’s First Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Assessment Tool
Destinations International, the world’s largest association for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus, unveiled a groundbreaking tool to measure equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and discover ways to improve upon the results. The EDI Assessment Tool is designed to help its member organizations understand how EDI has been incorporated into their operational practices as a basis to elevate and integrate performance, and it is also expected to be a model for other entities in the business events industry to embrace.
The tool allows users to… more
Aug 25, 2022
Trade Show News Network (TSNN) is thrilled to unveil the 2022 TSNN Awards top honorees for the Industry Icon Award, Sustainability Award, DEI Leadership Award and Industry Support Award.
All of the award honorees will be celebrated Nov. 8-9 at the 2022 TSNN Awards at the event’s host venue, Caesars Forum, in Las Vegas. The two-day event will kick off with an opening party at Nobu Villa sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, followed the next day by an education conference, awards gala at Caesars Forum and after-party at the Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace.… more
Aug 25, 2022
As climate change increasingly becomes an undeniable reality across the globe, certain entities within the trade show and events industry are beginning to take the lead toward a less wasteful and more sustainable future. Here are two leading organizations working to lessen the industry’s environmental impact.
SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing and standards development, recently launched Zero Waste for Events, its newest Zero Waste Standard.
Designed to recognize… more
Aug 24, 2022
Lippman Connects, producer of information-sharing and networking experiences for the convention and exhibition industry, added to its portfolio the Midsize Show Roundtable (MSR), set to take place Nov. 17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
MSR will be an information-sharing and networking event for executives, directors, show managers, marketing managers, sales managers and department managers making decisions for shows with less than 125,000 net square feet of exhibit space.
The event will include a networking reception and dinner on Nov. 16, and the next morning,… more
Aug 23, 2022
Sponsored exclusively by Hubilo
For the past two years, the events industry has been in a flux. The pandemic made us rethink our event strategies, and we pivoted to the planning mode that worked best—virtual events. The pivot was hard, but we learned a new way of delivering content and building relationships.
At Hubilo, we enabled virtual experiences that delivered ROI that set the bar high. The benefits of virtual events seemed to be scalable.
That was the past, what now?
The world is coming back to normal. The pent up demand for in-person meetings is driving a new wave of change. In-… more
Aug 22, 2022
While many event-related companies and organizations remain laser-focused on getting back to business as usual, that hasn’t stopped a leading trade show and a venue management company from going the extra mile to make a difference for the environment and those in need. Check out who has been walking the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility lately!
ASM Global
Leading venue management and event strategy partner, ASM Global, has been delivering on its almost year-old corporate social responsibility initiative, ASM Global Acts, which focuses on protecting the environment,… more
Aug 19, 2022
The IMEX Group is looking to a renowned, 20-plus-year industry veteran to remodel the professional learning offerings at its two annual shows: IMEX America and IMEX Frankfurt. The group appointed Tahira Endean, author, event instructor and event producer celebrated for her expertise in experience design, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and event tech, as its newly created head of programme.
Endean embraces a role that signals a new era for IMEX. Under her direction, a three-year education strategy will capitalize on IMEX’s free programming to meet the industry’s thirst for… more
Aug 19, 2022
Advito, a leading global travel consultancy, has partnered with BCD Meetings and Events (BCD M&E) to create the industry’s first carbon emissions calculator that is certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and designed to help event professionals reduce the overall environmental impact of their programs.
The innovative event tech tool was developed in response to BCD M&E’s needs to factor sustainability into their event strategies and their desire to understand and measure the non-traditional elements contributing to overall emissions.
With the… more
Aug 18, 2022
Despite the fact that summer tends to be a slower season for the trade show industry, event-related organizations across the country are sizzling with activity, busily forming new business partnerships and acquisitions as they look toward a robust fall and beyond. Take a look!
ASM Global
Global venue and event strategy and management leader ASM Global has formed a sustainability partnership with Honeycomb Strategies, a leading sustainability consultant for the hospitality, sports and event industries.
Announced on Aug. 17, the multi-year action plan will enable ASM Global facility owners… more
Aug 16, 2022
Exclusively Sponsored by SmartSource
The past two years have transformed how we work, interact, and hold events. Hybrid and remote work options have taken a firm hold in the professional sphere alongside more traditional in-person work environments. In the same way, in-person events transformed into virtual ones, and while we have seen a shift back to in-person meetings, conferences, and trade shows, virtual components and novel innovations remain.
In addition to the familiar structure of trade shows, conferences, and other events, innovations we forged out of necessity during the pandemic… more
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.