accommodation providers and
venues to display their compliance
and for customers and agencies to
search for them easily and/or
book them.
A number of businesses have
already signed up to it, including
venuedirectoy.com, Edge Venues,
Wyboston Lakes, Park Regic
Birmingham and Advantage Travel
Partnership, with it being available
to their respective databases.
“This is vital for our members to
demonstrate that are mindful of
their duty of care,” adds Price.
“This initiative forms part of the
#HBAAfuturefit and 6+-step
recovery plan, which will soon be
unveiled. We are committed to
supporting the reopening of our
industry and to these steps to aid
recovery and create customer
confidence in our sector, while
showcasing that when the UK
government allows us too, our
industry is absolutely open for
business and safely.”
You can read more about the
scheme on the HBAA’s website.
Getting
ready to go
A number of private sector
businesses are also looking at ways
to safeguard the events industry.
There have been few more active
than Hire Space during the
Covid-19 lockdown. The event
planning platform has been hosting
online sessions on a regular basis,
engaging with a largely corporate
audience, and resultantly has
formed its own framework.
‘Safer Events: A Framework for
Action’ provides the events industry
with a plan of action that goes
above and beyond the
Government’s guidelines in offering
practical, actionable advice for
organising events safely
post-lockdown.
It was guided by a consultation
group of corporate event planners
including Hearst UK, Reuters Events
and Morningstar and has been
downloaded nearly one thousand
times, according to Hire Space.
The detailed framework included
an accreditation scheme for event
planners and agencies, which
includes digital training courses,
delegate communication packs and
subsidised access to event
supplies and PPE. It also features a
scheme for venues, with them
independently assessed by a
chartered member of the IOSH.
Central to the Safer Events
programme is a set of safety
measures which are
comprehensive of all latest
guidance issues by public health
bodies, the government and
industry associations. These fit into
seven sections: delegate and staff
screening, staff training and policy,
social distancing, PPE, sterilisation
and cleaning, hybrid event provision
and food and beverage.
Lizzy Eaton, CEO of agency
Oddity Events, is undergoing
accreditation. She told Conference
News: “The programme has helped
us to design our new business
strategy for 2020 and into 2021.
We have been able to reassure our
13
Hygiene
clients that we’ll go above and
beyond to get them meeting again.”
Her sentiments were echoed by
Rachel MacAuley, head of
conference sales at VUE cinemas,
who added: “At Vue Conferencing
we believe it is extremely important
to reassure clients we have in place
extensive new operational protocols.
By completing the Safer Events
framework, it gives clients even
more confidence to return to holding
conferences and using our venues.”
Edward Poland, co-founder of
Hire Space underlined the
importance of being proactive in
getting the industry back on track.
He said: “It is fundamental that
event professionals can say
confidently to their clients and
event attendees that every
reasonable measure has been
taken to ensure their safety at an
event. That’s what this initiative is
about, and it’s encouraging to see
how quickly it has been adopted by
the industry.”
Visit www.hirespace.com to
read more about joining the
accreditation scheme.
www.conference-news.co.uk