Reimagine: events as a force for good

The challenge

Our recent event, Reimagine: events as a force for good, was driven by the goal of fostering a platform for professionals across industries to connect, aiming to cultivate a community with a united purpose—to drive positive change in the world through events. Our objectives predominantly centred around securing industry experts for talks, panel discussions, and workshops, but we also wanted to take the opportunity to showcase our internal team’s expertise on stage. The event was part of our Reimagine series, which explores thought-provoking current topics such as artificial intelligence, emerging tech, sustainability, accessibility, and more. This event in the series focussed on holistic sustainability across three key touchpoints—people, planet, and profit. One of the key challenges was ensuring all the content was designed to highlight this theme and that all the speakers were experts in one of these areas.

The solution

We came up with a comprehensive event strategy, drawing on the team’s vast collective and specialised knowledge that focussed on sustainability as well as accessibility and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). To address sustainability and lead by example, we adopted various eco-friendly measures, such as reusable banners made from ocean-collected plastic, recycled-material lanyards, and reusable serveware to reduce waste. We minimised print by employing digital methods whenever possible and using seed paper when physical assets were required, while accessibility considerations encompassed an in-depth audit and proactive measures to cater to diverse attendee needs. The event space was designed with captioning, quiet rooms, wellness spaces, and mindful venue layout planning. A post-event report collected attendee feedback, which will be used to guide future enhancements.

The result

The event met its objectives, leading to an increase in community membership and generating business inquiries for some speakers and partners as an added bonus. Highlights included engaging sessions by notable speakers from Google, Olio, and MPI, alongside unique activities such as a collaborative song. Impactful talks focusing on sustainability and well-being were evenly spaced with regular comfort and breaks and networking opportunities. Attendees’ reactions were overwhelmingly positive, with commendations for the team, substantial social media coverage, and sustained conversations on social platforms weeks after the event. Additionally, our initiative raised £486 for charity through ticket donations, benefiting our headline partner, JUST ONE Tree.

The testimonial

“Our “Reimagine London 2023 event was a resounding success, and it exemplifies our commitment to using events as a force for good. We brought together an incredible lineup of speakers and industry experts to delve into crucial topics such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and more. The energy and enthusiasm throughout the day were infectious, and we are grateful to all participants and partners who made this event so remarkable. We look forward to continuing our sustainability and social impact journey, as well as inspiring others in the event industry to do the same, working towards the common goal of a better future.” — Alistair Graham, CEO of emc3.