Meetings Mean Business Launches Meet Safe Platform
December 30, 2020
One of the biggest challenges facing event planners as the world reopens are the inconsistencies between states regarding health and safety guidelines. The difference between say Florida and California are worlds apart. Trying to keep it all straight adds to the already stressful job of putting on meetings, conferences and trade shows.
Meetings Mean Business, the industry-wide coalition focused on advocacy, is trying to simplify the learning curve. Its new Meet Safe platform is a portal for event organizers to share recent experiences. A re-opening tracker is another valuable information center.
“In doing so, you’ll help future meeting hosts and attendees learn best practices, and ultimately showcase how professional meetings and events are organized responsibly with health and safety top-of-mind,” the website says.
While an ongoing mission, an initial milestone is April 8, 2021—Global Meetings Industry Day. Celebrated annually in April, GMID went fully virtually as the pandemic took hold in March. Through extensive outreach and marketing efforts, more than 12,500 planners and suppliers from 173 countries connected virtually in April 2020.
Promising vaccine news has Meetings Mean Business, and industry at-large, hopeful for in-person meetings on the day to recognize the industry’s impact on the global economy.
“Showcasing our industry’s value has never been more important—particularly at the state and local levels,” the organization said in a press release.
It’s widely expected many meetings will move from 2020’s virtual reality to a hybrid model in which at least a small number of attendees gather in one location while other remain remote. In October, Bizzaboo research showed 63% of marketers—known as corporate event planners in this industry—were ready to return to face-to-face gatherings in 2021, and that number is likely higher now. The same study found 97% of respondents expected hybrid to remain prevalent beyond next year.
What remains to be seen, and why Meet Safe was launched, is how groups convene under one roof. Will rapid-testing be available on-site? How long will masks be required? What impact will the GBAC Star accreditation have on venues?
States with limited restrictions like Florida and Georgia could very well ease regular faster than those in America’s Heartland where the cooler weather may hinder outdoor options many event organizers will require, or at least prefer.
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Partner Voices
HERE, hosting responsible meetings and caring for our communities are top priorities. Through its 'Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet' philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make an impact in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates.
Water Stewardship Efforts
MGM Resorts understands the importance of using water efficiently, especially in the desert destination of Las Vegas. Conserving water has always been part of the mission, but MGM Resorts has expanded its ambition into water stewardship.
In 2022, MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle signed the CEO Water Mandate—a UN Global Compact initiative mobilizing business leaders to advance water stewardship. MGM Resorts International was the first gaming company to take this important step.
MGM Resorts replaced 200,000 square feet of real grass with drought-tolerant landscaping in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts pledges to reduce water withdrawal intensity by 33% by 2025 and by 35% by 2030.
From 2007-2021, use of more than 5.6 billion gallons of water was avoided because of conservation efforts.
Caring for One Another
MGM Resorts’ Food Donations Program collects and preserves unserved food from conventions held at MGM Resorts properties, then safely donates to food insecure people in the community. Since the program’s launch in 2016, more than 3.7 million meals toward a 2025 goal of 5 million meals have been donated into the community. Donations include:
Unserved perishable prepared foods from events
Perishable unprepared food from MGM Resorts’ kitchens
Nonperishable food items from minibars and warehouses
The collaboration with Southern Nevada’s primary food bank, Three Square, has developed the infrastructure needed to safely collect, transport, and store food from MGM Resorts properties in Las Vegas, reducing food waste while serving the community.
Fostering Diversity and Inclusion
To MGM Resorts, a diverse and talented workforce is essential to success. By cultivating innovative strategies that consider multiple perspectives and viewpoints, the company creates an inclusive workplace culture that benefits its employees and community. MGM Resorts takes pride in being a welcoming home for veterans, individuals with disabilities, people from diverse backgrounds, LGBTQ+ community members, and more. This commitment to inclusion is reflected in the company's recruitment and hiring practices and its social responsibility initiatives. From the workplace to the community, MGM Resorts' commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion remains unwavering, and its efforts continue to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
MGM Resorts understands its responsibility to contribute to the social and economic progress of the communities in which it operates. HERE, we embrace humanity.
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