Several MPI members, including the co-chair of the association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee and a member of the MPI International Board of Directors (IBOD), are among the meeting industry professionals named to the Events Industry Council’s (EIC) Equity Task Force.

The task force is charged with addressing systemic racism in the business events and hospitality industry by developing a meaningful framework for action to accelerate inclusion, the EIC said Wednesday. The group will work in support of the global business events sector and the work of the EIC’s Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact.

The EIC Equity Task Force will be led by co-chairs Jason Dunn Sr., immediate past chair of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals and group vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Cincinnati USA CVB, and Tina Wehmeir, CMP, CAE, president and CEO, AMC Institute.

“The task force is assembled with some of our industry’s brightest minds,” Dunn told The Meeting Professional. “We will explore ways to systematically fight racism with sound practices, data and common-sense applications that put humanity first. Our goal is to present to the global industry best practices that can be adopted with key metrics and productive outcomes. I’m excited to be a part of making history and strengthening our beloved industry.”

At least five MPI members are on the EIC task force, including Zoe Moore, who is beginning her second year as co-chair of MPI’s DE&I Committee, and Gary Murakami, director of global sales for MGM Resorts International, who also is on MPI’s DE&I Committee. Tammy Routh, senior vice president of Marriott International, serves on MPI’s IBOD and is joined on the EIC task force by two other MPI members, Mike Gamble, president and CEO at Searchwide Global, and Jennifer Erney, regional vice president of sales for Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). View the full task force roster.

“The significant aspect about being a part of the Equity Task Force is that it is unapologetically focusing on addressing systemic racism,” Moore said. “EIC is not hiding behind coded language or addressing diversity as a monolith, instead it is determined to turn the vision of what we discuss, research and identify into action. Being on this committee is the next step in my journey from a local chapter to the MPI DE&I Committee to this latest opportunity to influence the entire global industry.”

Dunn said there is an opportunity to “impact the industry in a systematic way. The men and women assembled to lead this effort are change agents and I’m looking forward to learning from each of them.”

Wehmeir said that joining forces with other business events organizations ensures an “industry-led, global initiative that will result in action and amplified results.”

Amy Calvert, CEO of the EIC, said that by “creating a framework for turning our vision into meaningful actions, we will identify key areas of focus and priorities that will strengthen our impact and reach and lay a solid foundation for our future as we put benchmarks in place and monitor progress on a set frequency.”

“The work of this task force will support and amplify the work of our member organizations and stakeholder partners.”

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash