Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index, will deliver
the keynote address at the 2026 beam and Meetings Industry Association (MIA)
ESG Summit at BMA House, London, on Monday 14 September.
Centred on the theme of People, Planet and Profit, the
one-day summit aims to help meetings and events professionals turn ESG ambitions
into practical, measurable action.
Phelan’s keynote will explore the link between employee
happiness, engagement and organisational performance, demonstrating why people
and workplace culture are integral to responsible and resilient businesses.
The event marks the second collaboration between beam and
the MIA, following their inaugural joint ESG Summit at Warwick
Conferences in 2025.
Louisa Watson, ESG director at beam, said: “ESG can feel
broad and complex, so this summit is about making it practical and achievable.
Matt will bring an important people-focused perspective, while the wider
programme will give delegates the insights and confidence to identify
meaningful next steps for their organisations.”
Shonali Devereaux, chief executive of the MIA, added: “Last
year’s summit demonstrated the value of bringing our communities together to
share experiences and identify practical ways forward. This year, we want to
build on that momentum and show how embedding ESG with purpose can strengthen
culture, trust and long-term business performance.”
The programme will feature expert panels, live benchmarking
and specialist breakout sessions covering legislation, supply chain governance,
carbon measurement, social value and sustainability certifications. A Basic,
Better, Best framework will help delegates assess their current ESG maturity,
with each attendee encouraged to leave with three actions to implement.
The beam and MIA ESG Summit takes place from 9am to 5pm on
Monday 14 September 2026 at BMA House, London.
Further information and registration are available via the beam website.
