As other industries including retail, transport and
hospitality are adapting to support people with disabilities, the events
industry still has a lot of work to do, according to Oddity Marketing and
Events managing director, Lizzy Eaton.
“There are clear parallels between retail environment design
and live events design, however, while the retail industry is actively implementing
inclusive customer experiences for people with disabilities, the events
industry is lagging behind,” said Eaton.
“There is a lot to do to get inclusivity embedded in the event
planning process,” she added.
By November 2023, Eaton wants to develop and launch an industry
standard for inclusive business-to-business event design: The Oddity Events
& Marketing Inclusive Event Design Playbook. This guide will serve as a
point of reference for all event professionals to ensure they are planning events with inclusion considered and implemented across the board.
To make the playbook a reality, Eaton and her team have pledged
to embark on a year-long learning initiative to better understand how to design
inclusive and accessible events.
She and her team will do this through training, focus
groups, research, and volunteering.
Eaton is also encouraging other event professionals to collaborate
and share their experiences and knowledge, with a view to improve the accessible
experience at every event.
A desire to travel led Holly Patrick to the business meetings and events world and she’s never looked back. Holly takes a particular interest in event sustainability and creating a diverse and inclusive industry. When she’s not working, she can be found rolling skating along Brighton seafront listening to an eclectic playlist, featuring the likes of Patti Smith, Sean Paul, and Arooj Aftab.
