The world meets at IMEX Frankfurt so it’s no surprise that diversity and inclusion are key education topics at this year’s edition of the MICE industry’s top trade show, running May 21-23 at Messe Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany.

“Organizations that thrive on diversity are rewarded with positive effect in their companies: motivated employees, more innovation, and ultimately, higher sales,” explains Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group. “Diversity means diversity—both in terms of people, but also ideas and approaches. These different aspects are celebrated at IMEX and clearly illustrated as a success factor in the future event industry.”

This year’s fair will see 3,500 exhibitors from more than 160 countries play host to some 5,100 buyers from around the world. All participants will have the opportunity to take part in specific training and exchange with experts as well as learn best practices from leading companies on diversity and inclusion.

For example, EduMonday, the education day held the day prior to the show (May 20), offers a variety of sessions tackling the topics, including:

• “Cultural differences and their impact on destination management,” which will show practical examples of how best to deal with customers and partners from other cultures, as well as recommendations for action that offer planners multicultural orientation;
• “Top tips for inclusive and welcoming meetings and events,” a Meeting Professionals International (MPI) exclusive session that will explore the ways people differ from each other, discover next practices in welcoming diverse audiences and brainstorm ways to be more hospitable to event attendees;
• and “#Iamremarkable,” a Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA) session will help attendees speak openly about their accomplishments in the workplace and beyond, thus breaking gender-related modesty norms and glass ceilings.

The show will also host She Means Business on EduMonday. This mini-conference celebrates the role of women in the event industry. Its roster of speakers includes Gernot Sendowski, director of Human Resources Global Diversity & Inclusion at Deutsche Bank AG, who will present the male perspective on gender equality and diversity in Germany and Europe; and Angela Dern, head of Diversity & Inclusion at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), who will share insights on gender equality and economic need, as well as the UN Women 10x10x10 Impact Commitment, an initiative involving 10 governments, companies and universities around the world.

More sessions on diversity and inclusion will be presented during the show in the Inspiration Hub. “Industry best practices on how to be an inclusive leader” will highlight best practices and communication methods to realize inclusion as a leader; and “Redesigning events without overcoming unconscious bias” will who planners ways to uncover unconscious prejudices and ways to create events that embody diversity and inclusion.

For more information visit www.imexfrankfurt.com.