Considerations for incorporating CSR into medical meetings

By Greta Nicholls, Project Director at SWM Partners

Just as policies addressing matters such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) and sustainability are central to organisations and their workforces today, it is also important that they are put into practice in event settings.

This approach ensures all delegates have the opportunity to attend and get the most out of the experience, while also minimising a meeting’s environmental impact.

The key here, however, is identifying your objectives, including these elements in briefings, and collaborating with your chosen agency to explore ways to incorporate them throughout all stages and aspects of the event.

Assess supplier partnerships

On that note, we recommend vetting those who will help you bring the meeting to life at the proposal stage, to ensure alignment.

If you’re seeking a partner that will then handle all other third-party relationships, request information about not only their own DE&I, sustainability and other relevant credentials, but also those of the audio visual (AV), venue and catering partners they intend to use, among others.

Here at SWM Partners, for example, we include such recommendations of this nature in all responses, apply a Sustainability Management System (SMS) to projects, and our Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model by its very nature means all employees are empowered to have their say – ensuring a diverse range of opinions and ideas are communicated at all times.

When curating partners for a project, we similarly seek out those that share our values, and those of our clients.

Weigh up the meeting’s format

Given the often complex nature of the subject matter that is shared during medical meetings, the first port of call may be a wholly in-person event.

However, it is worth considering when a hybrid, or purely digital format may be most appropriate.

Hybrid experiences, for example, can facilitate greater inclusivity, as adding a virtual element means those who are not able to physically travel – whether that is due to conflicting schedules, budgetary constraints, accessibility related matters, or other – are able to attend and gain the important information and insights they require.

A completely remote meeting can also be effective, particularly when a study is in its early stages, and as such, is being gradually rolled out across various regions. This can then be complemented by either an in-person or hybrid event as the study progresses.

It goes without saying that hybrid and virtual meetings are more environmentally friendly options, and ultimately, considering your organisation’s CSR related goals, balancing them with the meeting’s objectives, and developing a format-focused strategy that reflects these is the way forward.