GBCVB Announces Guidelines to Ensure Diversity at Events

 

For Immediate Release
June 27, 2018
Media Contact: David ODonnell, 617-867-8214
dodonnell@bostonusa.com

The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) has adopted a set of new “events’ diversity” guidelines for its staff, Board members, and for organizations seeking to partner with the Bureau.

Bureau President & CEO Patrick Moscaritolo credited the leadership of Mass BIO CEO Bob Coughlin and the Bureau’s Multicultural Committee Chair Carole Copeland Thomas for developing the broad framework of the guidelines for business organizations that host many conferences and events each year.  The GBCVB’s guidelines apply to its staff and any Board member representing the Bureau in an official role at a conference, panel, or event.

“Our Board understands the important message these guidelines send especially for an organization such as ours that operates daily in the meetings, conferences and events space,” said Moscaritolo.  “I want to thank and recognize for their leadership our Board and Carole Copeland Thomas, who Chairs our Multicultural Committee, in developing these guidelines for the Bureau,” Moscaritolo added.

Highlights of the newly adopted guidelines include the following:

  • Seek the best and brightest to participate in our programs, regardless of gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, veteran status, disability, religion or age.
  • Not hold any event with an all-male panel during any part of the program agenda.
  • Ensure better gender balance, ethnicity, and diversity for our event steering committees to increase the probability of a greater diversity among speakers and attendees.
  • Gather data to measure the diversity of invited speakers, selected speakers, and attendees.

“The GBCVB Board enthusiastically approved these Events’ Diversity guidelines.  They clearly understand the significance of making this type of commitment that diversity and inclusion need to be represented when speaking on panels at conventions, and at trade events,” said Carole Copeland Thomas, who chairs the Bureau’s Multicultural Committee.

Moscaritolo added that he hoped the Bureau staff and Bureau Board members would advocate for adopting similar guidelines at any organization where they serve in a leadership position.

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