Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain’s greatest Paralympic athlete, six-time London Wheelchair Marathon winner and crossbench peer in the House of Lords, has been revealed as the opening keynote speaker at leading global trade show, IBTM World. Putting social responsibility in the events industry front and centre, she will open the Main Stage on day one of the show which returns to Fira, Barcelona on November 19 to 21.

Acknowledged as one of the most gifted and courageous sportswomen of her generation, Tanni has competed in five Paralympic Games winning 11 gold medals, four silver medals and one bronze medal. In 2005, she was made a ‘Dame’ for her services to sport and, in 2010, was elevated to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer. Once there, Tanni used her expertise to focus on sport, disability, health, welfare and youth development, and has made significant contributions to debates on welfare reform, assisted dying and sports governance.

Her enlightening session, titled ‘People Potential: A Conversation with Baroness and Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson’,will showcase the limitless possibilities that emerge when we empower people, nurture team spirit, and champion inclusivity. In this inspiring conversation, Tanni will share her incredible journey, revealing how fostering a culture that embraces diversity and celebrates human potential can transform not just events, but lives. Drawing on personal experience, she will explore how perseverance and a shared vision can unleash greatness in every individual, and create experiences that go beyond success and inspire lasting change.

Leading change

An integral component of IBTM World’s #PeoplePowered campaign, the social responsibility track of its carefully curated conference programme, puts into practise the message at the heart of this year’s show: a belief that what people need to succeed is other people.

With a focus on addressing some of the industry’s, and the world’s, foremost challenges and opportunities, speakers include Shani Dhanda, from Innovating Inclusion, recognised as the UK’s most influential disabled person and the BBC’s 100 Women Laureate of 2020. Her thought-provoking session, taking place on the Main Stage on day one of the show, will feature a deep dive into the evolving laws that impact workforce equality. Titled ‘The changing face of accessibility, equity & inclusion in meetings and events’, Shani will draw on lived experience to discuss how the events industry can stay ahead of these changes and illuminate where it currently stands.

As a leading global expert in biodiversity, forest design and regenerative farming, Dr Vincent Walsh, Head of Innovation at RegenFarmCo, will lead a fascinating session on ‘The living earth (and why we should give a sh*t)’. Sharing his wisdom on day one on the Main Stage, Dr Vincent will explore the transformative changes taking place in the food production sector, influencing the way event catering is delivered and what it might mean for the future of events.

Providing tangible, take-home solutions in Workplace Revolution is Janthea Brigden, CEO and Director of Childcare at Nipperbout, and Sammy Connell, Head of Events at NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union. Their interactive session on day one, titled ‘Family-friendly events: embracing inclusivity and best practices for welcoming children’, delves into the benefits of including children at events from a corporate and association event organiser’s standpoint. Offering valuable perspectives on making events more inclusive by accommodating families, Janthea and Sammy will share practical advice on setting up a creche and creating a family-friendly environment.

Building solutions

Taking to the Impact Stage on day one of IBTM World, Martin Fullard, Director at The Business of Events, and Eloisa Urrutia, Head of Sustainability at Amex GBT Meetings & Events, will address the challenges of overtourism in a compelling session titled ‘Overtourism: a strategic solution’. Exploring the potential of business events to be a strategic solution for ensuring sustainable tourism growth, this stimulating discussion will focus on balancing economic benefits with the preservation of local cultures and environments.

In an enthralling session on day one titled ‘Workshop: how to incorporate DEI into your event RFP?’, Monica Molina, DEI, Accessibility & Sustainability Consultant at DEI Consultoria, will share practical advice in Workplace Revolution for infusing diversity, equity and inclusion into every aspect of event planning. From setting clear DEI goals to selecting the right event organiser, this interactive session will teach attendees how to make a powerful impact through their events and create events which truly reflect their organisation’s values.

Taking a deep dive into how technology and nature can coexist to create a thriving, sustainable world is Connor Bryant, Co-Founder and CEO of Rubbish Ideas. His powerful session, titled ‘A solar punk future: thriving in harmony with nature’, will take place in Workplace Revolution on day one, and will shift the focus from the challenges ahead to the positive future that can be built. Aiming to help attendees flourish in a world where businesses and consumers benefit from harmony with the environment, Connor will explore how the events industry can lead this transformation by embracing a circular economy and leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI and IoT.

Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director at IBTM World, said: “Tanni is a powerhouse who has dedicated her life to creating a fairer and more just society. She has always used her platform to strive for change, and has made phenomenal progress in this endeavour. We’re delighted to welcome her to the IBTM Main Stage, and know her session will be just the start of a fascinating stream of content focussed on social responsibility.

“With important sessions in this track around sustainability, accessibility, DEI and wellbeing, and driving a positive social impact, we don’t shy away from asking big and difficult questions of our industry. Through this process though, and with the support of incredible speakers sharing their insights with such optimism, we hope our valued attendees will leave with the hope, inspiration and practical tools necessary to start creating a better future, together.”

For more information on this year’s content programme, please visit: https://www.ibtmworld.com/en-gb/whats-on/conference-programme.html#/sessions.