Lily Stokes, Human Rights Conference producer, Sydney WorldPride 2023, gave her recommendations for making DE&I considerations a part of every business event.
Keep DE&I at top-of-mind
Making events accessible and inclusive widens audiences’ ability to participate. At Sydney WorldPride, we invested in DE&I as much as any other element of planning. Committees advised us on not only the content of our Human Rights Conference but also the delivery. Hired advisors weighed in on the content’s accessibility, ensuring that people of all abilities could engage with the event. We partnered with Equality Australia and community partners; presenters reflected our diverse audience in age, gender, orientation, religion, ability, and race. As a result, we sold out the event weeks in advance.
Consider your location
Our primary consideration when choosing ICC Sydney as our venue was accessibility. We were able to utilise public transport to the event and worked with the regional transport department to ensure that travel routes were accessible. ICC Sydney also has accessibility infrastructure built in, including lift access to all floors, accessible entrances, and designated seating for wheelchair users or those requiring extra space. With any items we brought into ICC Sydney, we also ensured they were set up for those with accessibility needs.
Include everyone
As part of Sydney WorldPride’s community engagement before the event, we asked what the most significant barriers would likely be to attendees. The data let us set up supports that would overcome these barriers. Supports included accessible ticketing for target communities, a scholarship programme for 100 free attendees, and reduced prices for LGBTQIA+ organisations.
We implemented a variety of accessibility supports including live captioning, sign interpretation, and audio description. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower symbol featured on lanyards – a globally recognised symbol for non-visible disabilities (hidden disabilities), and we provided ‘no photos’ lanyards to anyone who wished to opt out of photography.
Avoid ‘gendering’
Sydney WorldPride used inclusive language such as ‘presenters’ rather
than ‘speakers’, as some panellists were non-verbal. Presenters were provided with inclusive language guidelines – for example, instead of using ‘ladies and gentlemen’, use ‘folks’ or ‘everyone’. ICC Sydney also replaced standard toilet signage with inclusive non-gendered signage throughout the venue.
Factor in cultural and religious needs
Cultural elements of events in Australia should be advised upon by the local first nations authority – such as the Sydney Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, which officially welcomed us onto Gadigal Country on day one of the Conference. Two additional rooms became a private space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander attendees and a dedicated interfaith prayer room to include all the event’s attendees.
Get support and learn more
Start planning for accessibility and inclusion from day one. Establish sub-committees and specialist advisors, work with your convention bureau or conference organiser, and use local expert services for live captioning, interpretation and audio description services.
Read the full BESydney case study at besydney.com.au
