The business events industry has a role to play in halting the spread of hate.

In the May issue of Convene, we cover loneliness, a health issue that has come to be called an epidemic. Globally, the World Health Organization now lists social support networks as one of the factors determining health, and as our story points out, last year the U.K. appointed a minister for loneliness, making it a

Current trade and political tensions are creating a more difficult environment for the global business events industry.

Our environment plays an integral role in how we process information. At business events, knowledge transfer is more likely if we design settings that meet our participants’ evolving needs.

Augmented reality and artificial intelligence are not new to the business events industry, but we have seen only a glimpse of the powerful influence both can have. There’s much more to come from both of these technologies.

PCMA is on a quest to create the best roadmap for supporting business events organizers in this time of disruption both within our industry and all around it. We are passionate about this work because we know that face-to-face meetings are catalysts for economic and social progress.

$1.5 trillion — with a “t” and lots of zeros. Eleven to be exact. That’s the estimated global spend of the business events industry, according to recent Events Industry Council (EIC) research.

Business events are at the epicenter of the technology boom. Let’s capitalize on the opportunities that brings.

Our industry — and our world — has a problem. Let’s work together as only we can to help solve it.

How do we make our workplaces more inclusive? We can start by having real conversations.

Beyond supporting the economy, our industry spurs social change.