ICCA Meetings Africa Association Day - Collaboration towards an Advanced Africa

1. Ethics & Credibility within the Business
Events Industry
Gillian Saunders
ICCA Meetings Africa Association Day
February 2020

2. PCO Venue
Convention
Bureau
Association
/ Client
Temporary
Organisation
“Committee
Conference 2020”
Other
SuppliersWho is the leader?
Who is accountable?
Where does the
governance come
from?

3. How to instil professional and ethical
behavior - Credibility
• Transparency issues:
• Fail to report actual performance
• Relationship issues:
• inappropriate interpersonal or informal relationships between
• Optimization issues:
• optimizing to meet the objectives of the sponsor or client, the
manager or other stakeholders
• the associated distribution of risks and benefits across these
stakeholders.
* Why Good Accountants Do Bad Audits. Max H Bazerman, George Loewenstein and Don Moore.

4. The challenge of project leader is to develop a project governance and project ethics
framework at the project level that aligns with the company values and meets
acceptable business and environmental practices.
The project governance deciphers the corporate values and governance into a practical
framework to govern the project whereas the project ethics translate the corporate
values and ethics into a project ethics framework for moral conduct and behavior.
The process of project governance should be deeply embedded within the project
lifecycle's procedures to ensure that the corporate values influence how the company
does the business.
Project ethics embraces the morally accepted conduct and behavior expected from the
project leader and team members and helps to establish principles of behavior that
guide the project leader and team members
How to develop a project governance and
project ethics framework

5. How to instil professional and ethical
behavior - Credibility
• Trust
• Controls with clearly defined
roles and processes
• Mission:
• a statement that places a priority on good corporate governance
• Policies for:
• strict ethical behavior
• sustainability and corporate responsibility
• Procedures for: risk management monitoring people’s ethical behavior
• Information access to:
• The business model and information on how the business operates
• Company/Project performance and results

6. How to instill professional and ethical
behavior - Credibility
• Laws – regulations – which countries laws!
• Governance
• Ethics
• Risk Management
• Professional
• Collaboration and Trust
• Corporate Culture – tone at the top
• “ Event Business Plan” – create the “top” / “centre”
• Clear & Comprehensive Contract(s)
• Select/Partner with “Professionals”
• Codes of Conduct
• Accreditation
• Qualifications
• References
* Why Good Accountants Do Bad Audits. Max H Bazerman, George Loewenstein and Don Moore.

7. Professional
• Put customer satisfaction first
• Make expertise your specialty -
• Become an expert in the skills and tools necessary
to do your job.
• Always perform to the best of your abilities
• Keep your knowledge up to date
• Do more than expected
• Do what you say and say what you can do
• Communicate effectively
• Follow exceptional guiding principles
• Good manners and proper etiquette
• High ethical and moral standards
• Be honest and fair
• Praise your peers not yourself
• Share your knowledge
• Say thank you
• Keep a smile on your face and the right
attitude in your heart
* Why Good Accountants Do Bad Audits. Max H Bazerman, George Loewenstein and Don Moore.
• Specialized Knowledge
• Competency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Accountability
• Self-Regulation
• Image
• Build Expertise
• Develop Your Emotional
Intelligence
• Honor Your
Commitments
• Be Polite
• Have the Tools You Need

8. • An Event Overview including:
- Vision and Mission Statement
- Key Outcomes/deliverables
- The Event
- Target Market
- Stakeholder involvement and benefits
- Delivery mechanism
• Development Plan including
- Strategic Development
- SWOT Analysis
• Marketing and communications planning
• Event requirements – staffing structure, facilities, services, venues, etc
• Management and business controls
• Risk management and contingency plans
• Financial Plan and Considerations
• How much the event will cost – budget projections over 3–5 year period
• How will it will be paid for – identifying income streams
• Income and Expenditure projections
• Economic Impact Estimation
Comprehensive Event Business Plan

9. IAPCO Code of Conduct
1. Conduct activities and business dealings with
integrity, respect, honesty and credibility.
2. Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance
with instructions received from or agreed to by a client.
3. Act in the best interests of a client, free from any
compromising influences or loyalties.
4. Negotiate all agreements in good faith, respecting the rights of a client, and of
all other parties involved
5. Avoid any conflict of interest on any issue involving a client and, not continue
to work for a client where the interests of a client will be adversely
affected by that conflict of interest.
6. Represent their capabilities and services to potential clients and existing
clients in an honest and professional manner; and not knowingly or
recklessly make false or misleading statements about clients, colleagues,
suppliers or their business.
7. Act professionally and in accordance with the highest ethical standards in
all circumstances and in particular in relation to clients, suppliers,
congress participants, fellow IAPCO members, other PCOs and the public
8. Give their professional opinion when requested without favour, malice or
prejudice

10. 9. Maintain the confidentiality of information entrusted to the Member and not
disclose it to any party without the specific consent of a client
10. Disclose the basis & level of charging to a client at the time a quote is given
11. Take measures to protect clients’ funds, such as
• Safe, use deposits/payments as contracted, transparency, timely financial reporting. to
the client
• Support appropriate insurance in order to protect all concerned parties: clients, PCO,
etc.
• Recommend guidelines for independent / external audits.
• Appropriate public liability and negligence insurance cover
12. Practice financial integrity by maintaining proper and accurate records in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
13. Enter into a written contract with clients which shall at least include the following:
• Detail the services to be provided
• Fees and disbursements/out of pocket expenses, fair interest rate on seed funding loans
to finance the congress, Profit sharing scheme at the end
• Dispute resolution procedure
• Clear outline of the PCO’s and the Client’s responsibilities
• Confidentiality and Intellectual Property
14. Commit to the protection of the environment by responsible use of
resources in the production of meetings and offer environmentally responsible
alternatives to clients.
15. Try to participate in corporate social responsibility to support the
community.
16. Value diversity and reflect it by providing and fostering meetings that create an
inclusive atmosphere - regardless of national origin, race, religion, sex,
marital status, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment.

11. SAACI Code of Conduct
1. Approach all meetings in accordance with the highest ethical standards of
professional and personal conduct.
2. Negotiate all agreements in good faith respecting the rights of all parties
involved.
3. Respect the policies and regulations of those organisations with whom I
deal.
4. Participate and encourage others to participate in continuing education,
endeavours and opportunities related to the Conference Industry.
5. Refrain from activities that will cause damage or discredit to myself, my
organisation or profession.
6. Seek opportunities to increase public understanding and awareness of the
Conference Industry.
7. Not use my position for personal gain or benefit to the detriment or
disadvantage of my organisation and to advise my organisation of any circumstances
that may appear to constitute a conflict of interest.
8. Further the mission and stated objectives of the Southern African Association
for the Conference Industry.

12. Duty of Care Lapses
Safety & security
• Processes to find, contact and evacuate meeting attendees in emergencies
• Contact information and location of attendee data to your security services provide
• Policies
• driving after late night arrival
• alcohol consumption
• Pre-trip health and security advisory information
• Data protection policy for travelers (locks, safes, seizures, etc.)
• Room safety and fire system requirements in venue RFP / contract
Risk Management

13. Brand Exposure:
• Meeting optics (resorts, hunting, etc.)
• Venue sharing with competitors - in venue/hotel RFP & contracts
• Acceptable event activities (fire walking, arrow breaking etc)
• Acceptable gifts (varies by industry)
Fiduciary Breaches
Economising:
• Use “professionals” to drive the highest level of savings obtainable
• A savings program with areas and targets
• Develop reporting mechanisms to track and evaluate saving results
Misappropriation of Funds:
Conduct periodic randomized audits to identify embezzlement of fund schemes, such as:
• Shell company schemes
• Personal-purchase schemes – over-ordering
• Misappropriation of hotel reward points and merchandise
Risk Management

14. Signature Authority Breaches
• Design and implement signature authority procedures
• Educate signers and their leaders of the potential consequences of signing
above the signature authority level
Cancellation & Attrition Penalties
• Inexperienced employees negotiating venue contracts can expose the
organization to considerable risk
Data Risks andReporting Inaccuracies
• Protection of personal information
• Protection of confidential information
• Incorrectly entering event dates, number of attendees, attendee names,
contracted rates per attendee, venue locations etc
• Can have impacts on the safety and security of your travelers
• Legal and financial impacts.
Risk Management

15. PCO Venue
Convention
Bureau
Association
/ Client
Temporary
Organisation
“Committee
Conference 2020”
Other
Suppliers
Business Plan & Contracts
Professional - Governance, Ethics, Risk Management

16. Ethics & Credibility within the
Business Events Industry
Gillian Saunders
ICCA Meetings Africa Association Day
February 2020