The event, which will be held on Tuesday 23 May at INNSiDE by Meliá Newcastle, will bring together North of Tyne and wider North East businesses community to discuss how growth can be fueled by doing good and share best practice, linked to the Good Work Pledge project which already has almost 100 businesses signed up to be part of the scheme (including ourselves).

Good to Grow is a free, face-to-face, offline seminar which will see over 150 delegates from the North East business community coming together to discuss the importance of sustainable, ‘good’ growth and the challenges and opportunities that it gives businesses in the region. Guests will be joined by keynote speaker, writer, film-maker and doer Big Ian Donaghy, alongside an address from North of Tyne Combined Authority and speakers from regional businesses discussing the impact they have achieved and how they have approached good work practices.

Driving the growth and resilience of North East business is a topic that is close to our hearts here at BeaconHouse Events and we are working towards our application to be a Good Work Place Employer, so were honoured to be selected to support the team at the NECA to bring this event to life.

We spoke to Caroline Preston, who leads the Good Work Pledge project for the North of Tyne Combined Authority, on why this event is so important to the North East in 2023 and how working with BeaconHouse Events has taken it to the next level.

Caroline said: “The work place has changed and sustainable growth now needs to be a top agenda item. This event is a way for businesses to discuss how we can pull together as a community and encourage good practice as a means to grow, retain staff and attract the next generation of talent to our North East businesses.

“The North East currently has the highest rate of child poverty in the UK at 38% and 75% of families that fall within that figure have at least one person working. We need to act now as a business community to make work better for everyone. We have an amazing spirit here in the North East and many businesses are working hard to make sure their employees are happy, healthy, and well rewarded but we need to do more. Poor employment can have a really detrimental effect on our communities, these jobs are low paid, often unreliable  and offer zero or minimal additional benefits. Worse still these low paid jobs are often done by the very people who keep us supplied with food, who look after our loved ones and keep us moving.

“While there are many factors that affect this, businesses do have a part to play when to comes to offering opportunities to progress, flexible working so families can juggle childcare or other responsibilities, promoting health and wellbeing and proving security for their people wherever possible.

“A lot of our sectors are still suffering from a skills shortage, and this is a proactive and actionable way of addressing this as a region. Research shows that when businesses invest in their people, employees are more loyal and perform better in their roles, giving you space and resource to grow your business in a sustainable way.

“It’s customers too that are looking for something more these days, as are the next generation that are entering the workforce. They actively want to support companies who are supporting the people who live and work in the region and businesses can no longer ignore this. There are already businesses doing amazing things here in the North East and this event will be a catalyst for new conversations and connections to help everyone learn from each other in a really practical and inspirational way. We’ve always come together as a region in the past, and it is time to do it again, let’s aim a little higher, harness the skills in our network and get this moving.”

“We wanted this event to inspire and motivate people to make change within their organisations, and we chose to work with BeaconHouse Events to really make sure that the event had the right balance and impact that it deserved. It was important to us that the speakers were inclusive, diverse and had a new and interesting perspective on the problem and the team at BeaconHouse have gone above and beyond to ensure that they are representative of the wide range of businesses that will be in attendance.”

Choosing a keynote speaker who encapsulated the vision and the values behind the event was really important to us as we strategised how the event would look and feel on the day. We finally found the perfect choice, Big Ian Donaghy. Ian works tirelessly to raise dementia awareness and combat loneliness, always focusing on the individual drawing on his experience of 20 years teaching young people with learning difficulties, and nearly 10 years in the world of care. Ian will be discussing his book ‘A Pocketful of Kindness’ which discusses the power of kindness and the idea that nobody ever changed anything by doing nothing.

Caroline continued, “Alongside the managing the speakers, Sarah, Katie and the team have been hugely helpful when it comes to logistics, planning, venue and have brought their years of expertise to the fore with advice and guidance in making this event really flow. While I have worked on large scale events in the past, they have used their industry knowledge to become critical friends through the whole process and to support me with additional resource and advice.

“There is a reason they are so successful as an organisaton, their attention to detail and knowledge of the corporate events space is second to none. The team have experience in event management in a wide range of sectors and I really valued that insight into what works, trends and themes in the industry and how to create an event that people will still talk about after they leave.

“I can’t wait to have BeaconHouse Events as a member of the Good Work Pledge and want to say thank you for making the event planning process so smooth and pain-free. See you on the 23^rd!”

The Good Work Pledge scheme was launched in 2021 to make poor employment a thing of the past, and Good Work the norm. As part of the scheme businesses are awarded a level of the pledge, helping to build a ‘community of good work’, where members will have access to learning, networking opportunities and support in the pursuit of good work and sustainability. The pledge includes five pillars of best practice; promoting health and well-being, developing a balanced workforce, valuing and rewarding your workforce, effective communication and representation and demonstrating a social responsibility.

Tickets to the event are free, register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/good-to-grow-tickets-559593488187

As a business we are committed to ensuring sustainability is a key component of any event planning we do. We endeavour to reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever we can. Over the years we have made small changes that have big impact at scale, from re-fill water stations to only printing the essentials, but we continue to strive to be better and challenge the whole supply chain of our events, keeping waste to the absolute minimum.

Here we share our top 3 suppliers who are supporting our sustainable journey, driving positive change and offering innovative zero waste alternatives.

Sustainable Event Power

What are events without the sound and lights, well…INGRAM AV, is an audio-visual equipment supplier on a mission to make event power more sustainable. INGRAM have designed and built in-house a portable power station. The power station can generate its own energy using built-in solar panels. This piece of kit helps to keep emissions down to an absolute minimum. Every detail is considered with Ingram, even down to the electric vehicles used to bring equipment onsite!

Earth Friendly Paper

With smartphones and event apps a paperless event is now a reality, however if some print is needed, we look to seed paper or other biodegradable alternatives. Little Green Paper Shop, based in Cheshire have a large selection of eco-friendly paper alternatives. They have every SWAG item you need for your event; name tags, coasters, stickers, bookmarks, wristbands and pens, all biodegradable, made from seed paper. When the product has reached its end use after an event, instead of going to landfill, its purpose is to give back to the earth, to be planted and grow beautiful flowers. Their newest Eco Cotton range is made from waste from the textile industry – from old t-shirts, socks, dresses and jeans. We are seeing more and more eco-friendly paper alternatives popping up and these new exciting materials will be a great addition and marketing story for any event.

Feed a Friend

We are extremely waste-conscious when it comes to food at our events, we work with our clients to limit the amount of food waste, however, sometimes we find ourselves with some spare lunches. A charity close to our hearts is People’s Kitchen, they support homeless and vulnerable people in the Newcastle area, providing them with a sustaining meal for free. If you would like to get involved, you can donate to their Feed a Friend for a Fiver campaign.

BeaconHouse Events are proud to be taking charge and making events sustainable and we’re always on the lookout for sustainable suppliers, charities and initiatives within the UK to work with. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch via info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.

Neurodivergence has nothing to do with intelligence levels and while it can bring specific challenges in certain environments it also brings unique and valuable strengths to business. Approximately 25% of CEOs are dyslexic in the UK, with creativity and big picture thinking being likely key factors in the extraordinary link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship. Yet still the working world is created for neurotypical employees by default.

So, what does neurodiversity mean? The most typically occurring conditions are:

• Dyslexia (a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words)
• Dyspraxia (a disorder which affects movement and coordination)
• Autism or Asperger’s syndrome (which generally involves social or communication difficulties and often presents in repetitive behaviours)
• ADHD (can involve difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour)

Taking steps to create a neuro-inclusive event means that every voice in the room has the opportunity to contribute, leading to more meaningful interactions, better conversations and increased engagement both inside and outside of your organisation. In-person events by nature aren’t always accessible for everyone, but by being mindful of different needs from the outset, your experience can be as open as possible.

 

1 Have conversations

Over 15% of the UK is neurodivergent so you don’t need to guess at how to make your events more inclusive, just ask! Speak to people who live with neurodiversity and understand where adjustments can be made to create more inclusive spaces and increase the number of people who feel happy and confident to attend your event. Take the approach of ‘not about us, without us’ and have honest conversations with people with lived experience to ensure that your efforts are really what they need and want, rather than just ticking a box.

 

2 Communicate clearly

Sending out comms on what to expect when onsite, routes of travel, food and catering information and schedules well in advance can help people plan and prepare, making it much more likely that they will sign up and attend. Likewise, if you’re taking specific measures to make neurodivergent people feel comfortable, talk about it ahead of time – your guests might not be comfortable being open about their needs or asking for adjustments but knowing in advance that you have considered different options can break down barriers to attendance, as well as raising awareness and understanding to other attendees.

 

3 Be detail orientated

Create a plainly-worded pack of information that can be picked up at reception or downloaded answering frequently asked questions to ease anxiety. Alongside the general information that all guests would find helpful, answer things like – if and how you can ask questions during the day, clear floorplans and information about the venue with maps / pictures and how to speak to staff if you have an issue.

Make sure your onsite team are trained to fully understand the needs of people onsite and are aware of any questions. Communicate with guests that you are there to support them in a non-judgemental and positive way.

 

4 Curate your environment

Think about the environment as a whole and what it will be like to spend time in that environment. Avoid smelly food (which can cause overstimulation), turn down or remove bright lights and create a pleasant temperature which doesn’t fluctuate between hot and cold. If guests have to move between locations, especially between inside and outside, remember to communicate any clothing or footwear requirements so everyone can plan accordingly.

 

5 Create quiet spaces

The hustle and bustle of busy events can be overwhelming but by creating a quiet space, and clearly communicating the purpose of that space, you can carve out a safe space to escape. This space should be for everyone to make the most of, but take steps to help guests understand that it is a sanctuary away from the event activities and not a place for meetings or phone calls. Curate your space to have low or dim lighting, no noise or distractions, lots of space to spread out and place it away from catering so there are no strong smells.

 

6 Inclusive giveaways

When you are planning your branded event goodie bags and giveaways, consider gifts that will be helpful to neurodivergent guests on the day. This could be noise-cancelling earplugs to combat background noise and loud areas, fidget toys to reduce anxiety or sunglasses to dull bright, overpowering lighting. Badges could also be given away when guests arrive to show whether they are open to social interactions, like handshakes, or not.

 

7 Use technology

Hybrid experiences are a fantastic way of engaging with a wide range of audiences who are not able to physically be there in person. However, if a fully hybrid option isn’t possible, consider a breakout space with pods and headphones where guests can listen to keynote speakers without having to sit in a busy conference hall where there often isn’t a lot of personal space.

 

8 Ask for feedback

Always follow up after the event to learn what worked and understand any other ways that you could adjust for future events. Give people the opportunity to feed back on the day and get in touch with an anonymous questionnaire afterwards to hear thoughts from attendees.

 

For more information on making space for neurodiversity at your events or to speak to the team about your 2023 goals email info@beaconhouse-events.co.uk or call +44 (0)191 691 3456.