SITE: Stay Safe, Enjoy the Event

The complexity of today’s world has compelled us to reevaluate the way we live, rethink our priorities and reflect on the complicated balance between freedom and security in our personal and professional lives.

Text Annamaria Ruffini, SITE Vice-president Finance and President, Events In & Out S.R.L., Rome, Italy

Fifteen years ago, I was involved in the organisation of the G8 summit in Italy. At the time I would have never thought that all of the training and the protocols established for managing that event would someday be applicable in a daily work setting.

New phenomena

In the past, problems that could arise included strikes, sudden schedule changes for the arrival of a head of state, the cancellation of flights, or natural disasters. You only had to think about hiring reliable vendors, making sure they were appropriately insured and checking that all updates were implemented correctly. Today, it is critical that event planners know how to organise and coordinate security.

So, how do event planners best address the needs of clients who may directly or indirectly suffer the consequences of these phenomena?

Here are some basic considerations: have a plan in place for all staff members and suppliers that serves as a blueprint on how to handle any type of crisis. Provide training so that everyone knows what to do in any type of emergency. Information sharing and raising awareness of security standards will help mitigate material damages and the impact on participants.

Over the last two years, my company worked hard to organise an international conference that brought together executives of the world’s largest insurance companies. The goal was to provide exclusive and prestigious venues that would allow the programme to be conducted with utmost discretion. The venues were chosen on the basis of aesthetics, exclusivity and confidentiality and the choices turned out to be crucial for managing event security.

Working closely with local security personnel, we communicated the details of each day's schedule to the national police and continually provided the client with updates regarding the importance of security personnel presence during all phases of the event. Security was managed discreetly, requiring significant work behind the scenes so that the attendees felt safe and the overall tone of the event was unaltered.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is another consideration. It is extremely important to safeguard information and sensitive data communicated via email or on an event website.

For events abroad, I always recommend relying on local suppliers who know the destination and, in the case of a problem or a sudden risky situation, are in a position to resolve it quickly with an innovative solution. Based on more than 25 years of experience, I could choose to work directly with the facilities and infrastructure in the host country.

We have been often challenged by clients who preferred to save money on safety in favor of investing in other aspects that would impress attendees such as staging, specialty entertainment, etc. Although security can be costly and can affect the overall budget, I always say to my clients: "It's always preferable to have fewer oysters rather than hold an unsafe event."

During the SITE Global Conference, 5-7 November in Panama and SITE Incentive Seminar Spain, 28 November in Barcelona, SITE will offer sessions with experts on security and insurance. To learn more go to www.siteglobal.com/page/site-events-new