The Working Group: Claire Fennelow (CF), Naomi Hollas (NH), Caroline Jackson (CJ), Candice Kass (CK), Lou Kiwanuka (LK), John McEvoy (JM), Hayley McPhee-Holden (HM-H), Priya Narain (PN), Juliet Price (JP), Alysha Sargent, Richard Waddington (RW).

Met: 18 & 25 Jan, 16 Feb, 16 & 23 Mar, 20 Apr, 4 & 18 May, and various special meetings in between.

Action against objectives between the January and May 2022 BVEP Partner meetings.

1. Professionalisation

The WG met with the Executive Director of the Institute of Event Management (IEM), Susan Spibey on 16^th February, along with a discussion with Leeds Beckett University about the Precariousness in Midcareer (PiM) research project. The update on IEM is that they are in the process of approving the kitemarking of university event degrees created with AEME. The development of professional standards is their next main task. We will be asked to contribute to this. Both KC and LK are both on the IEM committee and actively working on this, so there is joined up thinking with the WG activities, such as the Events Apprenticeships.

2. Standard Industry Classification Codes (SIC)

2.1  It was agreed to support #WeMakeEvents and encourage all businesses working in the wider event ecosystem to use a limited number of SIC codes so that events can be identified within the wider SIC framework.  Following discussions and feedback the number of identified codes were increased to 5, to include the two that are already specifically for events. The five codes that all organisations registered with Companies House are encouraged to use (one or more), alongside those already used, up to the limit of 4 are:

• 56210 Currently classified as: Event catering activities. This class includes the provision of food services based on contractual arrangements with the customer, at the location specified by the customer, for a specific event. Click here to find out more
• 68202 Currently classified as: Letting and operating of conference and exhibition centres. Click here to find out more (NB that there is no description of this code)
• 82301 Currently classified as: Activities of exhibition and fair organisers. This subclass includes the organisation, promotion and/or management of events, such as business and trade shows and conventions, whether or not including the management and provision of the staff to operate the facilities in which these events take place. Click here to find out more
• 82302 Currently classified as: Activities of conference organisers. This subclass includes the organisation of conferences and meetings, whether or not including the management and provision of the staff to operate the facilities in which these events take place. Click here to find out more
• 90020 Currently classified as: Support activities to performing arts. This subclass includes support activities to performing arts for production of live theatrical presentations, concerts and opera or dance productions and other stage productions; activities of directors, producers, stage-set designers and builders, scene shifters, lighting engineers etc.; and activities of producers or entrepreneurs of arts live events with support activities to performances or without facilities. Click here to find out more

2.2  Contact was made with Companies House to confirm that there are no tax or legal implications on changing or including additional SIC codes. A maximum of four is permitted. These are mainly for identification and therefore data purposes.

2.3  Discussions were also held to develop collateral to support the campaign to encourage businesses to include one or more of the 5 codes. EIA worked to develop some resources for others to use, including a video of Martin Fullard outlining the rationale and call for action. Example of how this has been used https://www.aeo.org.uk/lets-be-counted. These were circulated to BVEP Partners with the AEV content as an example on 13^th April.

2.4  Alex from DCMS has now moved post and has confirmed that he has not heard anything from ONS about information on the NACE (SIC) review from Eurostat or the UN. The ONS has been emailed directly with no response yet. Once the framework has been approved then consultation should go out on the class (4/5 digit) codes. Ongoing discussions on the codes identified from the old list is therefore relevant to inform future actions.

Action:

1. All to gather feedback on whether members have been including one of these five codes and any comments that could be used in the next stage of consultation.
2. CJ to continue to push DCMS and ONS on the results of the first stage and details for the next stage of consultation. This also relates to the Government’s new National Data Strategy and working with DCMS and BEIS on future data collection that recognises events. This overlaps with the BVEP Research Working Group and the proposed work of The Power of Events.

3. Events workforce

3.1 Events Apprenticeships Programme (EAP)

3.1.1 Naomi Hollas was appointed to support the development of the EAP. Each member of the ST&DWG has a role and responsibility which NH will co-ordinate, facilitate and accelerate. The pillars of work fall into four: Trailblazer Group & Governance; Education & Regulation; Funding; Marketing & Comms.

3.1.2 The EAP will act as an umbrella for several Apprenticeships that can be offered throughout the event ecosystem. The current ones specifically related to events, the Event Assistant (L3), and the Creative Venue and Live Event Technician (L3) will be the focus of the initial stages of work. John McEvoy who has led the review of the latter has replaced Tom Rees (PSA) on the Working Group.

3.1.3 A number of meetings have been held with organisations and people involved with supporting and regulating: Sarah Wright and David Wise from the previous Trailblazer Group (TBG); Linda Martin and Graham Knott of the Professional Assessment Ltd (one of the three End Point Assessor Organisations); Sally Timmins, Senior Product Manager for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/ ) who has responsibility for the Event Assistant Apprenticeship; Phillipa Nazari Trailblazer Group Chair for Data Protection and Information Governance in the Business and Administration Route; Jonathan Foot, Head of Apprenticeships and Early Careers, Compass Group.

3.1.4 A number of strategic and operational decisions and progressions have been made, as will be highlighted in the presentation to be given at the BVEP Partner meeting on 24 May.

3.1.5 Questions to ask of BVEP Partners and their members. Do you and/or your members provide apprenticeships for new entrants and/or existing employees? Is there a need and why/not? Which apprenticeships and what level? Do you have any champions who would like to get more involved e.g. Trailblazer, sponsorship?

3.2 Precariousness in Midcareer Research Project (PiM)

To aid development of the project to prepare for an ESRC/UKRI funding application, Leeds Beckett University have funded an internal project. The mixed methods research which identifies and questions that nature and issues of precarity in the events industry has shared a draft survey. Having given feedback on this and the overall questions, a final survey, interview and focus group plan will be devised. BVEP are an integral part of this research and findings will inform our knowledge of the challenges and opportunities that the industry offers at midcareer level.

Action: Final survey, interviews and focus groups to be used by BVEP Partners to gather data and subjects from their membership and their employees.

4. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

A lead for the DEI Advisory Group has not yet been secured. Members of this group and BVEP Partners have been very active in their DEI initiatives and should be applauded for this. An audit of these and their progress needs to be undertaken.