The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has released new guidance to help UK event professionals make meetings and conferences more accessible. Developed with diversity consultant Gabrielle Austen-Browne, founder of Diversity Alliance, the Practical Guide to Accessible Events provides step-by-step advice for improving inclusion and meeting legal duties under the Equality Act 2010.
It covers areas such as venue design, communication, and staff training. The guide was launched on Purple Tuesday 2025, a global campaign promoting accessibility for disabled customers. It explains how organisers, venues and suppliers can remove barriers for delegates, speakers, and staff with disabilities, with practical examples and checklists. The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers, including venues and organisers, to make reasonable adjustments for people with physical or mental impairments. The MIA’s new resource is designed to help members understand these obligations and adopt inclusive practices across operations.
MIA chief executive Shonali Devereaux said: “Accessibility is so much more than a legal requirement. As an industry built on connection, inclusivity should sit at the heart of everything we do to ensure that everyone can fully participate in and enjoy the many wonderful experiences our sector works hard to create. This guide has been designed to help our members navigate their legal responsibilities under the Equality Act and take proactive steps to remove barriers and raise awareness, empathy and understanding across our community.”
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Austen-Browne said: “Every day, event professionals create experiences that can change minds, facilitate connections and drive real social impact. Yet when we fail to consider accessibility from the outset, we impoverish the entire experience, not just for disabled attendees, but for everyone. ‘Access for All’ provides the practical framework our industry needs to bridge the gap between good intentions and meaningful action. When we embed accessibility from the start rather than retrofit it as an afterthought, we don’t just include more people, we create better events for everyone.”
Learn more about MIA here.
