Melbourne Convention Bureau declares Not In My Workplace (NIMW) initiative

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Among the driving force of executive leaders behind the Not In My Workplace (NIMW) initiative, Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) Chief Executive Officer Karen Bolinger is calling on leaders in the business events sector to take critical action to stamp out sexual harassment in the workplace.

The inaugural NIMW Summit being held on 21 February 2019 will draw together an allegiance of influential government, senior executives and dynamic thinkers to address the issues of workplace harassment and abuse across all industries.

“The Summit will provide a valuable opportunity to address how we answer the question “what can I do” and critically, the actions we can take to stamp out sexual harassment in the workplace.

“As leaders, we have a duty of care to ensure our employees are safe, and the culture we foster will not tolerate this behaviour,” said Ms Bolinger.

Sexual harassment cases continue to increase in Australia, with the 4th National Inquiry on Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces highlighting one in three Australian workers have been sexually harassed at work over the last five years.

The world’s largest network of Business Events Strategists, PCMA has also released new findings revealing 80 percent1 of respondents had experienced some form of on-the-job sexual harassment. Concerningly, it also found nearly 75 percent 2 of those event professionals didn’t report the problem.

Ms Bolinger said its time for our business events leaders to take control of the conversation and incite real and lasting change.

“The meetings and events industry represent the perfect storm when it comes sexual harassment. In our industry, we are in a vulnerable position with unusual hours, alcohol and an environment that is not so structured.”

Through the establishment of NIMW, it is hoped the conversation shifts from ‘awareness to action’ in addressing the issues of sexual harassment here in Australia.

The NIMW Summit will equip like-minded leaders with practical tools to ensure safer workplaces for everyone and drive real outcomes. It will feature a stellar program of keynote addresses, panel discussions and professional development workshops.

#NotInMyWorkplace Summit will be held at 12pm – 6.30pm, Thursday 21 February 2019 at Goldfields Theatre, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

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