CEO-March-desktop

CEO Update – March 2022

02 Mar 2022

Accelerating our industry’s journey on the road to recovery, all major COVID-19 restrictions impacting business events operations have now been lifted in our home state of New South Wales and international borders are now open.  Adding to the removal of QR code check in, distancing requirements that impacted capacities, the ability to sing and dance, attendees are now no longer required to wear masks.  We will continue to maintain our highest standards of safety while ensuring attendees experience our world class service and the best that your events have to offer.

We’ve used our time wisely over the past two years to build on our world class products and services and expanding our event teams that facilitate connection, trade, knowledge exchange and other positive experiences at the events we host for you, delivering us all back to dynamic and productive times.

We never lost sight of our desire and obligation to make a difference in our community, boosting financial returns for the local economy but more importantly, those knowledge and experience economy benefits generated when the top minds of industries gather at your events to share information.

On the social impact side, ICC Sydney is proud to have a strong event Legacy Program which contributes to the intellectual, social and cultural capital of Sydney and assists you to enrich the experiences of your attendees while also achieving your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals at your events. Our refreshed event Legacy Program Guide supports you to envisage, plan and activate CSR initiatives across five distinct streams – First Nations, Environmental Sustainability, Generation Next, Creative Industries and Innovators and Entrepreneurs.

As an iconic destination, which stands and operates on the traditional lands of the Gadigal clan of the Eora Nation, ICC Sydney has a unique opportunity to foster and promote reconciliation.  We are committed to meaningful engagement with First Nations communities and presenting First Nations culture and stories to the many thousands of visitors walking through our doors each year.

This week we’ve pledged our next set of reconciliation actions toward a just, equitable and reconciled Australia by releasing our second Reconciliation Action Plan. Developed in partnership with our key stakeholders and our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it outlines our key upcoming commitments along our reconciliation journey.

We kick started our 2022 calendar of both consumer and trade exhibitions last month with the successful staging of Pregnancy, Babies and Children’s Expo and Get Local.  Exhibitions are an extremely important market segment for Sydney that deliver the potential for the acceleration of new businesses, face to face networking and a platform for millions of dollars in business to be exchanged on the show floor.

At the heart of our organisation is the people who embody our values and provide world class service with a customer-centric focus. Throughout the recent years of global transformation, ICC Sydney proudly has maintained its expert team – ready to support you to deliver events of any format.

Importantly, we have developed an accelerated recruitment process to help us scale our team to meet your event needs over the coming months. Furthermore, we’ve invested in the development of our inaugural Professional Growth Traineeship Program – a paid traineeship program spanning culinary, audio visual, event management, business services, risk management and customer service roles.

Through the traineeship program, we are supporting successful candidates to enter the business events industry, giving them an opportunity to train with and work alongside some of the industry’s most celebrated leaders whilst receiving a wage.

This year, ICC Sydney will also support you to reimagine your networking breaks through the introduction of ICC Sydney’s Connect Outdoors initiative. The service offers four networking packages from Coffee and Conversations, to Connect and Revive, to Rustic Winery Reception and a Skydeck Social Club.

Our Connect Outdoors packages were developed at a time of renewed demand for in person connection and experiences. The service invites you to rethink your networking opportunities by taking advantage of the venue’s outdoor spaces and uninterrupted views across Darling Harbour and the iconic Sydney CBD skyline. They, along with all of our catered events, feature ICC Sydney’s 2022 Menu Collection, showcasing a range of signature dishes championing superfoods, native ingredients and sustainably sourced products all complemented with a 100% local wine list.

We look forward to welcoming you back to ICC Sydney in 2022 as we support you to make a difference through your extraordinary events.

Yours faithfully,

Geoff Donaghy
ICC Sydney, CEO