If you are thinking about how the events industry will be able to safely return to hosting group business events, you probably have heard the term “Duty of Care”.  Simply put, it means, what are we, as meeting planners, going to do to keep people safe.  Not only attendees, but also staff, vendors, and the host community too.  What should we ALL be doing to contribute to hosting the safest event possible considering the circumstances? 

Below, is a sample Duty of Care statement.  It does not need to be long or complicated.  In fact, simple, focused, and direct is best.  It should be easy to communicate and easy for people to quickly abide by.  The real goal with the Duty of Care statement is in communicating expectations to all parties, getting group buy in, and diligently planning and executing a safe environment.

Sample Duty of Care Statement

In order to keep us all safe, we are going to ask all attendees, staff, and vendors to please abide by the following guidelines:

Contactless Name Badge Distribution: Upon arrival we will providetouchless name badge kiosk activated with a QR code system, individual printers, and self-managed access to lanyards.  Please make sure you have your QR code on your phone or printed in advance of arrival.

Greeting Policy:  We respectfully ask all attendees to refrain from handshakes, hugs, fist-bumps, elbow touches etc.  Our new way of saying “hello” will be a friendly wave or peace sign 

Temperature Checks: We ask everyone to agree to daily touch free temperature check.   A secondary and private screening will be offered to anyone with a temperature above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Masks: Required for all indoor session rooms and available free to anyone who forgot one.

Touch Free Hand Sanitizer and Washing Stations:  At every door and in all bathrooms; let’s all commit to keeping our hands clean.

Food and Beverage: Individual boxed meals and packaged snacks will be offered and must be consumed in designated outdoor seating and eating areas. 

Lines: Floor decals will be used to promote social distancing in all places that lines may form.  Please respect each other’s space by standing on the properly spaced floor decals.

Opt-In Commitment: During registration we will ask everyone to be a part of the solution and commit to mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing, and respecting others personal boundaries.  Also reinforced with event signage.

Your Schedule: Longer breaks are in place to allow for increased room cleaning between sessions, along with ample time to use facilities and wait in any lines caused by more careful and slower service.  Please be patient and respectful to each other and venue staff.

Onsite Medical and Covid Testing: If any person feels any illness symptoms, medical staff will be available to assist.  Free and voluntary covid tests will be available to anyone who would like one.  When in doubt, find out!  Please kindly head home right away, if you are feeling sick.