Can conferences serve as a true meeting of minds without dismantling the myriad of barriers to attending traditional in-person events? By maintaining the status quo, these gatherings become limited to the minds – and bodies – of those who are privileged enough to attend. Even for those who make it through the door, if the meeting space wasn’t designed with intersectional identities in mind, playing an active role in an exchange of ideas can quickly become an impossibility. An equitable future of work demands event spaces where everybody is safe and supported. We are calling for reimagining conference spaces, and are ready to help lead the movement.
We recently started this journey with Champions Retreat, a catalytic event for members of the B Corp community that was held in Vancouver, British Columbia from March 18 – 22. The event convened over 700 values-aligned professionals to progress the use of business as a force for good.
It starts with acknowledging each conference attendee as a whole person. This means deliberate and empathetic consideration of all parts of one’s identity, and how these parts of ourselves impact the way we can show up, or not, to an event. Let’s think about parents, for example. Outdated policies in many geographies are negatively impacting the availability of childcare, and data show women are disproportionately impacted by this shortage. Research has coined this the “motherhood penalty” – with studies showing lower rates of participation in the workforce and increased financial insecurity as consequences of childcare shortages. Women who parent alone and/or those belonging to marginalized communities face the greatest negative impacts. As a new mother to a 10-month-old at the time of the Retreat, I could see and experience these challenges first-hand, and was determined in our event planning to minimize them wherever possible.
In response, B Lab US & Canada, who led the organization of Champions Retreat, partnered with Natural Pod to create a family-friendly conference. Children were welcome in all event spaces, and an unlimited number of free childcare spaces were made available to attendees. Childcare was provided by certified professionals with the Pacific Immigrant Resources Society’s Pop-up Childcare program, an organization that supports programming for immigrant and refugee women.
Designing inclusive, child-friendly physical spaces was also a top priority. Benches replaced chairs, meaning children and adults could sit together. B Lab U.S. & Canada partnered with Mamava, the leading expert in lactation space design, to offer private lactation spaces for breastfeeding parents.
Equitable access for people with neurodivergent experiences is also key to inclusive conference design. An estimated 15-20 percent of the world’s population are members of the neurodivergent community and at least 1 in 3 people are more likely to experience sensory sensitivity or sensory overload. Participation at in-person events by people with neurodivergent experiences can be facilitated by offering noise-cancelling headsets, alternative lighting, written prompts and instruction, and recorded materials. Natural materials like wood can boost comfort, one of the reasons the Vancouver Convention Centre – with its abundance of exposed wood – was selected as the venue for Champions Retreat.
Ahead of Champions Retreat, B Lab U.S. & Canada undertook a detailed audit of the accessibility and sensory aspects of each venue, in partnership with experts at another B Corp, Sensory Friendly Solutions. Detailed information on how a diversity of attendees might navigate the venues was offered to attendees to give them the best chance at a positive experience.
Partnerships with values-aligned organizations significantly boost the chances of achieving a truly inclusive event space because they create more seats at decision-making tables. At Champions Retreat, B Lab U.S. & Canada partnered with Mondetta to offer curated Healing Spaces for participants to process and reconnect, and intentional Integration Sessions, to support anyone who was feeling overwhelmed and wanted guidance in processing what they were hearing and learning.
An equitable future means reimagining how every aspect of work can better center the intersectional identities we all hold, as employees, managers, and conference attendees. It is time we raise the bar and give everyone the opportunity to meet and share ideas in spaces designed with each of us in mind.
Karen Lickteig, Senior Manager of Programs & Engagement at B Lab USCA x Bridgitte Alomes CEO of Natural Pod
About Karen Lickteig, Senior Manager of Programs & Engagement at B Lab USCA
Karen Lickteig is the Senior Manager of Programs & Engagement at B Lab U.S. & Canada. Karen was the programs lead for Champions Retreat 2024, one of the largest gatherings of purpose-led brands with 400+ businesses in attendance. These companies, known as B Corps, came together to discuss a different way of doing business and mobilizing on how business can be a force for good by considering the community, their workers and the environment in every decision made.
B Lab U.S. & Canada is a partner in the B Global Network, a unified group of global, regional, and national organizations that power a business movement as a force for good. A historic global culture shift is underway to harness the power of business to help address society’s greatest challenges. Our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs that shift the behavior, culture, and structure of capitalism. B Lab certifies companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. Our vision is an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.
About Bridgitte Alomes CEO of Natural Pod
Bridgitte Alomes, Founder and CEO of Natural Pod, is a thought leader dedicated to creating better learning environments through the use of beautifully designed, high-quality education furniture made from healthy, sustainable materials, with an emphasis on environmental awareness and stewardship. Bridgitte also serves on the board of the Green Schools National Network, creating broad-based initiatives aimed at fostering healthy, sustainable K-12 schools.
Natural Pod is more than furniture. Our philosophy is that intentional, well-designed versatile spaces also help create community-minded and innovative interactions. By working with us to make meaningful choices, school stakeholders, parents, children, and educators, are beginning to create new education paradigms. Along with our goal of making beautiful, innovative, healthy learning environments accessible to all students, we also have a deep commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. Our wood products are made with FSC-certified materials and are ethically manufactured on Vancouver Island in Canada.