JMIC sets new leadership and climate agenda for events

The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) has outlined a new strategic direction for the global business events sector, unveiling changes in leadership alongside an updated industry manifesto and an accelerated climate action agenda. The package of measures, presented following JMIC’s annual press briefing, is intended to sharpen the sector’s voice in policy discussions and step up collective efforts on sustainability.

The moves come at a time when destinations, venues and event technology providers are under mounting pressure to demonstrate both economic value and climate responsibility, with business events increasingly viewed as platforms for collaboration, innovation and knowledge transfer across industries.

Industry context: business events under scrutiny

Business events – spanning conferences, trade shows, congresses and exhibitions – are facing a dual challenge. On one side, governments and cities expect clear evidence of events’ contribution to innovation, investment and job creation. On the other, organisers and suppliers must respond to climate commitments, tightening regulation and stakeholder expectations around sustainability and social impact.

JMIC, an umbrella body representing key international meetings and events industry associations, has been seeking to position business events as critical infrastructure for economic and societal development, rather than discretionary spend. Its latest announcements are framed as an evolution of that agenda, with renewed emphasis on measurable impact and coordinated advocacy.

Key developments in JMIC’s new direction

The organisation’s update is centred on three main developments: leadership changes, a refreshed industry manifesto and a faster-paced climate strategy. Together, they aim to give the sector a more coherent narrative and clearer priorities when engaging with policymakers, investors and corporate stakeholders.

New leadership to steer advocacy and strategy

JMIC has confirmed a change in its leadership structure, with a newly elected chairperson and supporting officers mandated to drive the next phase of its work. The incoming leadership is tasked with strengthening collaboration among member associations, aligning advocacy messages and supporting regional efforts to demonstrate the strategic importance of business events.

This leadership transition is designed to bring continuity to existing programmes while allowing for new initiatives around data, research and cross-sector partnerships. The council is expected to focus on building a stronger evidence base for the role of business events in innovation ecosystems and knowledge economies, particularly as governments reassess spending priorities and climate policies.

Updated manifesto to define sector-wide priorities

Alongside the leadership announcement, JMIC has introduced a revised industry manifesto, setting out shared principles and priorities for the global events community. While the detailed text has not been publicly expanded upon, the manifesto is positioned as a unifying framework for how business events should be developed, measured and communicated.

The document is expected to emphasise the broader outcomes of events beyond visitor numbers and immediate economic impact, including longer-term benefits such as research collaboration, talent attraction, trade, investment and community engagement. It is also likely to reference the need for consistent metrics and language when explaining event value to governments, funders and the wider public.

By updating the manifesto, JMIC is signalling an intention to bring member associations, destinations and commercial operators behind a common agenda, which can then be reflected in local and national advocacy campaigns, industry standards and collaborative initiatives.

Accelerated climate action agenda

The third pillar of JMIC’s announcement is an accelerated climate action agenda for global business events. This reflects growing pressure from regulators, corporate event buyers and attendees for the sector to reduce emissions and resource use while maintaining the benefits of in-person and hybrid gatherings.

The council’s climate focus is understood to include encouraging consistent carbon measurement methodologies, promoting best practices around low-carbon event design, and supporting knowledge exchange between destinations, venues, organisers and technology providers. It also aims to align with broader international climate goals while recognising regional differences in infrastructure and regulation.

Rather than introducing a new standalone programme, the accelerated agenda is expected to build on existing sustainability initiatives within JMIC’s member associations, providing a framework that can help avoid duplication, share tools and broaden adoption of proven approaches.

Industry impact: alignment, data and collaboration

The combined leadership, manifesto and climate initiatives are likely to influence how different parts of the event ecosystem work together, particularly in areas of measurement and reporting. As destinations and venues compete for international events, consistent messaging on economic, social and environmental outcomes will become a differentiator.

For associations and organisers, JMIC’s refreshed stance may support stronger engagement with policymakers and funders by presenting business events as strategic instruments in economic development and innovation policies. It may also underpin joint research projects that quantify both the immediate and long-term impacts of events, including knowledge creation and sectoral development.

On the sustainability side, common guidance and shared frameworks can help reduce complexity for suppliers and clients navigating multiple certification schemes and reporting requirements. If widely adopted, this could lead to more comparable environmental data across events and regions, enabling more informed decisions about formats, travel patterns and technology use.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event professionals – including organisers, venues, destinations and agencies – JMIC’s new agenda acts as a signal of where the conversation is heading at a global level. Procurement teams, sponsors and attendees are increasingly scrutinising the purpose and footprint of events; a unified industry narrative can help frontline teams frame those discussions more effectively.

Technology providers, particularly those supporting hybrid and virtual formats, data analytics and sustainability reporting, may find new opportunities as the sector leans into evidence-based decision-making and climate accountability. Tools that track attendee journeys, measure engagement, optimise resource use or model emissions scenarios will be positioned more centrally in strategic planning.

At the same time, the emphasis on the broader value of in-person connection underscores that technology will be viewed less as a replacement and more as an enabler – extending reach, improving accessibility and supporting better measurement of outcomes before, during and after events.

For corporate and association planners, the emergence of a clearer manifesto and climate agenda can provide reference points when setting their own event policies, supplier criteria and internal performance benchmarks. It also enables better alignment between local initiatives and global expectations, particularly for organisations operating across multiple regions.

Conclusion

JMIC’s announcement of new leadership, an updated industry manifesto and an accelerated climate programme marks a notable step in the ongoing evolution of the global business events sector. While many details will be worked out in partnership with member associations and regional stakeholders, the direction of travel is clear: a stronger collective voice, more robust impact measurement and an explicit commitment to climate action.

As these elements are translated into practical guidance, standards and collaborative projects, event organisers, destinations and technology suppliers will need to assess how their own strategies align with the emerging framework. For an industry positioned at the intersection of knowledge, commerce and policy, the ability to demonstrate both value and responsibility will be central to securing its role in the next phase of global economic and social recovery.