UN Women UK backs NOWIE’s Big Survey on event equality

UN Women UK has joined forces with The Network of Women in Events (NOWIE) to support The Big Survey, an annual research project examining gender, safety and career experiences in the events industry. The collaboration aims to deepen insights into how professionals across the sector experience workplace culture, policies and safeguarding.

The Big Survey gathers responses from people working in events to build a clearer picture of gender dynamics, satisfaction with career progression, and the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault. With UN Women UK’s involvement, the initiative is expected to benefit from additional expertise in gender equality and violence prevention, and from a more structured framework for using the findings to inform change.

Background: gender and safety in the events sector

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Events and live experiences rely on temporary workforces, late hours, travel and often high-pressure delivery environments. These conditions can make it harder for organisations to monitor behaviour consistently, enforce policies on-site and ensure that contractors, freelancers and staff all understand and trust reporting processes.

Women and gender minorities working in events have, for several years, raised concerns around workplace culture, barriers to progression and a lack of clear, enforced standards on harassment and safety. While many organisations have updated codes of conduct and introduced training, evidence about how these measures are working on the ground is still limited and often anecdotal.

The Big Survey was created to fill some of this data gap, giving event professionals a way to anonymously share their experiences and perceptions. By tracking responses year on year, the project seeks to identify trends, highlight persistent issues and spotlight areas where interventions are making a difference.

Key elements of the new collaboration

Under the new collaboration, UN Women UK will work with NOWIE on the design, delivery and interpretation of The Big Survey. While detailed terms have not been publicly disclosed, the partnership is positioned around bringing global gender-equality expertise into a sector-specific research effort.

The Big Survey typically covers:

Gender representation and dynamics in different event roles and seniority levels
Perceptions of organisational policies and reporting mechanisms
Career satisfaction, progression and retention for women and other underrepresented groups
Incidents and experiences of sexual harassment and assault related to event work

With UN Women UK’s involvement, the research may benefit from more robust methodology and more structured recommendations for organisations on prevention, response and policy design. The collaboration also signals to event organisers and suppliers that issues of gender equality and safety are being examined with input from a globally recognised gender-focused entity.

Industry impact and implications

For event businesses, venues, agencies and suppliers, the enhanced survey offers a more detailed benchmark against which to assess their own practices. Aggregated findings can help organisations understand whether the challenges they see internally reflect wider sector patterns, and where they may be out of step with peers.

Key potential impacts include:

Better evidence for policy decisions: More granular data on harassment, safety concerns and gender-based barriers can inform updates to codes of conduct, staff handbooks, supplier contracts and on-site protocols.
Improved safeguarding frameworks: The research can support the development of clearer reporting routes, survivor-centred response processes and training tailored to event environments (including night-time and outdoor settings).
Workforce retention and progression insights: Understanding why some professionals leave the industry or feel blocked in their careers can guide mentoring schemes, leadership pathways and flexible working initiatives.
Cross-sector collaboration: Shared data can encourage venues, organisers, production partners and staffing agencies to adopt more consistent standards, reducing gaps in protection between different parts of the event supply chain.

Because the survey spans the breadth of the industry, from corporate conferences and trade shows to festivals and cultural events, the findings have potential relevance for a wide spectrum of organisers and technology providers.

Why this matters for event professionals and technology providers

For event leaders, HR teams and operations managers, the collaboration between NOWIE and UN Women UK underscores that gender equality and safety are not only ethical considerations but operational ones. Events depend on diverse, skilled teams willing to work long and unconventional hours; a culture where harassment or discrimination is tolerated undermines that foundation and increases legal, reputational and financial risk.

Technology providers are also directly implicated. Many tools used in event delivery – from registration and access control to venue apps and incident-reporting platforms – play a role in safety and accountability. Insights from The Big Survey can highlight where digital systems can support better safeguarding, such as:

Anonymous reporting features embedded in event apps
Clear signposting of conduct policies and support resources via digital channels
Staff accreditation and access data that can assist in incident investigations
Training and briefing modules delivered through online platforms pre-event

B2B technology vendors operating in the event space may find opportunities to align product development and client advisory services with the issues surfaced by the survey, particularly around duty of care, night-time economy risk management and inclusive design for hybrid and on-site experiences.

For freelancers and smaller agencies, sector-wide research provides a reference point when asking clients for stronger protections or clearer protocols. Being able to point to industry-level data, rather than isolated personal experiences, can strengthen calls for change.

Conclusion

The decision by UN Women UK to collaborate with NOWIE on The Big Survey signals a growing recognition that the events industry must address gender inequality and harassment with structured, evidence-based approaches. As the survey continues to capture experiences from across the sector, its findings are likely to shape discussions about workforce policy, safeguarding and organisational culture in the years ahead.

For event professionals, venue operators and technology providers, the project offers not just a snapshot of current challenges, but a framework for tracking progress and embedding higher standards of safety and inclusion into the fabric of live and hybrid events.