Executives from leading industry associations and suppliers, including IMEX Group CEO Carina Bauer, have signed a pledge to combat sexual harassment in the industry.

Created by the Events Industry Sexual Harassment Task Force (EISHTF), the pledge was launched at IMEX America 2019, which ran September 10-12 in Las Vegas. The pledge’s launch was commemorated by the signing which took place in the Association for Women in Events‘ (AWE) booth at 4:00 p.m. on September 11th.

AWE joined forces with industry leaders and executives from ASAE, AWE, EIC, IMEX, JMIC, MPI, PCMA, SISO and SITE in 2018 to form the sexual harassment task force, the mandate of which is to gather everyone behind the common goal of eradicating sexual harassment in the events industry.

“I am really proud of our industry as we have come together to eliminate sexual harassment,” said Amanda Armstrong, CMP, 2018 MPI chair. “In a very short time, we formed a community and a task force with nine (plus!) organizations and created free training to increase awareness. Now, our peers are asking, ‘What can we do to help?’ Simple, take this pledge to show your support. United we stand to make the hospitality industry a safer place to work for everyone.”

The task force also announced a new partnership with the founders of #MeetingsToo, Sarah Soliman Daudin, DES and Courtney Stanley, of SarahxCourtney at the show.

Soliman and Stanley started the open conversation around sexual harassment in the industry through the use of #MeetingsToo. They have continued the conversation on stage at global events, referencing both personal stories and providing tools and prevention resources to make the industry a safer, better place. The duo also co-chairs MPI’s first-ever Women’s Advisory Board. Soliman’s company, Soliman Productions, is an AWE Gold Partner sponsor and Stanley serves on AWE’s 2019-2020 board of directors.

“We could not be more thrilled to join forces with EISHTF,” said Stanley. “Our mission behind igniting the #MeetingsToo movement has been to support, educate and empower as many people in our community as possible. Partnering with EISHTF means that we now have an even greater opportunity to amplify awareness and generate an even more substantial, long-lasting industry impact.”