Scenarios4Summits works with companies and governments to create Interactive Scenario Based events supported by custom-made films. Co-founder Mark Stoop, who has an extensive military, political and security background, recently spoke with The Meeting Professional about event risk management and security. He’ll be sharing much more with attendees of the MPI European Meetings & Events Conference, Feb. 9-12 in The Hague, the Netherlands. Learn more at Scenarios4Summits.com.
Tell us about an aspect of event risk that planners need to focus on.
Event planners are not looking at some of the possibilities that are high on the so-called “escalation ladder.” They think that when a terrorist attacks, we can’t do anything about it. And that is not correct. Preparation is key, and everything must be done to secure a location and to make sure if panic breaks out, the staff is prepared. Planning for the worst also makes you better at the rest that doesn’t even come close to the worst. This is what I learned in the military, and it is still valid today in preparing events. That’s why we have introduced our very realistic Scenario Based Training, for instance, in other fields like cyber or crisis management. Look at your weak spots and try to fix them by having concrete “what if” scenarios on paper in place.
How have common event risks evolved in recent years, and how does that impact the planning process?
Because of the world we live in and the reality of certain attacks one can’t just ignore the possibility of a terrorist attack. But also don’t forget the cyber threat here from regular criminals. These days it’s more than only the fire risks. Social media and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) have forced us to also be more professional in this regard. This means the planning of events is looking more and more like a military campaign plan, whereby every scenario has its own contingency plan. And that is not scary. It is good practice and will make you a more professional event planner, and your clients will thank you for it.
What key elements must be included in a risk management plan?
Simple things such as who is the lead when something goes wrong? Who reports to whom? When, how and what do we communicate with the outside world like media or the police forces? What location is safe and how do we make our location secure? But also questions like who is at my event and who are my suppliers and how do they look at security for this specific event. It is sometimes so easy to get into a location for an event. Security awareness starts with everybody involved in the event. Of course, not every event is a potential target, but discussing with appropriate authorities on when it is necessary is a good start. There are best practices and checklists available, and hard lessons learned from the past.
What can EMEC attendees expect to learn from you?
We will use the same concept that the heads of state experienced during Scenarios4Summits’ Scenario Based Policy Discussion at the Nuclear Security Summit 2014. Barack Obama loved it, so the EMEC participants will hopefully also appreciate it. We will use a fictitious-but-realistic scenario and we will work together with the audience to practice and learn from others and be confronted with new, unexpected situations. I hope people will walk away with the fact that the world is less safe than before and that better and different preparation for events is key but also doable. Scenario Based Preparation will help you be flexible, proactive and in the end make you a better event planner as a whole.
EMEC19
For more information or to register for the MPI European Meetings & Events Conference, Feb. 9-12 in The Hague, the Netherlands, visit www.emec19.com or contact seeyou@emec19.com.
