Community

FICP's Statement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are core values to our association and its community of meetings professionals and hospitality partners and permeate every aspect of FICP. We welcome people at any point in their career, from any context, and who represent a range of backgrounds, thoughts, approaches and experiences.

The goals of FICP’s Statement of DEI are both internal and external:

• Internally, FICP is on a journey to boost member engagement and benefits by fostering an inclusive organization designed to spur innovation, meet member learning needs and achieve overall organizational objectives. By progressing along our DEI journey, we believe the FICP community will access more expansive and varied ideas, information and perspectives, leverage the unique contributions of diverse individuals and organizations, while helping attract potential members and hospitality partners to our welcoming environment.
• Externally, FICP recognizes that many of the institutions served by our members and hospitality partners have also prioritized DEI, and we want our efforts to amplify and support those organizational priorities. We believe that the wide array of perspectives resulting from DEI allows all organizations to be more effective. FICP expects itself and its stakeholders to serve as role models for other groups in the industry and be a positive example.

This statement declares FICP’s commitment to DEI initiatives, aims to align stakeholders and serves as a guide as we navigate FICP’s DEI journey.

This statement also reinforces FICP’s vision to amplify the positive impact and value of financial services and insurance industry meetings and events professionals. Our mission is to strengthen our members through education, outreach and partnerships so that the positive impact and value of their work is fully recognized by both their organizations as well as the meetings and events industry.

Importantly, we recognize that the responsibility for productively advancing DEI lies with all of us. All stakeholders have a responsibility to society and our sectors to develop and maintain an organization that fully reflects the communities we serve.

FICP’s Guiding Principles

• FICP supports the collective empowerment of people of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, gender identifications, abilities, sizes, incomes, marital statuses, ages, geographic locations, philosophies and veteran statuses, and recognizes that all people are equal.
• FICP encourages all stakeholders to embody the principles of DEI throughout their interactions with FICP and their organizations by seeking out, valuing and respecting opinions, perspectives and experiences that are different from their own.
• FICP will protect and encourage the free exchange of divergent opinions and demonstrate an appreciation for different voices.
• FICP will foster an environment that promotes open communication, respectful debate and informed decision-making.
• FICP commits to exploring potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness.
• FICP acknowledges that advocating for equity is an active process that requires continuous commitment to fostering and promoting a diverse and inclusive environment and holding each other accountable.
• FICP believes that every stakeholder has a contribution, and it is our duty to encourage and promote that contribution.
• To achieve our goals, FICP believes it is necessary to be strategic and intentional in formalizing and pursuing meaningful DEI as central aspects of our governance and programming.