Social Sustainability

Through collaboration with diverse stakeholders, we build capacity, create pathways for change, and inspire future improvements. Our unified Team Sydney approach amplifies our capability to create a legacy through the business events sector and drive positive social change, ensuring that our impact resonates globally. We aim to support local communities, encourage diversity, equity and inclusion, and contribute to social sustainability. 

BESydney’s Social Impact Strategy and Social Impact Program ensure our approach to social sustainability goes beyond immediate outcomes. We support event organisers to define and leverage their event’s social impact intentions and align them with local and global social priorities.  We strive to create a resilient and inclusive community that benefits from our business events and initiatives. Our goal is to foster a resilient, inclusive network of stakeholders who benefit from, and contribute to, socially impactful business events. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Nations people of the land we call Australia. There are hundreds of nations, and each speaks its own language, with distinct dialects and cultural beliefs. The First Nations people of Sydney are the Gadigal of the Eora Nation. We are committed to help events held in Sydney engage with, recognise and show respect for First Nations people and their cultures, and we provide tailored advice, resources and connections to local services and experiences.

Read more about our First Nations Engagement Guide.

Sydney is home to a truly diverse population and welcomes people with a range of identities, perspectives and experiences including people from different cultures, people young and old, people with disability, people with diverse gender identities, and LGBTQIA+ communities. We work with partners – like the City of Sydney – and clients to help events held here be just as inclusive and equitable, by providing tailored advice, guidance and case studies.

Access is vital to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion. In Australia, the rights of people with disability are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act (1992), which ensures access to public premises, goods and services and facilities. In 2022, Sydney was voted among the 10 most accessible cities in the world by people with disability.

In Sydney, most attractions are accessible by wheelchair and many are equipped with hearing loops. Our public transport is affordable and largely accessible, and our pedestrian wayfinding system includes a comprehensive network of braille and tactile street signs. In addition, it is easy to find information on visiting Sydney, via resources from our Major Partners including Accessible Sydney provided by Destination NSW and information from the City of Sydney.

The City of Sydney also provides inclusive and accessible event guidelines, which provide frameworks to help event owners understand key access and inclusion considerations, identify best practices and ensure positive outcomes.

We are committed to help make events held in Sydney accessible and inclusive and we can provide tailored advice, resources and connections to local services and experiences.

BESydney is at the forefront of fostering a dynamic social impact ecosystem. Our extensive networks encompass various domains, including all levels of government and our active membership in the Sustainable Destination Partnership in Sydney. Our Ambassador network features leaders dedicated to advancing women in engineering, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and driving innovation in health and other sectors. 

We continually expand our network to incorporate key leaders, peak bodies, non-government agencies, and community leaders, ensuring their voices are integral to our impact ecosystem. Our First Nations Strategy aligns seamlessly with our Social Impact Strategy, consistently enhancing our network of First Nations leaders, elders and community groups. 

Conferences serve as strategic platforms to drive innovation and address critical social issues within their fields. Explore the insights and reports below to discover how these events can catalyse meaningful change.