isla Members vote in the new Advisory Board

Elected from the membership base, isla has announced today the appointment of Carina Filek, Global Chief Operations Officer (elevate), Saskya Liney, Account Director, (emc3) and Charlie Hepburn, Client Strategy Director (Identity).

Saskya, joining from emc3 is “thrilled to be a part of the Isla Advisory Board. The goal is to make sustainability in the events industry the norm, and I hope we can use the industry as a catalyst for a bigger change in the world, helping event professionals address wider global issues around sustainability and climate change”

As active members of the isla network, these new appointments are keen to drive forward the regeneration of the industry as we enter into a new chapter of post-pandemic recovery. As we near the start of COP26, isla co-founder Anna Abdelnoor reflects on the benefits of having a representative of the delivery agency on the Advisory Board.

“Identity have delivered G7 and are in the process of delivering COP26. The rigorous sustainability parameters and reporting associated with this global gathering set Identity in excellent stead to really understand the complexities of climate issues within events”. 

Charlie Hepburn, Client Strategy Director says “economic, social and environmental sustainability is not a competition in today’s business environment, it must be a deeply rooted policy that is weaved into every aspect of working life. We all know the benefits that this can bring to the planet but moreover, a corporate strategy focusing on sustainability can add brand value, meet consumer demands, increase efficiency, attract valuable talent and create new opportunities.”

As the sector enters a post-pandemic resurgence – but one that must bear the realities of Brexit – the need for strategic and forward thinking solutions for industry regeneration are paramount. Anna reflects “Demonstrating the UK as a leading destination will require creative, agile and adaptive thinking, with a focus on infrastructure improvements and investing in the future of the industry”. 

Operating in a global role as COO, Carina Filek observes “We have a long way to go when looking towards a sustainable future in the event industry. With a high percentage of non-sustainable behaviour being due to confusion or a lack of knowledge, isla’s mission is more important now than ever. I am dedicated to supporting the business to guide our industry, influence behaviours and reduce the knowledge gap that will result in far reaching positive impact.”

Russ Lidstone, Group CEO of The Creative Engagement Group and former Advisory Board Member for 2020 -21, has moved into the position of Chair for the coming year. The new cohort will continue to shape isla’s evolution of tools, resources and industry-wide standardisation.

isla hosted its first Members Forum today [Thursday 30th] at The Meetings Show, which saw an agenda that demonstrated the power of the network and outputs from the last year – from the development of working groups and frameworks, to Carbon Measurement software, and the direct benefit this has had to businesses through case studies. 

Find out more about how you can get involved with isla at www.weareisla.co.uk.