In response to a summer 2021 survey of its membership that found a 63 percent rise in interest for integrating wellness more deeply into events, Meeting Professionals International launched in late August a four-part program titled “Event Wellness Superhero” that’s available to both members and nonmembers.

With the program, MPI addresses both short- and longer-term issues for in-person meetings. The short-term issue: Potential attendees are hesitant to be on site in an environment where Covid transmission rates alternate between fading and surging. The longer-term issue: Event participants want to redefine their work experiences in ways that allow them to maintain their physical and psychological health.

“What we are seeing now is that attendees are craving not only balance, but peace of mind—a sense of assurance that when they do decide to meet in person, their fundamental well-being will be a primary consideration in how events are designed,” says Nancy Snowden, MPI’s manager, education experience, who will oversee the certificate program’s four one-hour online sessions. “How can we do that? Integrative wellness and event design.” 

In a press release, MPI noted that “before Covid, any wellness integration [at events] mainly existed in the form of stand-alone activations, individual booths [delivering] one-off experiences, and morning physical-wellness activities.” In contrast, the certificate program will help planners understand the eight dimensions of physical and mental wellness recognized by the Events Industry Council by using a variety of media, activities, and exercises that allow planners to experiment with holistic approaches, while also learning how to market wellness elements to attendees.

The cost of the new certificate program is $299 for MPI members and $399 for nonmembers. More details can be found here.