GDS Summits: running business events safely during the COVID-19 outbreak

COVID-19 outbreak

GDS Summits are monitoring the latest information on novel coronavirus COVID-19 closely. We will be following all official advice and will always put the welfare of our people and customers first.

At this stage, however, our events remain on. This is why.

Events like ours play an important role in keeping the wheels of business turning. We believe this role could become vital. Run safely, our events can help to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on all our partners.

Large-scale events with global audiences are being cancelled. We run small-scale events in Europe and the US with national audiences travelling from areas that, according to current guidance, are low risk.

• There are no travel warnings for travel within the United States.
• We are rescheduling and re-locating our remaining two Mexico events.
• We are not currently accepting travel from (or to) Northern Italy.

Current guidance also suggests that small-scale events do not need to be cancelled, provided sufficient steps have been taken to mitigate potential risks. We are communicating and cooperating with our venues daily for any updates affecting them or the regions in which they are based.

In addition, we are:

• Working with venues to ensure public spaces are deep cleaned pre-event.
• Working with venues to ensure their onsite medical teams have received relevant training and reporting guidelines for guests and hotel management.
• Making hand sanitizer gel and hand wash available onsite, everywhere.
• Implementing a “no handshake” policy.
• Applying extra vigilance in food preparation and serving.
• Asking all attendees to evaluate their own health (and the health of those they are in close contact with) prior to travel.

We take our responsibilities as an event organiser very seriously. We also take our responsibilities as a business partner very seriously.

COVID-19 is a real challenge for the events and travel industries. But it is equally clear from our partners that this will affect all industries and every company. In this unprecedented situation, the wheels of business continue to turn.

We will continue to take all available steps to ensure the wellbeing of our event attendees, so they can continue – safely – to reap all the rewards of attendance.