RX’s ‘Guide to Inclusive Events’, published earlier this year, aims to make all our attendees and event participants feel welcome, seen and safe. We reveal how it is inspiring our teams to create more inclusive and accessible experiences; shine a spotlight on the pioneering work of our PAX Aus team; and talk to our Head of Inclusion & Diversity Ray Rhodes about how RX is taking our learnings to the wider event community. 

In 2021 RX set out on a journey to build a more inclusive culture, rich in diversity, where all our people can thrive in a safe, positive, and supportive working environment. We’ve since been recognised by Comparably, the employee advocacy tool, for ‘Best Company for Diversity’, with an overall culture score rating of A+. Now, as we continue our internal journey to become a more inclusive organisation (with much still to do), we’ve turned our attention outwards, to make our events more inclusive and accessible too. 

“As a global event organiser, we have a powerful platform to inspire change across the industries we serve” explained Head of I&D, Ray Rhodes. “With the launch of the ‘Guide to Inclusive Events at RX’ our priority is to ensure that our event cultures mirror our business culture, where different perspectives are sought out and celebrated, and everyone feels safe and empowered to bring their authentic selves to our events.”  

The guide offers our teams actions and inspiration on how to make their events welcoming and magical experiences for all.  It looks at inclusion and accessibility at every stage of an event – before, during and after; provides a ‘getting started to-do list’; includes a speaker/panel preparation check list; and is peppered with brilliant examples of I&D initiatives at RX events which are ahead of the curve.  

Many of the actions can be implemented at minimal or no additional cost, in turn creating tremendous, tangible value for attendees. They include carrying a prominent DEI welcome statement on your home page; ensuring photographers/videographers are prepped to capture a diverse representation of participants; making sure events are accessible to people with disabilities and encouraging exhibitors to do the same for their stands; providing a quiet room for anyone needing a space to reset from overstimulation; inviting a local cultural group to participate in opening ceremonies; ensuring balanced representation in education and special keynote speaker line-ups; and much more.  

Importantly, said Ray, “the guide doesn’t just look at ‘what’ actions we should be taking to make our events more inclusive, but ‘why’ each action is important, and provides safeguards to put in place to ensure high-quality execution.  It also asks, ‘who has a seat at the table?’ because representation of people from different backgrounds is critical when you begin planning your event content if you are serious about creating authentically meaningful experiences for diverse audiences.”  

Every RX event is at a different place in its journey and far from being a rigid set of rules, the guide aims to inspire a more inclusive mindset by offering ideas and inspiration from some of our most enlightened event teams. So, what does a truly inclusive event look like?   

Celebrating diversity at PAX Aus 

PAX Aus is Australia’s leading celebration of gaming and gaming culture, and one of RX’s most inclusive brands. Under the guidance of Exhibition Director Lauren Luciani, not only have the team set a very high standard for their colleagues to aspire to, but they are leading the way on I&D at gaming industry events.  

Before attending PAX Aus, gamers are invited to watch the ‘How to PAX’ video, to help ease any uncertainty or anxiety around navigating the event. It gives tips on where to go, how to access key feature areas, and offers general advice on how to have a great show experience. 

PAX Aus honours and acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land by presenting a ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony with First Nation Elders. This takes place on the first day, to open the event, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Australia. Within the event, Kirrip Wilam, meaning "Friend Home" in Woi Wurrung, is a community space where attendees can engage with and learn from Indigenous perspectives in gaming. 

‘PAX Together’ celebrates diversity, underrepresented groups, and stigmatised topics both at PAX and in the gaming community at-large.  This area of the event includes an intersection of content across a lounge, theatre, LGBTQIA+ focused community booths, and consciously unbiased initiatives such as pronoun stickers, gender neutral bathrooms, and dedicated merchandise, all within a safe space for the community.  The feedback from the PAX community is overwhelmingly positive and highlights the importance of this space, with one attendee commenting, "spaces like PAX Together aren't just nice to have and they aren't just affirming for folks  ̶  for some they are absolutely lifesaving.” 

For people with disabilities, medical badges are available granting access to express queues and accessible seating at panels. Passes allow a carer to attend for free when accompanying a ticketed attendee requiring their care. Support animals are permitted in all public areas of the venue to assist those who need them. For attendees with hearing aids, PAX offers programmed receivers that work with T Switch-enabled hearing aids. And all panels and content in the PAX Together Theatre have AI captioning which takes all audio and converts it into text in real time, delivered to attendees via their mobile phones. 

Other DEI initiatives include clear signage for accessibility; an AFK (Away from keyboard) Room which provides a low-sensory, relaxing space where attendees can recharge and regain their calm; complimentary pram parking next to the MCEC service desk (prams are not permitted in the Expo Hall for safety reasons); and a commitment to ensure that all content panels have a diverse representation.  

“I&D initiatives are a core pillar for PAX Aus ensuring that, where possible, we cater to gamers of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and accessibility needs,” affirmed Lauren. “By authentically weaving inclusion and accessibility into our messaging, content and ethos, it sends the message that gaming is for everyone while inviting those who feel marginalised to come into a safe space.” 

An inclusive industry approach  

‘The Guide to Inclusive Events at RX’ builds on a solid foundation of Inclusion and Diversity put in place at RX over the past three years which includes Unconscious Bias Awareness training for all leaders; Inclusive Leadership training for senior and HR leaders; Psychological Safety assessments and workshops; launching Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in local markets; and the creation of Global Diversity Committees focused on supporting key dimensions of diversity - race and ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+, generations, and disability. Each country where we operate is represented on the RX Global Inclusion Council by an I&D Champion, who provides local cultural context to all our I&D programmes.  

RX’s I&D strategy has been built from the ground-up, although we were lucky to have access to some resources through our parent company RELX, and a truly inspirational I&D leader in Ray Rhodes, whose openness in sharing his own experiences of homophobia has helped to create a safe space in which all RXers are empowered to speak up.   

Ray is now committed to sharing our I&D journey to help build a more inclusive and diverse events industry where everyone is made to feel welcome. He has become a leading I&D advocate for the events industry, sitting on DEI working groups at SISO and UFI, and contributing to I&D panels. 

 During the 2024 SISO Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, Ray shared insights into RX’s Guide to Inclusive Events, currently only available within RX but soon to be published externally for wider industry use. “People are really interested in seeing it and getting their hands on it, particularly the many small organisers who simply don’t have any dedicated DEI resource or expertise in their ranks” he revealed. “They are looking to those of us who do to guide them, and that’s the mission I’m on right now. Starting out on a DEI journey can feel like standing in front of a mountain but taking it in small steps helps give you  a clearer perspective. That’s what we had to do at RX, and it’s what I want to help other organisations with.” 

Ultimately, said Ray, “DEI is not about who is doing more or who is doing less, it’s about us as an industry, taking care of ourselves, and our customers, and looking to the future. We want to sustain this incredible industry and that’s what I see our mission is.” 

In November, Ray is attending the UFI Global Congress in Cologne (20-23 November 2024), where he will be meeting with event organisers and offer tips and guidance on how to build an infrastructure and strategic framework for DEI. An external version of RX’s Guide to Inclusive Events is currently in production and will be available in early 2025.   

Making time for inclusion and diversity at RX

Have you heard of our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)? These are like-minded squads of RX volunteers teaming together to shake things up for the greater good. So far we've got 13 awesome groups covering race, gender, LGBTQIA+, disability and generational interests, and the best part is every RXer can apply for up to two days paid leave to support their interest group. We caught up with some of our fantastic volunteers to get the scoop on how they make the most of their ERG hours and why being part the inclusion and diversity scene at RX is truly important.

‘All-In’ for inclusion in Mexico

While some RX Employee Resource Groups focus on a particular dimension of diversity, others advocate for respect and inclusion for all, making sure everyone has the support they need to thrive.

Two years ago, when RX Mexico decided to establish its first ERG, they agreed that an ‘All-In’ group would be the best solution, allowing them to address a wide range of challenges and opportunities around diversity and inclusion.

In April, a group of RXers used their volunteer hours to support an association called ‘Rescuing our Children’ which provides after-school care for children who might otherwise be on the streets. As well as enjoying fun and games with the children, the volunteers took the opportunity to talk to them about school and the importance of studying, as well as sharing inspirational stories about their own jobs and careers.

Head of Procurement, Mariana Puebla used her time to help out at a transgender house operated by the Casa de las Muñecas Foundation which provides shelter and support for people in vulnerable situations. “The hostel has designated spaces for personal care and hygiene, physical exercise, study, and communal eating, as well as providing sessions with psychologists and AA” says Mariana, who has also collected groceries to donate to the hostel.

In October, with the support of RX, the ERG presented its first ‘Cause Pavilion’ at Expo Beauty Show 2023. The pavilion showcased three association partners - Fundación ADIS, X TI EMPREDEMOS, and México Sonríe - which are committed to helping people with disabilities, and patients undergoing cancer treatment.

During the event, the ‘Trenzatón’ was also coordinated, a collection of hair braids used to create wigs for children and women undergoing cancer treatment.  Thanks to the generous support of beauty professionals, who provided their hair cutting services free of charge, 26 braids were collected onsite over the three days of the event, enough to create two complete wigs. Fernanda Yerena and Ana Laura Serrano, co-chairs of the All-in ERG, were among the RXers using their volunteer hours to support the event, some of whom joined the cause and received hair donation certificates for their contribution.

Reflecting on the Cause Pavilion, Fernanda said: “With these actions, our ERG aims to achieve a significant social impact, leveraging the industry's strong event turnout to reach diverse audiences and contribute to positive changes in Mexico. We aim to involve each of our colleagues at RX in making our events more inclusive and diverse across all industries.”

Mentoring women in the local community

RX’s Women Connected ERG in the US is focused on gender equity in the workplace and lifting the voices of women internally and through our events, brands, and industries. This ERG continues to partner with a local non-profit, the Women’s Mentoring Network, whose mission is to provide career, educational, and personal resources that lead to the economic empowerment of low-income women and their families.

In September, Women’s Mentoring Network held a Career Clinic for their members and invited RXUS representatives to participate. MJ McGrath, Marketing Director, Jacy Barker, Senior Director Marketing Services, and Alexia Malangone, Senior Marketing Associate, used their ERG hours to work with Women’s Mentoring Network members to support their job searches.

“We reviewed their resumes and gave them advice on how to navigate the challenges they were facing with job applications, interviews, and the industries they are interested in pursuing,” said Jacy. “It was an amazing opportunity to give back professionally, learn more about their journeys and how we can be of support. We left feeling very inspired by this amazing organization and all that they do to support the empowerment of women and their families in our area. This was the first Career Clinic that RXUS participated in, and we are looking forward to expanding this opportunity to support on an ongoing basis.”

Earlier that month, the Women’s Mentoring Network also honored RX and Women Connected as a sponsor for their Celebrating Mentors Event – a fundraiser held at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT to honor longtime and new sponsors. It was an evening filled with recognition along with hearing stories from guest speakers on their backgrounds, journeys to transformative lives and careers, and more.