ESSA's Sales & Business Development Manager, Helen Lowe, discusses ESSA's rapidly growing membership, the many opportunities this brings and how we can all play our part and reap rewards by using the 'Refer a Member' scheme.
Q: How many new members has ESSA had since January 2022 to date?
Since January 2022, ESSA has onboarded a record 80 new members. 40 of these were in 2022, with 40 in 2023, and we are only in May!
Q: Growth allows ESSA to invest more in member services. What key areas has this particularly benefitted in the past 18 months?
We have made great strides with the ESSA accreditation launching the sustainability module, delivered face-to-face and online training, improving member events including the much-loved summer event, invested in dedicated public affairs support, recruited additional people to support key aspects of our service and improved the provision of business support services.
Q: How important is membership growth when it comes to being listened to, for example at government or by the wider industry?
Put simply, this type of work involves time and resource to do it properly.
ESSA’s strength is in its numbers. Our members are professionals who add significant value to the economy and our collective voice is one to be reckoned with. It’s therefore vital we harness this asset and invest in resources that allow us to work smarter whilst also driving a better industry for all.
Q: What does membership growth mean for the association and its members?
Membership growth means we can keep our foot firmly on the gas to keep momentum going across all projects whilst exploring how we expand on key topics. Together, we have worked hard to achieve a solid reputation for supporting, representing & developing members, who are viewed by the industry as the best in practice which in turn means we are recognised as the leading trade body of suppliers to business events.
Membership growth will further support and expand:
- Working Groups
- Training and education
- Core member services
- Future focus work
- Public affairs
- Industry wide collaboration
- A more coordinated supply chain
- A broader, more diverse voice
- Exclusive member benefits
Q: Are there other working groups you would like to invest in?
We are currently performing a full review of all working groups, analysing how they operate, how we best utilise them and outcomes. To ensure we maximise the diverse expertise within each group, we are also reviewing member involvement to ensure we have the right people with the right knowledge in the right group. We are also exploring other working groups to cover additional need areas.
Q: To all those thinking of joining ESSA, what are the benefits of being part of a movement with one shared voice?
The association is there to assist businesses of all sizes, from SMEs to large corporates. Alongside benefitting from the strength and support of a community, ESSA membership provides operational and technical support, L&D, exclusive member benefits, helplines, networking, representation at high levels - which many businesses can’t achieve alone - to name a few.
At ESSA, we focus on four key areas:
- Lead and represent on key internal and external issues
- Community support and one shared voice
- Enable members to be better at every level of their operation
- Value through member benefits and ESSA’s value proposition
Q: What is the benefit to members of using the Refer a Member scheme?
When members refer a company to join ESSA, they can work towards a maximum discount of 50% off their annual membership renewal fee (subject to T&Cs).
Achieving optimal health and safety standards industry wide can only truly happen when like-minded members work together and adhere to the same set of core values, codes of conduct and ethos. So, it goes without saying that growing ESSA’s membership will provide increased assurance that health and safety and sustainability are priority considerations, which will inspire confidence all round.
