ESSA’s bi-annual membership update
October 2024
Communication has been a key focus for us here at ESSA over the past six months. The introduction of our WhatsApp Community Group has facilitated crucial information sharing, allowing members to connect and offer help and advice instantly. This initiative has already proven invaluable, covering a wide range of topics and benefiting many members. Simply knowing that others are facing similar challenges can be a great source of support and reassurance. The group is open to all ESSA members, and the more members that join, the more beneficial it will be for everyone.
In keeping with the theme of communication, our significant investment in working abroad resources this year, including our new working abroad helpline, has proven extremely beneficial, highlighting the volume of members going global.
Additionally, the launch of our Mentoring Scheme is well underway with several members already volunteering as mentors. We strongly encourage anyone interested in mentoring to please throw your hat in the ring and contribute to this rewarding initiative.
📢 Calling all mentees! If you or anyone in your team could benefit from the insights and guidance of a mentor, now is the perfect time to sign up. The value of knowledge sharing and fresh perspectives cannot be overstated - it could be the game-changer that propels your career to new heights.
Lastly, to help you shout about your own successes, ESSA introduced new accreditation logos and created promotional materials to ensure your credentials are celebrated and visible to all.
Over the past six months, we’ve been actively advancing new and ongoing initiatives, focusing on pushing forward key projects that align with our strategic goals and future vision to include:
- Provision of new accreditation logos
- Launch of two carbon calculators (project and business)
- New WhatsApp Community Group – open to all
- Mentoring programme
- Significant investment in working abroad support
- Representation within the industry's Better Stands programme
- Creation of membership and accreditation promotional material
- Changes to ESSA Aims - link to full report in member area
- Sustainability accreditation now online and gaining momentum
- Continued provision of face-to-face sustainability training
- Online training expansion with new courses throughout the year
- Creation and development of new targeted member working groups
- Recruitment of additional resource for ESSA’s event and administration support
Finally, we’re excited to report another exceptional six months of growth of the ESSA community. In April, we celebrated reaching a significant milestone with membership surpassing 300. Six months on, this upward trend has continued, and our membership proudly stands at 323, highlighting the strong value our community provides and further strengthening our collective knowledge and support network.
We’re delighted to report a rise in the number of international companies joining the ESSA community with new members in Dubai, China, North America, South Africa, and mainland Europe. This growth adds substantial value for our UK members who may need support when working abroad. In turn, our international members will also benefit from the collective knowledge and resources within ESSA’s network when operating in the UK. This cross-border collaboration allows members to expand their networks, nurturing communication and mutual assistance with fellow professionals across the globe, which strengthens relationships and enhances opportunities for business growth and support in new markets.
Our strength is in our numbers. One of the most effective ways to promote the many benefits ESSA membership has to offer is through word of mouth - we are naturally more inclined to trust a recommendation from a colleague or friend. Take advantage of our ‘Refer a Member’ scheme to gain access to a membership discount.
Together we are ESSA – a trade body representing the very best contractors and suppliers of goods and services to the UK’s thriving events industry.
