'Our events are global but we think local'

12:59pm Sunday 27th April 2008

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It's not just about bums on seats for leading UK events agency, World Events.

The Cleckheaton-based company, which celebrated 21 years in business last year, encourages its world-wide clients to benefit the local communities in places where they stage events.

For instance, in 2006 World Events organised a conference for 350 delegates to celebrate the centenary of Norgine Pharmaceuticals, a family- owned international company based in the Czech Republic.

The event was staged in Sun City, South Africa, to reward the global sales team.

In addition to the domestic arrangements and usual elements of a business conference, the World Events team ensured local products were used, including locally-sourced audio visual equipment, to reduce shipping and the carbon footprint of the event. Also, local drummers and dancers were involved in the programme Norgine was also made aware of the nearby Mabele-A-Podi township, from which Sun City draws many of its staff, and was encouraged to make the project an integral part of the conference delegates' experience.

Many of the villagers live in corrugated tin shacks with no running water and many families have lost their breadwinner to HIV AIDS.

World Events recommended that, before the conference, Norgine's four business units raise money to build a house and then actually construct it whilst they were there.

Groups worked over two days making bricks, digging trenches, mixing cement and brick laying.

As a result, seven new houses at Mabele-A -Podi have now been built.

At the end of the conference more than £4,000 was added to the total raised by the group and 50 sacks of clothes, toiletries and school stationery were donated by delegates.

Martin Parry, managing director of World Events, said the project illustrated the firm's commitment to be more than just events.

He said: "Our view is that our business is more than just setting up a conference, finding accommodation and getting people from A to B.

"We encourage our clients to take a wider view and consider how a sales conference or promotional event can have a wider impact on the location in which it is held.

"In the case of Norgine there was a clear need to help the people in the township and the delegates rose to the challenge."

Sales and marketing director Mark Saxby, a former senior advertising executive with the Saatchi Brothers, said the effects on the environment of international events was becoming a crucial element in the arrangements.

World Events has developed software to measure the carbon footprint of each event the company organises.

Software developed over seven years by the agency's in-house team enables every client to have their own dedicated event website through which to communicate with delegates, manage information and monitor arrangements.

World Events has established itself as a big player in the field of business events . The agency conceives, arranges and stages more than 300 events a year, involving around 35,000 participants.

The geographic spread of its client base covers the UK, Europe, New Zealand and the United States. The emerging economies of China and India are also becoming increasingly important, while its client list reads like a who's who of major brands, including Philips, Chanel, L'Oreal, Heinz, and Johnson & Johnson.

In the UK World Events has worked with various government departments, the Central Office of Information and the NHS. Closer to home the firm recently organised an event for Bradford-based Morrisons and Yorkshire Bank.

Founded in 1986, World Events remains a privately owned company which now has a turnover of £30m. It employs around 100 staff at its Cleckheaton head office.

There are also ten staff based in the United States and the company recently opened an office in Amsterdam.

World Events has won a string of awards over the years, most recently for organising the best short haul conference.

Despite fears of an economic slowdown Martin Parry remains optimistic about the firm's continued success and expects to expand over the next few years, including more staff at Cleckheaton.

He said: "Some economies may experience a slow-down but in these circumstances it is important for companies and organisations to communicate with their teams and customers. There will be a continuing need for well planned, well executed events to help firms communicate well and motivate their people."