Events Industry Whistleblowers Have Nowhere to Go

From financial mismanagement to discrimination to bribery, the events industry is rife with opportunities for bad actors.

But while many industries have established channels for reporting ethical or illegal situations, most planners end up sharing their experiences through word of mouth — if at all.  

In the accounting industry, for example, the AICPA (American Institute of CPAs) has a division dedicated to investigating alleged violations. Meeting Professionals International offers MPI HEAR as a confidential way to file a complaint. Other associations post their codes of ethics on their web sites, sometimes without any way to get in touch with an issue. Also, these are directed at their members and not intended for whistleblowers or people outside their membership.

The Events Industry Council, the accrediting body for the CMP, lists grounds for disciplinary action on its web site, and outlines how it resolves complaints involving CMPs. When asked if it investigates and reports unethical behavior beyond that, or deals with whistleblowers, Skift Meetings was told this was “not in EIC’s purview.”

“Most associations have codes of ethics in place, but if they are not enforced, they're virtually meaningless," said events industry attorney Josh Grimes.

Online Channels

Occasionally, members of online groups will share their experiences with an unethical player or situation. However, Carolynn Santos, executive director of the Senior Planners Industry Network (SPIN), questions whether social media is the best forum for complaints.

“It depends on the perspective of the post. If you are posting to ask for advice and guidance on how to collect payments, or resolve an issue with a vendor, that’s different than if you are posting to blast an organization.” 

Grimes advises that people think twice before they post. Instead, he recommends educating those committing the lapses about ways to improve their actions.

“Some may also choose to inform other planners and suppliers of allegedly improper conduct by word of mouth, the same as they discuss opinions about the quality of hotels and venues,” he said, but warns against potential liability issues. “It's important for those considering making negative comments about other individuals and businesses to consider the veracity of their opinions, and the possible impact of their statements."

Ratings, Reporting Issues and Litigation

Consumers have Yelp, job seekers have Glassdoor, but there are no credible web sites for meetings industry members to post their experiences. One site, Event Staffing Agencies, offers a way to rate event staffing agencies on “unfair business and labor practices” — but it raises more questions than it answers. A majority of the agencies listed have received poor or “awful” ratings, and there is no description about why they were given that rating or who rated them.

The site’s founder, who also runs a site for rating film and TV production services, did not respond to Skift Meetings’ request for more information.

Alice Jones, global head of marketing at Elevate, one of the companies that’s listed on the site but has not yet been rated, was skeptical. “I don’t think it’s entirely fair to rate agencies publicly without more context,” she said. ”The value comes from the added detail, written feedback, clarity on who is leaving the review, and the ability for companies to respond.”

A well-established outlet for reporting issues across all business sectors is the Better Business Bureau, which includes everything from meeting planning companies to suppliers such as caterers and event rental firms. There are 260 companies listed in the meeting management category and 475 listed under event management.

For civil matters such as unpaid wages or invoices, small claims court is an option. The claim must be filed in the district where the debtor lives, works, or does business, and it can’t exceed the state-specific limit (which can range between $7,000 and $12,500). Above that number, the only recourse would be to hire a lawyer, but Grimes cautions that “the likely cost of litigation makes only the most serious claims appropriate for litigation.”