Building on the CIPS Event Services Guide published last year, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) has announced the creation of its Event Services Working Group.

The remit of the group will be to champion the event services industry, establish (and widen) the category and focus on collaboration. Chaired by Mark Budge (operations manager at Reed & Mackay Event Management), the group will be made up of procurement professionals, corporate event planners and representatives from key event associations. Currently involved in the working group are 32 procurement professionals, 16 corporate planners, Eventia, Hotel Booking Agents Association (HBAA) and Meeting Professional International (MPI).

Building on the growing community of procurement professionals and corporate event planners, key stakeholder associations in marketing, travel and internal communications are also to be included.

Alongside the working group meetings, which will be two to three times a year, events planned for 2008 include a procurement/corporate planner debate, training in measurement and workshops targeted at the different levels of event procurement maturity.

Ian Schollar, head of practice development at CIPS, said: “This group is a great example of cross sector working. The speed with which the group has established itself and the support it has received from CIPS members clearly demonstrates the importance of this sector and we look forward to working together with all sectors of the event industry.”

Meanwhile, Mark Budge, chairman of the Event Services Group, added: “Successful industry change can only be achieved by a group that represents all key stakeholders. With the support of CIPS and building on the good work of others in the industry, I believe this vision can now become reality and I am looking forward to the group making a lasting difference in the industry.”