7 good reasons to get away from your desk and join the ESSA Conference 

The ESSA Awards are selling out fast, as they should be. It’s the one night the industry gets to stop, look around, and say, ‘We did all that’.  Thanks to those who have bought their tickets already.  But if you’re already planning to be there in the evening, why not make the entire day work harder for you? 

This is why we run the ESSA Conference on the same day. 

It’s built for the people who spend most of their time solving problems before anyone else sees them. Those people with the task of managing standards, compliance, kits, teams, client expectations and a never-ending list of “can you just…” tasks. If that sounds familiar, the Conference is designed with you firmly in mind. 

Here are 7 great reasons to turn your team Awards trip into a full Conference-and-Awards day.  Trust us, it will be one of the best decisions you’ll make this year. 

1. Step out of firefighting mode and into future-planning mode. 

The Conference gives you a rare moment to look ahead at what’s coming, not just what’s urgently landing in your inbox. With trends expert William Higham breaking down the next 3–5 years for event suppliers, you get the clarity you need to plan confidently as well as the time to debate the impact with your peers and colleagues.

2. Be in a room full of people who genuinely ‘get’ your world. 

No explaining why a 20-minute rigging delay wrecks an entire build schedule. No blank stares when you talk compliance deadlines. Just people who deal with the exact same pressures every week. Plus the Solutions Room I will be chairing makes these conversations natural and actually helpful – as we will utilise the latest in industry insights from our recent members survey to help the conversations get started. 

3. Walk away with a clearer roadmap for compliance and standards. 

From health and safety obligations to sustainability expectations and accreditation requirements, things are shifting fast. The Conference breaks it down simply, cutting through the noise so you can keep your business aligned without the guesswork. 

4. Learn how to use AI without drowning in tech jargon. 

 AI stopped long ago just being a buzzword for businesses, it’s reshaping how supplier teams work. The AI keynote from Katie King, plus the dedicated AI User Panel, will highlight exactly how to use it for scheduling, admin reduction, data insights, training support and efficiency gains. No fluff, just practical examples you can roll out immediately when you get back to the office. 

5. Get practical solutions to real operational headaches. 

The conference agenda tackles issues supplier teams face daily: capacity challenges, cost pressures, tightening organiser demands and the need to scale safely. Whether it’s workforce development, leadership resilience, or new ways to streamline processes, you’ll take home ideas that can help reduce these pain points. 

6. Build your network naturally - no awkward intros required. 

Conferences can feel forced, but ESSA’s is different. It’s relaxed and filled with people who share the same operational realities. Connect with peers genuinely, and more importantly authentically – away from the day-to-day client pressures. By the time you head into the Awards, you’ll already have new contacts and maybe even future collaborators-in-crime. 

7. One journey. One day. Double the value. 

You’re already heading out for the Awards. Adding the Conference means you get high-impact professional development, peer learning and future insight BEFORE the celebration begins. Same travel. Same logistics. Twice the return. 

And the truth is… 

Supplier teams carry an enormous amount of responsibility - compliance, safety, delivery quality, sustainability, staffing, and everything in between. Investing one day in sharpening your thinking, reducing future admin and strengthening your internal processes isn’t a luxury, it’s exactly what keeps operations strong. 

If the Awards are in the diary, make the most of the whole experience. Join us for the ESSA Conference first, get fresh perspectives and head into the evening feeling informed and energised.