Aim higher – for when only quality will do

Benchmarking and quality assurance standards are important considerations for anyone involved in the procurement process, whether it is purchasing real estate or even organising the staff Christmas party.

Nowhere is this truer than in the public sector. After all, you wouldn’t purchase new office space without having it surveyed, would you? Procuring for meetings, conferences and events is no different.
    
With the current UK venue and hotel offering so extensively populated, meetings organisers, bookers and buyers need assurance that any potential venue or supplier is fit for purpose. Essentially, a safe option for their delegates, guaranteeing return on investment; crucial in a climate of stringent budgets and increased transparency.

Meetings Industry Association
Introduced by the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) in 2007, Accredited in Meetings (AIM) is the UK’s only nationally recognised quality standard for venues and suppliers to the meetings and events sector.

It immediately highlights to professional conference organisers and event planners a venue’s compliance to industry standards. This includes codes of practice, legalities and ethical business operations, in addition to competence, quality of facilities and overall fitness for purpose.
    
There’s a great deal to consider when securing meetings, events and accommodation spaces and there is a risk that the process can become fragmented. Working with an AIM venue avoids this, giving peace-of-mind to buyers of meetings and conferences through many different avebues.
    
Firstly an AIM venue provides accountability, an ethical CODE of conduct means venues committed to ethical business dealings. Additionally, it provides assurance of legal compliance, especially in health and safety, and a consistent provision of fit-for-purpose facilities.
    
Furthermore, AIM ensures that quality products result in satisfied organisers and delegates, and incorporates a robust complaints procedure to support meetings and events buyers.

Gary Payne, the recently appointed chair of the AIM Development Group, highlighted its importance to public sector procurement.
    
He said: “Risk management and return on investment are high on the agenda for government institutions and associated services. Placing business with AIM accredited industry suppliers means dealing with organisations they can instantly trust, with proven and effective management of their business from enquiry to completion.”
    
A recognised accreditation, such as AIM, is a strong indicator of a venue where organisers can expect unrivalled levels of service and facilities when booking their event.

Meeting the highest standards
To attain an AIM accreditation, venues have to undergo a rigorous inspection and examination of their whole site. Inspectors will take into account everything from accessibility, legal compliance and quality of event facilities right through to ethical codes of conduct and standardisation of best practice.
    
The assessment involves 50 stringent grading criteria and includes: the location and accessibility of the meeting rooms and facilities; the suitability of the lighting and heating in meeting rooms; the levels of security; how often the rooms are cleaned and decorated; whether the space and furniture are adequate and suitable; the provision of in-room services such as power sockets; what is supplied at no extra charge and how transparent the published prices are.  
  
Compliance with ten separate legal acts are also required by prospective venues in order to become accredited.

This includes Health & Safety at Work and Fire Safety; Disability Discrimination; Employers Liability; Data Protection; Sale & Supply of Goods; Trade Descriptions; Consumer Protection; Weights & Measures; Race Relations, Sex Discrimination, Disability Discrimination and Age Discrimination; and Licensing Laws.

Evolving and improving
To date there are over 500 accredited venues and suppliers across the UK adhering to a tiered system which encourages venues to continually improve, under the AIM Higher scheme.
    
Separate from the entry-level status, AIM Higher comprises of AIM Silver and AIM Gold, applicants to these two accreditations are subject to a higher degree of scrutiny against a much tougher set of criteria.
    
Venues that have been awarded AIM Higher have completed a much more rigorous process, covering 50 pieces of criteria, a ten-section self-assessment, produced a portfolio of evidence in support of their application and have been visited by an independent assessor who determines whether the venue is worthy of the accreditation and, if so, whether either of the higher standards should be awarded.
    
AIM Silver or Gold offers the highest level of credence to support a venue’s claims about its facilities, as assessed by industry experts. Any venue that achieves this standard must be re-assessed every three years, this is to encourage continual improvement and is key to the AIM message of maintaining high standards in the meetings and events industry.

Prospective buyers and bookers
AIM is fast becoming a recognised benchmark across both the public and private sector, ensuring quality and excellence across the board; combining the exceptional service and facilities that all buyers should expect when choosing a venue.
    
The advantages of hiring an AIM accredited venues are tenfold to the book. It ensures business with venues that care and have integrity, as well as events and meetings where delegates are well looked after as commitment to service excellence is paramount.
    
Additionally, AIM accredited venues ensure hosting an event where the facilities and event spaces are fit for purpose and of high quality standards, and accountability through an ethical code of conduct. AIM accreditation assures clients know every element of the venue’s costs in advance, and establishes industry-approved contracts and terms and conditions.
    
Doing business with credible, legally compliant venues is of prime importance and the accreditation makes sure that there is a standardisation of best practice, that all procurement boxes ticked, and that a stress free venue selection is on offer.

AIM’s summer hot venue spots
AIM offers a selection of hand-picked, chosen locations that are recommended for summer conferences and events. The selected best are listed below.

The Grand Brighton
Situated on Brighton’s famous seafront, The Grand Brighton is a luxury Victorian hotel, designed and built in 1864. The historic hotel is only a 10 minute walk from Brighton rail station, with services running into London Victoria in 55 minutes and Gatwick Airport in just 30 minutes.
    
With 13 recently refurbished meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 900 delegates, as well as award-winning catering, state of the art AV technology and luxury bedrooms, The Grand Brighton is an ideal location for both large scale exclusive events, as well as smaller more intimate meetings.

The Brewery
The Brewery has announced its summer events package for 2015, with the return of its secret summer garden.
    
Offering a secluded events space in the heart of the City of London, this year’s idyllic secret garden has been expanded from one to two structures, increasing outdoor capacity to 800 people. It is set to be an even bigger hit with city dwellers this year.
    
Priced from £80 per person, all inclusive packages include full event management support, gourmet street food, cocktails and Pimms on arrival, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks as well as access to an after party inside The Brewery.

Center Parcs
Center Parcs has first class meetings and events facilities across all its sites – Longleat Forest, Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest and the recently opened Woburn Forest. Each site has The Venue, a dedicated and purpose built conference and event facility which can accommodate up to 600 delegates. For smaller meetings, the Villages also have boardrooms set in the same woodland setting as The Venue.

These are suitable for AGM’s, strategic away days and add an extra element of quality for VIP delegates or guests.
    
Center Parcs specifically tailors its rates for a variety of delegates, and offers both a day delegate rate – including meeting room hire for the day, lunch, access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise – and a 24 hour rate which adds overnight accommodation, a three course dinner and cycle hire.
    
Center Parcs offers distinctive expertise in conferences and events, presenting solutions for everything from intimate board meetings to large conferences and team building activity days. In fact, Center Parcs is now widely known for its teambuilding options which large number of delegates book as an add on to their meeting, capitalising on its outdoor setting and refreshing environment.

One Great George Street
One Great George Street is a premier conference, events and meeting venue in central London  close to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and opposite the Treasury Building. Set in a magnificent Grade II listed, four-domed, Edwardian building the venue is home to the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).’ It was constructed in 1910 and became an established events venue in 1987.
    
There are 21 function rooms which offer flexible space for a wide range of events. The stunning Great Hall with marbled columned walls, ornate gold lead and embellished ceiling, can hold up to 400 guests for a reception and 240 people for an awards dinner. There are two lecture theatres, each with tiered seating and capacities of 106 and 204; both are fully equipped with state-of-the-art audio visual technology. In addition to these larger rooms there is also space for more intimate meetings or private dinning events for 18 to 22 people.
    
Well-earned reputation
The venue has built a well-earned reputation for providing flawless service in impeccable surroundings. The renowned in-house executive chef, kitchen and catering team have the experience and knowledge to work with you on your specific requirements to produce a bespoke menu for the perfect event. Expertly-trained sommeliers are on hand to suggest suitable wines to complement each dish.
    
The venue has an in-house audio visual team from Eclipse Presentations who are permanently on hand to provide all stage and technical production services. Sustainability and accessibility are extremely important to One Great George Street. The team are always looking at ways to improve and enhance the venue in order to make sure the highest standards are met.

Further information
www.aimaccredited.co.uk/venuedirectory