Integrity Poll – What do you think of the shift from physical to virtual events?

COVID-19 has meant that online meetings have become common place. But are they really the same as face-to-face debates or continued conversations over coffee? Meanwhile, as some world leaders have been criticised for gathering physically for the COP-26 summit, international conferences present a further dilemma for climate-conscious consultants. Coming together in one room clearly provides opportunities to network and generate new ways of thinking; however, if we are to be ethical, we must consider the impacts of travel and the large-scale use of resources that entails.

At Integrity, we recognise the value of social interaction and the need to connect. We also truly believe that some work must happen at the ground level if it is to be relevant and sustainable. We are fortunate to have a rich and responsive network of partners and international staff on the ground in the countries in which we work. This enables us to deliver work that is far reaching but always grounded in local understanding and our ability to listen and advise. As we discussed this balancing act amongst ourselves, we wondered what others were thinking about virtual events.

To try to answer this question, we recently asked subscribers to the Integrity newsletter the all-important question:  What do you think of the shift from physical to virtual events?

Of course, this is clearly a fairly unscientific snapshot of one moment in time. But the response was overwhelming, with 87.5% respondents from across Integrity’s network believing that the switch to online events is a good thing.

Inevitably, as pandemic restrictions ease and we adopt more sustainable travel plans, it is possible that the choice will return, and we will be able to make informed decisions about which events we attend in person. For now, however, we continue to look forward to seeing many of you in virtual spaces.