Entering the “No-manel Zone” – Commit your Conference, Event and/or Venue to Diversity and Inclusion On-Stage
“Manel” is industry jargon for a panel of featured speakers at a conference or event consisting entirely of men.
Creating a “No-manel Zone” at your event means you commit to not fielding any manels (a panel or a group of three or more speakers, with or without a moderator, entirely of men.)
Diverse panels are only part of the equation – conferences also need to consider:
- The diversity among their keynotes, featured speakers and MCs
- How they promote their speakers
- The diversity of participation during roundtables, pitches, hack-a-thons and other event segments.
The “No-manel Zone” campaign urges conferences, event organizers and venues to create policies, procedures, guidelines and/or recommendations to support inclusion, diversity and gender-balance with regard to speakers and presenters.
The No-manel Zone campaign also asks other speakers, panelists and presenters to “speak up” when diversity and gender-balance is lacking. By working with other speakers, event organizers can usually fix a manel to present a more diverse perspective or by changing the parameters of the panel.
Public speaking is an important path to:
- thought leadership, expert status, credibility
- career growth, better pay, new jobs and even board seats
- Business success, funding, connections to potential customers and partners
Participation on panels is an important part of building a foundation of experience for tomorrow’s keynoters as well.
Declare your event a “No-manel Zone”. Sign up today and receive your “No-manel Zone” kit, including a “No-manel Zone” badge, diverse and inclusive events guidelines, sample codes of conduct and more.
We’ll include you, and a link to your organization, on our list of No-manel Zones
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