11 September 2020, London: The GSMA has been organising the industry’s premier mobile events since 2006. During that time, we’ve responded to various emergent situations and are now closely monitoring the changing global circumstances around Covid-19. The GSMA’s approach is safety first, and we are working to ensure that MWC21 proceeds in the safest way for all participants.
As always, health and safety are a paramount consideration, and we are working closely with Fira Barcelona and the Host City Parties in Spain to ensure we incorporate all guidance and provide the best level of protection possible at the event. Whilst many safety standards will be mandated; our approach is to meet and then surpass those standards where possible. Our planning principles include;
- Collaboration: Our dialogue with key partners and exhibitors is in full force to ensure a safe build-up and operation of MWC incorporating all emerging guidance
- Partnership: The GSMA works directly with the Spanish and Catalan governments, the Host City Parties and Fira de Barcelona to ensure a safe and healthy experience for all involved in the event. This partnership will build on the Protocol on Safety and Prevention against COVID-19 currently being implemented by Fira de Barcelona
- Expert advice and health and safety measures: We are defining strict standards and best practice with direction from health authorities around the world including, the WHO, scientific research, health and safety experts and Spanish and Catalan health authorities
Updates on our enhanced health and safety measures and our ‘touchless’ environment will be available in the coming weeks. Some of the health & safety measures and protocols exhibitors and attendees will be obliged to follow include;
- Social distancing and traffic flows
- We will optimise the exhibition layout to improve flow and support social distancing through real-time data sharing and analysis
- The venue will be set up to ensure the 1.5m distance guidelines are met
- All spaces will be designed to ensure a crowd density of no less than 2.5m2 per person can be maintained
- Exhibitors will be required to adhere to strict stand capacity and flow requirements as well as stand design adjustments
- Personal protective equipment
- Protective face masks will be mandatory
- Hygiene
- The environment will minimise touch, with entry, information points and registration all becoming touchless
- Hand sanitiser will be widely available throughout the venue and required at each Exhibitor stand
- There will be enhanced cleaning measures throughout the venue, with particular attention paid to high contact surfaces
- Exhibitors will be obliged to conduct frequent cleaning and disinfection of their stands
- Where the handling of products or other materials is necessary, it will be essential for items and hands to be sanitised before and after use with an approved hydro-alcoholic sanitising solution
- Specific cleaning and sterilisation regimes will be in place for any audio-visual equipment
- Training
- Exhibitors must ensure that all staff and contractors have received, as a minimum, training in the health and safety guidelines and rules provided
The GSMA will abide by every step outlined in our health and safety guidelines and will enforce compliance throughout the event to ensure that exhibitors and attendees also comply.
For further questions, please feel free to reach out to: pressoffice@gsma.com