THE DIRECTORS’ CENTRE LTD COVID POLICY
This COVID policy has been created to ensure the safety of our staff and customers at meetings and events. We can’t wait to see you in person, let’s all stay safe!
‘Event’ refers to meeting, conference, workshop or gathering of our team and our customers.
‘Attendee’ refers to our team and our customers.
This policy covers The Directors’ Centre (DC), GYDA Initiative, GYDA Member Hub and Robert Craven, plus our consultants.
LATERAL FLOW TESTING
We require every attendee to complete our COVID form and a lateral flow test in the 24 hours prior to the event. Proof of the negative test should be registered here.
Should the result be positive, the attendee should advise our team and follow the government guidance on self-isolation, which can be found here.
COVID-19 SYMPTOMS AND SELF-ISOLATION
Before the Event:
Any attendee with a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste should self-isolate and take a PCR test. They must also self-isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19, live with someone who has tested positive (unless full vaccinated or exempt) or have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.
Attendees should advise DC staff as soon as possible if they are self-isolating and are no longer able to attend the event by emailing rc@gydainitiative.com
If a key member of staff is self-isolating and unable to attend, the event may be run virtually or postponed if deemed necessary. We will do our very best to continue with the event, but the safety of attendees is paramount.
After the Event:
Following the event, if any attendees get COVID symptoms and/or a positive test within 48 hours of attending, they should email rc@gydainitiative.com. The DC team will advise all other attendees that there has been exposure, with strict confidentiality of the discloser.
Click for further guidance on symptoms and self-isolation.
CLEANING AND VENTILATION
Prior to any event hosted by the Directors’ Centre, our team will ensure that the event space has been adequately cleaned by the venue and that the meeting spaces are well ventilated.
Ongoing cleaning throughout the day will be completed by the venue. Adequate hand washing facilities and hand sanitiser will be available.
If any attendee wishes to see the venue’s COVID policy, please email rc@gydainitiative.com and we will provide the policy within 24 hours.
RISK ASSESSMENT
For any event over five people, the DC team (or venue team) will complete a risk assessment in the 24 hours prior to the event starting. This will ensure that we are aware of any COVID risks associated with the event.
Should the risk to attendees be too great, the event will be run virtually and not in person or as a very last resort, postponed. The DC team will contact each attendee by phone no later than one hour prior to the event to advise if this is the case.
REF: Risk assessment form.
TRACK AND TRACE
The DC team will ensure that they have the contact details of all attendees, should they be needed for track and trace.
Event attendees should follow self-isolation guidelines if they are contacted by test and trace and should advise the DC team at the earliest opportunity if they are no longer able to attend.
FACE COVERINGS AND PPE
Face coverings are no longer legally required and are not mandatory at our events. We encourage our event attendees to wear a face covering in crowded or enclosed settings. Our attendees are welcome to wear a face covering or use PPE if they so wish.
LOCKDOWN OR EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Should the UK go into a national or regional lockdown, or travel restrictions are implemented that affect the event being run in person, we will endeavour to run the event virtually. We will advise attendees as soon as possible if this is the case, aiming for a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.
There may be external circumstances which affect the event that are beyond our control, these could include but are not limited to: meeting space closure, travel restrictions, illness of facilitators or key staff.
For event changes more than 48 hours from the start time, attendees will be advised by email. For changes less than 48 hours we will email, with a follow up phone call if no response is received.
The DC team will review all current UK rules and restrictions for COVID when new advice is published on the .gov website and we will adapt this policy accordingly. Reviews of attendee numbers, PPE requirements and event location policies will be completed at least 48 hours before each meeting.
POSTPONEMENT OR CANCELLATION
If a face-to-face event cannot take place, we will endeavour to run it virtually. If this is not possible, we will postpone and reschedule.
For Digital Agency Mastermind events or any other program, we will ensure that members receive the set number of agreed events per year.
For one-off events, we will do our utmost to reschedule and all existing tickets will be moved to the new date. If the event has to be cancelled, we will refund the full ticket price.