Voting is now open for the M&IT Awards 2026 - and the power to decide the winners is firmly in your hands.

Whether you want to champion a standout supplier or start mobilising support to take home a trophy of your own, now is the moment to get involved.

The M&IT Awards 2026 takes place on Friday 18 September at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, with 19 categories up for grabs. This year also sees the launch of the M&IT Elevate Award, a new category recognising organisations that put people first through meaningful development, wellbeing and inclusive progression.

Now in its 39th year, the M&IT Awards celebrates the people, businesses, creativity and resilience that continue to drive the meetings and events industry forward.

M&IT editor Paul Harvey said: “For almost four decades, the M&IT Awards has been the industry’s most trusted benchmark of excellence.

“What makes these awards truly special is that the winners are chosen by the industry itself. Only UK-based, bona-fide event organisers can vote in the majority of categories, and we are the only independently verified and audited awards programme in the sector. When we say these awards are decided by you, we mean it.

“If you’re an event organiser who has worked with a brilliant supplier over the past year, now is the time to recognise them. And for suppliers, this is your opportunity to mobilise your clients, colleagues and partners. Every vote counts - and every client relationship matters.”

The new M&IT Elevate Award celebrates organisations that invest in their teams for the long term, backing talent through development programmes, wellbeing initiatives and inclusive career pathways.

Mel Noakes, co-founder of Elevate Mentoring, said: “People are the engine of our industry. We’re proud to partner with M&IT to shine a light on businesses that are raising the bar for how talent is nurtured, retained and championed across events.”

Fellow co-founder Max Fellows added: “At Elevate, we see what happens when people are given time, belief and access: confidence grows, careers accelerate, and the whole sector benefits. This award is a platform for the organisations doing that work consistently and credibly, through mentoring, training, flexible pathways, return-to-work support, and initiatives that widen access to opportunity.

“We want this category to set a new benchmark for people-first leadership in events, and to inspire others to follow suit. If your organisation is building that kind of culture, we want to hear your story.”

Of the 19 awards, 15 are voted for by the industry, while four - M&IT Personality of the Year, Chris Peacock Rising Star of the Year, the M&IT Editor’s Award and the M&IT Elevate Award - are judged categories. Full voting rules and category criteria are available online.

The awards are free to enter, with no registration required. Suppliers are encouraged to canvass votes from their UK-based event planner networks and client lists. Guidance is available in M&IT’s How to Get Votes guide.

Cast your votes for the 2026 M&IT Awards now.

Full rules around voting and canvassing are available at www.mitawards.co.uk