Recommendations for inclusive virtual meetings

The Global Resilience Partnership conducted a survey of 88 stakeholders to identify barriers to virtual engagement for grassroots and community-based organisations (CBOs). The findings highlight four primary challenges: lack of access to stable internet and hardware, platform unfamiliarity, language and time zone barriers, and inequitable power dynamics in agenda-setting. To address these, the report recommends financing data and equipment, using consistent platforms like Zoom, offering staggered meeting times, and co-creating agendas with local partners. It also identifies key best practices for successful engagement, including timely preparatory materials, inclusive agendas, and interactive formats.

• The primary barriers to virtual engagement for partners in the Global South are lack of stable internet connectivity and a lack of physical hardware such as laptops and smartphones.
• While various platforms are used, Zoom, Skype, GoToMeeting, and Microsoft Teams are the most familiar and easy to use. The report suggests that consistent use of a single platform is more important than the specific software chosen to avoid user frustration.
• Virtual meetings often exclude non-English speakers and those in different time zones because they are typically hosted in English, follow Europe-centric time zones, and adhere to Northern seasonal schedules.
• There is a lack of equity in virtual engagement power dynamics, as agendas are frequently set by formal organisations based in the Global North rather than the grassroots organisations they engage.
• Successful virtual engagements depend on three main pillars: thorough preparation and follow-up, the co-creation of inclusive agendas with diverse stakeholders, and the use of interactive formats.

APA

Global Resilience Partnership (n.d.). Recommendations for inclusive virtual meetings. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/key-recommendations-from-survey-monkey-_-final-1.pdf

Chicago

Global Resilience Partnership. Recommendations for inclusive virtual meetings. n.d. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/key-recommendations-from-survey-monkey-_-final-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Resilience Partnership |title=Recommendations for inclusive virtual meetings |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/key-recommendations-from-survey-monkey-_-final-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalresiliencepartnershipndrecommendations, author = {{Global Resilience Partnership}}, title = {{Recommendations for inclusive virtual meetings}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/key-recommendations-from-survey-monkey-_-final-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }