Many of you will recall the article in the May 2024 newsletter which looked at options for the future of the bp society, and thanks to those of you who responded with your support and suggestions by email and phone.
We’re pleased to say that the team working on this has now shared its ideas with the bp society council and the next step is to move forward with the proposals – subject to a short members’ questionnaire on page 4 of the August edition of bps news, which can be filled out on paper or online at surveylegend.com/s/5o4n.
The main themes from the future options work
There was a strong sense of building on the existing successful foundations of the society, the regional and annual events and the newsletter, rather than a wholesale change. Overall, the bp society offer is valued by members.
New offers to members
The bp society offer to members will continue to include regional events as currently run, the summer party, AGM and newsletter. The two new offers to members will be ‘informal gatherings’ and ‘insight events’.
Informal gatherings will be a more spontaneous approach to meeting up and socialising, using the website to announce events and building them from existing informal bp networks that people have developed over time from WhatsApp groups, Facebook and other social media. These events will be focused on meeting and catching up, they will not be subsidised and will be advertised on the bp society website. We are hoping that former bp employees living abroad will also join informal gatherings to keep in touch.
Insight events will be quarterly lectures/seminars/webinars hosted by a distinguished guest who will discuss key topics such as energy markets, geopolitics, artificial intelligence, climate change, bp strategy etc. We intend for two of these events to be face-to-face, ideally at the same time as the summer party and AGM, and for two events to be online webinars. We intend to record the events to be played back via the website in case members are unable to make the dates and times. We are hoping for a combination of distinguished bp and former bp guests, along with other great speakers from outside the company.
Attracting new members
Another important aspect of the work on the future of the society was to develop new ways of attracting new members.
This broadly split into a more formal approach with future retirees from bp getting auto-enrolled into the society. We could then try to extend this to all bp leavers. A more informal approach would be to encourage new members through personal contacts or other bp groups, particularly those on social media.
In addition, it was proposed that new members are encouraged to join by inviting them to subsidised events.
Other proposed changes
Finally, other proposed changes included offering IT training to all members to assist with the website and access to insight event webinars.
One idea also being mooted was to change the current annual subscription and the corporate sponsorship, but the preference was to maintain the current arrangements.
Next steps
- The next step for this work begins with a short questionnaire for members. Please fill this out either online at surveylegend.com/s/5o4n or on page 4 of the August edition of bps news and use the enclosed envelope to return to the society.
- Share the results of the questionnaire with the working team and society council, and finalise proposals for future options.
- The proposals will be shared at the November AGM.
- New events and ways of attracting new members will start in early 2025.