I wanted to dedicate this latest blog to an important change for 2017.</p> This year, we’re implementing a change of policy concerning badging. Sibos attendees will no longer have a photograph displayed on their Sibos badge, and so will now also be required to show a government-issued photo ID upon arrival at the MTCC. </p> I would like to ask you all to make a note of this change, and please do also speak with colleagues and friends who are attending to help reinforce this message. The official IDs that will be accepted are a passport, a driver’s license or a national identity card.</p> Please make sure that you bring your photo ID with you each day at Sibos, as if you don’t have an appropriate ID to accompany your Sibos badge you will not be granted access.</p> Keeping Sibos safe</h3> The first and foremost priority for the team and I is to create an environment that is safe for the Sibos community.</p> Safety needs to be understood on different levels: physical security, cybersecurity and also the knowledge that people have been screened and checked before they enter, making it safe to talk to each other and exchange information and ideas on sensitive topics.</p> We evaluate our security measures on an annual basis. This allows for continuous enhancement and takes into consideration the different environment and specifications of each host venue.</p> An outcome of this year’s evaluation was a decision to further strengthen the system that we had in place for identity checks. We agreed that the previous policy of checking a picture on the badge isn’t robust enough in today’s environment. Pictures on a badge can be deliberately damaged or defaced.</p> To ensure that only eligible delegates access Sibos, we have decided to implement a system where badge scanning is teamed with a valid photo ID check to make sure that they match up.</p> The risks that we are seeking to mitigate are clear. </p> We want to avoid having people inside the venue whose aim is to disrupt the event for others. We want to avoid admitting people digging for sensitive information that they aren’t entitled to. And we want to avoid having people who simply should not be there, for example people who may have found a lost badge.</p> So to help streamline security checks and ensure a smooth Sibos, please do remember to keep your badge on, and visible, at all times and always carry your photo ID.</p> Your support for this initiative is crucial. Thanks in advance for your cooperation, and I look forward to welcoming you at the MTCC in October</a>. </p>