The meetings and events industry has always been rooted in human connection. But in 2025, as we witness the rise of AI and an increasingly digital world, this human connection, which we all deeply value, is slowly fading away.
According to Cvent’s 2025 event trends report, one standout prediction is the rise of Return on Relationships (ROR)as a critical measure for event ROI. If your organisation is serious about boosting engagement, loyalty, and brand trust, now is the time to lean into meaningful experiences that spark real relationships and connections.
The Changing Face of Employee Engagement What is Return on Relationships (ROR)
ROR is all about measuring the value of the connections you build through events—whether that’s between attendees and your brand, or between colleagues, partners, and stakeholders (source).
It’s no longer just about ticket sales or attendance figures. ROR looks deeper:
- Are your attendees truly engaged?
- Are they becoming loyal advocates?
- Are you building stronger, longer-lasting relationships as a result of your events?
77% of people trust brands more after face-to-face interactions (source). That means events aren’t just a marketing tool, they’re a relationship accelerator.
Why CTW Events is the Perfect ROR Partner
At CTW Events, we’ve always believed in the power of purposeful connection. Our high-energy team-building eventsare more than just fun (though they’re definitely that too) they’re designed to boost interaction engagement, trust, morale, and loyalty through shared experience and social impact.
Here’s how we help you measure and grow ROR:
1. Purpose-Driven Events That Build Bonds
We fuse team-building with real-world purpose – When teams come together for a cause, they connect on a whole new level. Our events are customized to be remote or in-person.
Our remote hygiene kit build events for example, are composed of basic hygiene resources that aim to support communities in need. To date, 301,000 event volunteers have supported to put together an enormous 6 million hygiene kits which have been distributed to communities in need; supporting over 1,000 charities.
Andy Jassy
President & CEO, Amazon
Being involved in my community has been one of the most rewarding elements of my life the last 15 years. Was great to be with teammates last week to participate in our Global Month of Volunteering, an initiative we started last year where Amazonians across the world come together throughout the month to get involved in their communities and connect with teammates. Our event with Clean the World Global built +90k hygiene kits that will be donated to organizations who support disaster relief efforts around the world. Giving back is an important part of our culture and an example of how Amazon uses its scale for good. Thank you to all the Amazonians showing up for their communities this month.”
2. High Engagement, High Impact
Our events are tailored to your people and culture. From interactive challenges to meaningful conversations, we create moments that stick, before, during, and after the event. This creates opportunities to track and increase engagement scores across the board.
3. Scalable for All Sizes and Locations
Whether it’s a small leadership retreat or a global company-wide initiative, our events can be scaled up or down. And we work hand-in-hand with venues, hotels, and suppliers—strengthening those critical industry relationships too.
In December 2024, Volvo and Save the Children sponsored a back-to-school event in Amsterdam, Europe. Where a team of volunteers from across Amsterdam came together to make up 2,100 school backpacks which were to be distributed to school children in Romania.
Read the full article here.
Rebuilding Relationships in a Fast-Changing Industry
As Cvent notes, rebuilding relationships—with attendees, partners, and industry professionals—is a top priority for planners in 2025. With many new faces entering the industry and digital fatigue still lingering, human-first events are more vital than ever.
CTW Events bridges that gap, not just between screens and reality, but between people, purpose, and progress.
Final Thought
2025 is the year AI, as well as the year humans social connection is more so than ever so truly valued. Authenticity, trust, relationships are key aspects which are becoming all to rare in todays world.
We don’t just create events. We create connection.
Ready to elevate your ROR?
Let’s chat about how CTW Events can help your organization spark real relationships that drive real results.