At DSU Europe in September 2026, the association heads for Australia, France, the UK, and the US co-hosted a DSA Associations Summit. About 30 association CEOs and board members took part, according to a first-person account by the CEO of Direct Selling Australia, published by Direct Selling News on Sep 18, 2026.
The one thing everyone agreed on The room agreed unanimously that the top priority is to promote direct selling together and improve how the public sees the channel. Asked about long-term threats, attendees named AI and technology, regulation, the gig economy, generational change, appeal to Gen Z, public trust, negative media, misleading claims, and the lack of one consistent story about direct selling around the world.
The other themes
- Member value: proactive PR and reputation work, measuring what advocacy achieves, and sharing programs that worked in one market so others can copy them.
- Advocacy: building relationships with governments before a bill appears, and keeping evidence on jobs and economic contribution ready to use.
- Seller credentials: education, training, certification, and recognized industry credentials for professional sellers.
- Revenue beyond dues: training, certification, sponsorship, and services for companies entering new markets.
- A possible verified badge for market partners, so a customer can tell the person selling to them has met recognized industry standards.
What it means for party plan These are ideas, and each association decides for its own market. If credentials or a verified badge catch on, hosts and customers may start to expect them. It is worth knowing what your consultant training covers today and whether you could show proof of it. The same goes for how your field talks about income; our field social earnings claims checklist is a good place to start.
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