Bizcommunity (www.Bizcommunity.com) is the daily 'virtual commute' that brings you closer to 19 industry communities.

The massive interest in Covid-19 related articles has contributed to a 28% increase in our global page impressions. This is just one of the reasons why continuing to publish on Biz makes sense for companies wishing to stay top-of-mind. As all stakeholders in the world economy unite to rebuild, and in many cases repurpose, economic models, we invite you to stay connected and share your business-to-business journeys with 19 industry communities in Africa!

Ways to stay connected on Biz:

1. Advertising

Keep essential services rolling and scrolling. The right display ad messages get great responses, drive traffic to bespoke landing pages, causes, bookings or orders. We can assist with ad concept and design. Great value at 50% off rate card prices till end lockdown.

2. Issued by

Join over 350 companies publishing regularly on the indispensable daily snapshot of business-to-business from South Africa and Africa. Content from our contributor partners includes links to the profile of the issuing company, blending seamlessly into editorial flow with high visibility and readability. Submissions via a Biz Press Office appear on the homepage of any of our 19 industry portals, while Promoted Content appears as a top story.

3. Virtual events and webinars

Cancelled events that teams and sponsors have put so much work into are disappointing for everyone, not least guests and delegates. But it’s not necessary to let all that equity totally go to waste. Bizcommunity remains the virtual event partner of choice - Our platforms can still provide all the amplification of a real event - invite awards entries, create pre- ’virtual event’ hype, showcase speakers, stakeholders or sponsors, live tweet virtual events as they happen, publish embargoed awards or industry bursaries and offer post- ‘virtual event’ coverage. Benefits can include reduced costs and carbon footprints which can even attract wider audiences from any location.

4. Altruism and doing good

Purpose has been at the heart of a winning brand strategy for some time, but for brand reputations to survive and thrive in a post-pandemic world it is now pretty much non-negotiable. Companies that have risen to recent coronavirus challenges will be able to forge stronger stakeholder, customer and staff relations in the long run. Is your company using slowdowns and lockdowns to redefine and reset future culture and values? This is the raison d’etre of business-to-business publishing – an under-one-roof showcase for policies, initiatives and good intentions, distributed via a Biz Press Office to help maintain moral compasses and position your company proactively in your region.

5. Will the SA healthcare sector take a bow?

As the sector being lauded and applauded globally for proficiency, selflessness and courage at Covid-19 frontlines, it’s time for the real SA healthcare industry to please come out. Vital updates from local virologists, immunologists, healthcare providers, medical manufacturers and laboratories are eagerly awaited as is information about supply chains, medical procedures, claims and spokespersons.

6. Manufacturing matters

As tourism and hospitality revenue streams dry up, the long-overlooked manufacturing sector should offer a lifeline for employment and youth employment. Globally, manufacturing companies have been seen to be repurposing production lines for urgently needed essentials such as masks, sanitisers and ventilators and some local companies such as apparel and 3D printers with capacity are following suit. Recent research (https://bit.ly/2yY1O7L) shows increased demand for locally produced goods and foodstuffs. The African Development Bank has identified ‘Industrialise Africa’ (https://bit.ly/2ydlTa2) as one of its High Five Sustainable Development Goals and new demand could also offer opportunities to look beyond our borders at the growth in African trade. The famous Biblical quote from the book of the prophet Isaiah about turning ‘swords to ploughshares’, seems prophetic indeed as the world questions its values. Which existing and future resources and facilities will government, medical, motoring, apparel, agricultural processing and other manufacturing sectors repurpose for better outcomes?

7. Remote recruitment

Favourable exchange rates and a wealth of skill sets in South Africa’s creative, tech and other sectors, make us an ideal remote recruitment destination. Bizcommunity is fertile ground for international gig economy recruiters and companies.

8. Lockdown logistics

Published last week on Biz was the insight: "Without trucks, South Africa stops!" Never has this been truer than now, in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. With the national lockdowns and more and more countries in Africa introducing strict measures, it is the road freight operators (https://bit.ly/3bcmaIS) who will ensure that much-needed products are delivered – on time, to the right people, at the right place. What opportunities do the millions of global locked down consumers provide for e-commerce transactions, air, sea, rail and land freight services, ports and people?

9. Virtual connections and teams

ICT and virtual services, especially those that connect people or businesses, are continuing to prove vital. As home working and isolation measures extend – databases, analysis and tracking apps are proliferating. Companies who have been intending to strengthen digital or e-commerce footprints will likely do so now and we predict that virtual managers, remote team building and coaching will lead to a whole new managerial skill set. An explosion of entertainment and technology enablers such as VR, AR and CGI are likely as every sector from labs to manufacturing, office to the workshop, tradeshow to test kitchen goes virtual. Culturally museums, art galleries, theatre, virtual travel and mass educational platforms offer opportunities. We’d love to hear opinions and predictions from the service- and solution-providers sector.

10. Blue chip, green chip

Green chip stocks are defined as shares in companies whose primary business is beneficial to the environment such as alternative and renewable energy, pollution solutions, etc. An early April headline from Forbes called Covid-19 “the wake-up call the energy sector needed”. Local initiatives such as Wesgro’s GreenCape (https://bit.ly/2ydBciS), Atlantis SEZ (https://bit.ly/2ycu06B) and government greenlights for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) point to opportunities in the sustainable energy sector as possible alternatives to tourism and hospitality sector losses.

Local load-shedding and energy price hikes combined with global scenarios paint a bleak outlook for the energy sector. Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy cites “era-defining events: the Covid-19 pandemic, the resulting global financial contraction, and a collapse in oil prices” as causes behind energy being the worst-performing sector in the S&P index. On the plus side, is the time finally ripe for renewables, which ‘blue chips’ might still be profitable in post-Covid economies? Let us know and watch this space.

Open for business-to-business

Bizcommunity is privileged to share a daily 360° snapshot of the generosity, solidarity, agility and ingenuity of 19 industry sectors. We are here, and invite you to stay connected on the focused platforms for South Africa’s finest minds, entrepreneurs, business strategists and service providers. Our team is fully operational; working remotely to promote company news, virtual events, courses, seminars and activations on the indispensable business-to-business website from South Africa to the world.