Tag: COVID-19

The insurance industry is still in its infancy when it comes to most environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns. While there’s much work to be done, I believe the two are a marriage made to last for insurance to meet its mandate to make a meaningful contribution in people’s lives.

On 1 January 2021 trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) started. The AfCFTA, with its 35 signatories, is an instrument that legitimises the creation of a single continental market for goods and services.

It's the year 2022 in the eighth month, and the country has emerged out of lockdown as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Petrol prices have skyrocketed to unprecedented highs, load shedding intensified and interest rates are sitting at 5.5% - the highest since 2016.

As countries realise that inflation is linked to the shortfalls of globalisation, the world may see more 'slowbalisation' and 'sticky inflation'. Slowbalisation occurs when countries start diversifying their supply from single to multiple trading partners, and local manufacturers.

There is so much uncertainty in the world today – from the two-year-long fight against the pandemic and consumers’ battle against war-induced fuel hikes, to investors trying to interpret global recession concerns or South Africans’ struggle with Eskom.

As Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) increasingly migrate to digital channels, fraudsters have taken advantage of the opportunity to revive the old Advanced Fee Fraud (419 scam), duping businesses to make upfront payments for good and services, without the intention to deliver, or pay sums of monies, in advance, to facilitate the payment of loans or promised funds. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has opened fault lines between nations which will affect trade relations and investment for years to come. The war in Ukraine is already having a significant effect on inflation and activity in the world economy as commodity prices have soared and supply chains have been disrupted.

Having reached the halfway mark of 2022, there’s little doubt that travel is rebounding – and quickly. So much so, that airports around the world are reporting delays, queues and flight disruptions as they struggle to hire (and rehire) staff quickly enough to meet the huge surge in demand.

The notion of a polycrisis – various systemic crisis occurring simultaneously and interacting with one another – has been around for a while but has gained renewed traction for obvious reasons.

In 2021 alone, The Great Resignation saw 47 percent of high-performing employees leave companies to join another - for better perks, for greater resonance with their values or for more flexible, remote working - or to seek the fertile, fast-growing pastures of digital nomadism. And in terms of those who stayed?