To reflect the essential role that the exhibitions and events industry has in helping to protect the health and well-being of our customers and employees, Reed Exhibitions Africa has established a robust programme of measures for Covid-19 safety and compliance.

So says Carol Weaving, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Africa, adding: “While no organisation or industry sector can guarantee complete safety from an ever-changing virus, Reed Exhibitions Africa has already implemented the framework for a consistent and coherent programme of enhanced measures to ensure our shows and events have human health and well-being as our number one priority when next we meet in organised gatherings.”

The enhanced health and well-being protocols include the precautions and preventive measures for organised industry gatherings that will emerge post Covid-19 are encompassed in this five-point plan:

1. Collaboration and engagement with the relevant authorities, eminent subject-matter experts drawn from a multitude of disciplines, global associations and partners is a critical component of our approach.
2. Risk management – Working closely with relevant partners, our operations staff and event teams will conduct dynamic risk assessments leading up to the show to ensure our precautionary and preventative measures meet all requirements proportionate to Covid-19 risks.
3. (Early) planning – collaboration with venue owners, partners and the relevant authorities to deliver a safer and most secure setting and experience for our attendees.
4. Communication –continued communications with all stakeholders and attendees through a variety of channels and platforms to ensure optimal safety of all.
5. Precautionary measures, controls and counter-measures will deliver – as far as reasonably practicable and in line with all best-practise directions – a safe and secure show setting and visitor experience.

Enhanced hygiene controls and proactive medical measures will be implemented to continue to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 and globally accepted thermal screening of every individual entering our premises – work and exhibition – will also reduce the potential for risk.

“We support The SA Events Council #trustus campaign, the aim of which is to dispel the negative messaging around events that will leave a legacy of apprehension and mistrust that could damage our industry even after Covid-19 has been eradicated,” says Weaving.

She notes here that, even as organisations in the exhibitions sector take these and many other precautions, shopping malls with their huge footfall have been granted far more freedom to operate than trade and investments platforms have.
The aim of the #trustus campaign is therefore to rebuild confidence in the professionalism and capabilities of the events industry among exhibitors, visitors and within industry itself.

“Reed Exhibitions Africa and The SA Events Council, along with many other allied organisations have worked hard to ensure the highest standards of safety and will continue to do so even when any threats are reduced.”

For more information of specific requests from Reed Exhibitions, please visit www.reedexpoafrica.co.za