Dubai Expo 2020 inches closure: Takeaways for SMEs and businesses

They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. The ancient Chinese saying perfectly describes the essence of the upcoming conclusion of the world’s greatest show – Dubai Expo 2020. In the period of the last few months, the Expo has proved to be that one step which holds the potential to shape the future of humanity as a whole.

From a platform for innovative ideas to be showcased to a common venue for people from various cultures to mingle, the Expo has brought with it a number of lessons for the world that we discussed in our previous blog.

In this blog, we ponder over the valuable takeaways that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) or even larger businesses in the UAE or around the world can benefit from. These five lessons from this big event can go a long way towards serving as a guiding light for SMEs and businesses in the time to come.

1. Making diversity part of your business ethics can have lasting results

As we mentioned in our previous blog, the Dubai Expo 2020 served as an exemplary event that personified diversity. This is a subtle indication that if you, as an SME or a business, embrace diversity as your value and integrate it into every fabric of your operations, you stand a chance to benefit not only in brand building and boosting your brand image, but also in revenue and profits.

2. Technology and digital media are the future

COVID-19 was considered a deterrent to the Dubai Expo 2020. Yes, it did affect the hosting dates, but that was pretty much it. Dubai’s resilience and forward-thinking attitude turned the event into a grand showcase of technology and digital innovations, making it unlike any other World Expo in history. In its report titled “Expo 2020 Dubai” Deloitte states, “For Dubai and the UAE, two core aspects of Expo are profoundly impacting the technology landscape of the Emirate and will form an integral part of the Expo legacy in the country and for Dubai: the build-up of a vibrant tech start-up ecosystem, enabling its ambition to become the smartest city on earth.”

3. Uniqueness makes a difference

For a long time now, the world has seen sustainability and pro-environment policies and ideologies as just another corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity for big companies. The Dubai Expo 2020 demonstrated that sustainable business practises in conducting business, especially on an international stage, are not just important, they are the only way. A positive environmental impact, thus, should be on your agenda as an SME or a large business if it is not already.

4. Sustainable practices are more than just a CSR activity

Dubai Expo 2020’s successful past six months is an example of what good and innovative governance can do. An event that was considered to be a difficult one to host because the dates coincided with a global pandemic turned out to be the world’s greatest show – thanks to the leaders and their foresightedness. The Expo is a lesson in making governments more effective, efficient, and better at delivering for their people. Also, a lesson for businesses to consider growing markets backed by visionary governments.

5. Innovative governments lead to empowered business landscapes

The UAE became the first Middle Eastern country to host a World Expo. Successfully hosting an event while the world battled a pandemic, bringing the entire world to a common platform, all of this was achieved by the UAE with the right focus. This is an example of what all can be achieved if your focus is right – the last but the most valuable lesson for SMEs and businesses, without a second thought.

Did you, as an SME, benefit from the Dubai Expo 2020 in any other way? Share your experience with us.