Thematic analysis and practical advice

In focus

  1. Social Protection Monitor on COVID-19
  2. COVID-19 Enterprises Resources
  3. COVID-19 and employment policies
  4. COVID-19 and Social Dialogue
  5. COVID-19 and International Labour Standards
  1. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS FOR SME SUCCESS. What EBMOs should know to promote more competitive enterprises.

    25 November 2021

    The Covid-19 crisis revealed that many SMEs were not prepared to deal with such a crisis. The key to resilience will be to understand the main internal characteristics of successful SMEs and also to look at the external success factors associated with the global business environment in order to design and implement public policy aimed at promoting the creation of business development services or public policies in favour of SME development. With this research, the ILO Bureau for Employers' Activities aims to contribute to this reflection.

  2. Construction: Building blocks to recovery after crisis

    28 January 2021

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the construction sector, which is sensitive to economic cycles. Yet, construction holds much potential to stimulate recovery, thanks to its potential to create jobs. Recovery measures can support the sector’s transformation towards sustainability and digitalization.

  3. How Sustainable Enterprises can be part of the Post COVID-19 Response

    19 November 2020

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound and devastating impact on micro, small, and medium enterprises. To re-build economies that are more resilient and create productive, decent employment, policymakers will have to put in place reforms that are especially conducive for MSMEs.

  4. Conducting Covid-19 impact assessment Surveys: Guidelines and template

    30 September 2020

    Guidelines and survey template developed to assess impact of Covid-19 on enterprises and their need for assistance. The template can help enterprises and public institutions like SME agencies, business support organizations and NGOs to develop their own questionnaires.

  5. Answering key questions around informality in micro and small enterprises during the COVID-19 crisis

    14 September 2020

  6. ILO COVID-19 prevention checklist to protect workers in small businesses

    09 September 2020

    The ILO has devised a checklist so that Small and Medium Enterprises can assess their COVID-19 risks and put in place measures to protect the safety and health of their workers.

  7. Enabling Environment for Sustainable Enterprises and the Post- COVID-19 Rapid Response

    07 July 2020

    The brief provides guidance to policymakers on how to address reform priorities in the medium- to long-term and reconfigure their policy settings toward a more resilient and robust economy driven by sustainable micro, small and medium enterprises and more productive and decent employment.

  8. The role of Cooperatives and SSE in the COVID-19 response

    03 July 2020

    Cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy (SSE) enterprises around the world are being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In responding to this crisis, they have provided essential assistance to their members, adapted their services, connecting people in need of support with local governments and social partners.

  9. Message from ILO's Director-General Guy Ryder for International MSME Day 2020

    26 June 2020

    The 2020 International Day of Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) was celebrated on Saturday 27 June. This year, the theme was "COVID-19: The Great Lockdown and its impact on Small Business" which is closely linked to SDG8. On this occasion ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, issued a short video message.

  10. The effects of COVID‑19 on trade and global supply chains

    03 June 2020

    The purpose of this brief is to provide an analysis of the near-term effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic on enterprises and workers engaged in trade and GSC-related activities and to explore the medium and long-term implications of the pandemic on supply-chain sustainability and implications for the world of work.

  11. Five things SMEs need to survive COVID-19

    03 April 2020

    The COVID-19 outbreak has hit Small and Medium Enterprises and their workers hard. So what do SMEs need and what has worked in previous calamities to help them survive? Here are our top five policy options.