During this unprecedented time, our purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future is now more important than ever. From our supply chain, to our factories, retail outlets, and right through to your homes, we’re working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to meet the nutritional needs of your families during this difficult time. We have a duty to ensure that much-needed food, petfood and beverage products are available around the world and in our region.
People are at the heart of our business. Therefore, the health and safety of our employees, business partners and the communities where we live is extremely important for us. In addition to our normal strict hygiene standards, we have put in place additional safety measures and strict protocols in our factories, offices and distribution centers. We also work closely with local authorities, with our supply chain, distribution and retail partners to implement appropriate infection control measures.
We have an essential role to play during the COVID-19 crisis. Food and beverages help keep people healthy and enhance their quality of life. We care about our responsibility to provide good nutrition, especially for the most vulnerable in society – families and children, and those struggling with illness. Our people are fully committed and are working tirelessly to ensure that supply is maintained.
Since the very beginning of this crisis, together with our people, we have driven substantial local relief efforts in the communities where we operate. Building on these efforts, Nestlé globally have joined forces with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to further support those in need during this COVID-19 pandemic.
In the Middle East and North Africa, we are mobilizing relief in several ways around the region, including collaboration with local authorities, donations of much-needed food and beverage products, as well as support for medical institutions, food banks and local organizations.
For more than 150 years, you, our consumers, employees, and business partners have relied on us during the most challenging times. And today, we’re right there with you in fighting this significant global challenge with continued commitment, flexibility, resilience, courage, and a caring heart.
What are you doing to help stop the spread of coronavirus?
People are at the heart of our business. We are working tirelessly to keep our employees, business partners and the communities where we operate healthy and safe during the coronavirus outbreak. We continue to follow the advice of public health organizations and work with authorities in affected countries to reduce the risk of infection.
Our actions include:
- We were amongst the first to ask our employees worldwide not to travel internationally for business purposes. Employees should replace domestic travel with alternatives wherever possible. These arrangements remain under review as the situation develops.
- Encouraging office based employees to work from home whenever possible.
- Advising employees on minimizing the risk of infection both at work and at home.
- Requesting that any employees who may be experiencing symptoms inform their line manager and self-quarantine for a 14-day period.
- Putting in place additional safety measures in our factories, offices and distribution centers. This includes social distancing, and regular disinfection of the workplace. Our employees in factories, distribution centers, our merchandisers and office workers are wearing masks to protect themselves and others.
- Working with our supply chain, distribution and retail partners to implement appropriate infection control measures and meet demand for our products.
- Supporting our employees through this challenging period, by providing sick leave with full pay for those who contract the virus and for as long as it is needed as per medical requirements, and by paying employees affected by temporary stoppages in full for a minimum of twelve weeks. Full pay is also guaranteed for quarantined individuals, in the case their job cannot be performed remotely.
What are you doing to support communities in need?
We are committed to playing a key role in the global response to this pandemic.
Our people have led substantial local relief efforts in the communities around the globe where we operate. We are providing support to charities, medical institutions and other organizations in the frontline of the fight against this pandemic. We have also worked very closely with physicians to develop tailored COVID-19 medical nutrition and supplement treatment protocols.
We are donating to local authorities, food banks, and relief organizations, to support people in need. We are providing prompt and pragmatic support to our business partners, for example in our supply chains, who are affected by this crisis. Globally, we have also joined forces with the IFRC to further support those in need during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Our efforts are continuing - and intensifying - around the world.
What are you doing to ensure your products remain available?
We believe that we have a responsibility to provide good nutrition, especially for the most vulnerable in society – children, the elderly and those struggling with illness.
We would like to assure our customers and consumers that we will continue to produce and deliver products to meet global and regional demand – our people are fully committed and are working tirelessly to ensure that supply is maintained.
What measures have you taken for your employees specifically?
We are working very hard to keep them healthy and safe. We have implemented enhanced safety measures and strict protocols at all our sites, with particular focus on our frontline workers in Nestlé factories, quality labs and distribution centers.
We are also offering generous sick leave arrangements for those who contract the virus. All staff affected by temporary stoppages will be paid in full for a minimum of twelve weeks. Full pay is also guaranteed for quarantined individuals, in the case their job cannot be performed remotely.
What does the partnership with the IFRC entail?
Globally, we have joined forces with the IFRC in response to its emergency appeal. As part of the emergency response, the IFRC is providing immediate help to strengthen health care systems, where the need is greatest.