Novozymes’ Response to COVID-19

Novozymes

When the novel coronavirus started spreading globally, Novozymes immediately set out to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with the difficult situation. Ensuring the safety of the company’s workforce was at the forefront of this response strategy and, as an example, Novozymes moved very early to protect its employees by enabling them to work from home. The company also quickly limited business travel and started offering useful tools and resources to help employees deal with the fear and loneliness sparked by the unprecedented situation.

“COVID-19 is an awful experience for everyone, but that said it is also an opportunity to think outside the box and discover how we can work together in new ways – and ultimately better reach societies with the technology they need,” says Jeppe Glahn, Novozymes’ Vice President of Global Communications & Brand.

Already in January, the company activated its Global Crisis Response Team to work dedicatedly with the consequences of the pandemic. As the COVID-19 crisis continued to develop, Novozymes also formed Regional Crisis Response Teams in order to more effectively tackle the effects of the ever-evolving situation.

Under overall guidance from the global team, the Regional Crisis Response Teams handled the pandemic according to local circumstances and dynamics. This decentralized, more hands-off-like approach proved to be highly effective.

Novozymes also worked hard to explore ways to help others, including healthcare workers and communities in need. For example, as many health centers in Denmark faced test plate shortages, Novozymes provided guidance, from its biotech toolbox, to local hospitals on how to adequately wash and reuse test plates for COVID-19 – instead of throwing these away after a single use.

Novozymes is also helping communities through the production of hand sanitizer – which is in short supply in many countries around the world. The company is involved in the production of ethanol, an alcohol key to hand sanitizer, and is helping procure this ingredient for producers.

“As COVID-19 continues to unfold, Novozymes is not focused on implementing necessarily the easiest solutions but, rather, implementing more sustainable change in the organization that we know will not have a long-term negative imprint,” says Jeppe Glahn. “As so many other organizations, we are very likely to move to much more agility, including by working from home. However, we want to do this right and ensure we have thought through how such a fundamental shift affects employees’ well-being, while ensuring that everyone still has a strong feeling of belonging to a very purpose-driven organization.”

To learn more about how Novozymes is responding to the COVID-19 crisis, click here.

Philip Morris International is dedicated to contributing to the fight against COVID-19

Philip Morris International

Philip Morris International (PMI) continues to contribute to the global response to coronavirus with ongoing and planned initiatives in more than 60 countries that include monetary and in-kind donations, as well as volunteer work to support national and local efforts to combat the virus and help those most affected by it.

PMI has supplied protective equipment to trade partners, supported care communities, secured support to purchase items that are essential to the fight against COVID-19, and provided financial support to institutions and NGOs working to end the crisis.  “Our company is resilient and strong, and that is a testament to our more than 73,000 employees worldwide,” said Charles Bendotti, Senior Vice President of People & Culture “I believe we will emerge even stronger from this global crisis, having pulled together and worked together to see each other through.”

Additionally, PMI has established guiding principles that support employees by covering three key areas:

Employment stability:

• The company will not terminate the employment of any PMI employee during this crisis period, unless for cause, and restructuring plans have been put on hold.

Financial stability:

• PMI will continue to provide regular compensation to all PMI employees, regardless of their ability to fully perform their professional duties during this period.

Special recognition awards:

• PMI employees who need to be physically present at their usual work locations (in factories, in warehouses, in the field, or in offices), as permitted by local regulations, will be given special recognition awards during this crisis period. The company will continue taking all necessary safety measures to protect those employees who are working at such locations.

To date, PMI has pledged in excess of USD 24 million to support actions against the pandemic. Its support will continue to grow as  the company works to meet the evolving needs of the communities in which it operates.

Bayer Contributes Medicine, Supplies, Knowledge and Financial Support to the Global Fight against COVID-19

Bayer

The coronavirus presents the world with major challenges. Bayer is active in the areas of health and nutrition and has been working to provide substantial help in overcoming the crisis with their products and expertise.

Bayer has made significant contributions to  the fight against COVID-19 by donating medicines, medical supplies, knowledge and financial aid. “Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary levels of support, and we will deliver,” said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. “You can count on each and every one of us at Bayer. Guided by our purpose – Science for a better life – we will do whatever it takes to help serve the world’s health and nutritional needs both during and after this crisis.”

Bayer is focusing on three areas to assist in during this crisis:

Employees’ health:

• The safety and health of Bayer’s employees is the top priority. As the coronavirus presents a serious risk,  the company has taken the necessary steps to limit its spread.

• Bayer is frequently updating  its employees on the latest developments.  The enterprise has posted advice on what everyone can do to prevent the virus from spreading on their intranet.

• All employees can work from home until further notice, if their duties allow.

• Bayer will assess on a case-by-case basis whether Bayer employed healthcare professionals who wish to volunteer in their communities to help fight the pandemic can temporarily be released from work while the company continues to pay their wages.

Maintaining the supply of their products:

• Bayer is working at full steam to ensure business continuity so that it can provide hospitals, doctors, patients, consumers and farmers with the products they urgently need at this time.

• Bayer has comprehensive emergency response plans prepared for all its sites which will be implemented as necessary to ensure that their facilities continue to operate safely and effectively.

Bayer is providing governments, health authorities and municipalities with urgently needed medicines, medical supplies, expertise and financial assistance:

• Bayer is working with other pharmaceutical companies, institutions and universities to search for a new active substance to treat COVID-19.  Bayer is providing access to its large substance library and conducting screening work to find a potential active ingredient as part of the COVID-19 Therapeutic Accelerator Initiative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is contributing to the search for an active substance to treat COVID-19 as part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI).

• Bayer has made several large donations to hardest hit countries.  Bayer has donated medicines and additional financial aid worth a total of approximately  1.5 million euros to support the population affected by the outbreak of the novel virus in China.  The company has donated 1 million euros to an aid fund in Italy that will be used to buy urgently needed supplies for intensive care units and protective equipment. Additionally, Bayer has donated €800,000 to the national health system in Spain for the purchase of  needed medical equipment and hospital beds, and donated 2 million euros to help fight Covid-19 in France and Brazil.

• In response to new data from initial research conducted in China that shows potential for the use of Resochin in treating  COVID-19 patients, Bayer has donated 3 million tablets of the drug to the U.S. Government, 1 million chloroquine tablets to Italy, and 8 million tablets of chloroquine to the German government.

• Bayer Consumer Health is donating 1 million Health and Wellness Products including, Aleve, Alka-Seltzer Plus, Bayer Aspirin, Claritin, Flintstones and One-A-Day Vitamins to support the health of underserved communities. Bayer will work with non-profit organizations, including Direct Relief and Feeding America, who have direct interactions with Americans who have limited access or financial means to secure health and wellness products during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Bayer employees in Missouri are making face masks with 3D printers to be donated to local hospitals.

• Bayer is in the process of offering PCR testing hardware from its inventory to hospitals and is also planning to repurpose some of their R&D sites to offer high volumes of PCR testing in its laboratories.

• Bayer has also started to produce disinfectant agents at large scale in select R&D sites.

For more information about Bayer’s initiatives please find their Corona Ticker here.

Verizon Serves Customers During COVID-19 with Touchless Retail and More

Verizon

Verizon’s networks have been engineered to perform during moments of crisis and disaster such as hurricanes, snowstorms and flooding. During this time of heightened worry and concern, Verizon’s primary goal is to keep its customers, employees and society connected to the things that matter most to them: their family, friends and business customers.

On May 1, Verizon announced that it is revolutionizing the way it looks at retail both today and into the future with the introduction of “Touchless Retail” – innovations implemented recently that revolve around making the shopping experience both safer and more satisfying. Touchless Retail leverages both physical and digital changes to reduce the number of physical touchpoints, while streamlining the customer shopping experience. With Touchless Retail, customers begin their journey online as they set their in-store appointment for critical troubleshooting or order for in-store pickup and learn about in-store safety measures including the requirements that they wear a face covering. Upon arrival at the store, exterior and interior social distancing markers, safety partitions, sanitizing stations and employees donning face masks and gloves all ensure the physical observance of public health safety practices. Store hours have been adjusted to allow for one-customer-to-one employee ratio appointments.

On April 27, Verizon announced that it is extending its commitment to keep its customers connected through June 30. This means Verizon will neither terminate service nor charge late fees to postpaid wireless, residential, and small business customers that notify Verizon of their inability to pay their bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Verizon has also added data to customers’ wireless data plans to assist them as they work through this time of social distancing and working from home.

Additionally, Verizon signed onto the FCC’s new “Keep Americans Connected” pledge. Verizon’s new customer commitment will help ensure connectivity and offer assistance to customers and small businesses facing challenges from the global crisis.

“Now more than ever, we need to ensure that our customers, their families and businesses have the ability to connect to the internet even if they’re facing financial hardship from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Hans Vestberg, Verizon Chairman and CEO. “We want to ensure that our customers can continue to use the internet to work, learn, and carry on with their lives as we all address this collective challenge. We’re confident this joint effort will help make that happen.”

Verizon is also closely monitoring network usage in the most impacted areas. Verizon will work with and prioritize network demand in assisting many U.S. hospitals, first responders and government agencies, as needed.

Verizon also donated $3 million to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of a partnership with Global Citizens One World: Together At Home global broadcast special to help aid healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The globally televised and live-streamed special aired on April 18 and featured performances and appearances from international entertainers. Through the United Nations Foundation, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund will help support the WHO and partners’ efforts to track and understand the spread of the virus; to ensure patients get the care they need and frontline workers get essential supplies and information; and to accelerate efforts to develop vaccines, tests, and treatments.

Verizon’s most recent donation brings the company’s total support of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO to $5 million and their total COVID-19 crisis commitment to over $50 million in contributions and donations to nonprofits directed at serving students, healthcare workers, first responders, and small businesses.

For daily updates on what Verizon is doing, please click here.

Mars, Inc. Commits $20 Million to Communities in COVID-19 Response

Mars, Inc.

Mars, Incorporated made a $20 million commitment to better support the communities in which it operates.

As part of their commitment to serving vulnerable populations, Mars, Inc. has made a $5 million donation to CARE to help fund critical supplies and expertise for women, children and refugee populations in underdeveloped countries.

In another part of the support package, Mars, Inc. will provide $2 million of support to help the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) manage logistics for emergency food and lifesaving equipment to hospitals in impacted areas, assisting in the transport of critical supplies for all United Nations agencies as they respond to the pandemic.

Mars, Inc. is also donating $1 million to Humane Society International (HSI) to help ease the burden of overcapacity shelters. This contribution also intends to assist cats and dogs that have been abandoned, left behind or surrendered to shelters due to their owners falling ill or no longer having the financial means to care for a pet.

While Mars has donated $8 million in this support package, the balance of $12 million will come from a combination of cash and in-kind donations from across the markets where Mars operates, in addition to donations from its Foundations including: The Mars Wrigley Foundation, the Banfield Foundation, the Pedigree Foundation and the Tasty Bite Foundation.

For more information on Mars’ efforts, click here.