BUSINESS: 532 PRACTICES
IMERYS Group is the world leader in mineral-based industrial solutions, offering specialized solutions necessary for its customers. IMERYS INDUSTRIAL MINERALS GREECE SINGLE MEMBER SOCIETE ANONYME mines and processes industrial minerals, mainly bentonite and perlite.
The protection of the health of the employees and of their local community as well as the continuation of the company's activities despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The employees and the local community at the sites of IMERYS GREECE S.A. at Kifissia and Milos.
From March 2020 and continues until today.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major challenge, with consequences for citizens' health, the health system and the economy.
pandemic and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, aiming at the safety and well-being of workers and the wider local community. The measures it took ensured the protection of its employees and provided for a rapid response and reduction of any cases.
These measures included at Kifisia and Milos:
Τhe training of the company's staff and associates on COVID-19 and its treatment protocol implemented by IMERYS and which includes: the use of a mask in all areas (exterior and interior as well as in vehicles), implementation of telework where this was possible, the correct and frequent disinfection, the thermometry before entrance, the observance of keeping distances, the restriction of visits from abroad and inside by carrying out only those that are considered critical, etc.
A procedure was also planned for the management of a suspected case in the workplace, which includes informing the employer, the isolation process, the process of contacting EODY (National Organization of Public Health) or KYM (Milos Health Center) and the Occupational Physician, informing colleagues and third parties that came in contact with the suspected case, recording and monitoring these contacts inside and outside the company.
In addition to the above general measures, in Kifissia, the Shared Services Center implemented teleworking for all employees, providing them not only with laptops (laptops) but also with large monitors in order to facilitate its work. The teleworking measure was applied to both existing and newly hired employees, allowing the implementation of the knowledge transfer method through 3 visits, which was done successfully through 3 teleworking sessions:
In addition to the above general measures, in Milos, in July 2020, Mr. Ioannis Sanoudos, Director of Imerys Greece Milos Hub, delivered a portable respirator (Oxylog Plus 3000) to the Health Center of Milos, for the treatment of coronavirus cases on the island. The donation was made at the request of the Health Center and after communication between the Company and the Ministry of Health, which coordinates and approves donations of medical equipment for the treatment of Covid-19.
A significant benefit for the company staff and their social environment was that they acquired systematical information regarding pandemic contingency measures. Furthermore, the pandemic did not stand as an obstacle to new recruitments and business continuation of the company.
The maintenance of the company’s employees income was a direct benefit for them. Moreover, further employees were employed. At the same time, these two (maintenance of income, hiring of new employees), was an indirect benefit for the local community, especially during the financial crisis created by the pandemic.
Company’s facilities at Kifisia and Milos.
Milos Community Health Centre, Municipality of Milos, Occupational Doctors
IMERYS employees and the local community.
This initiative has a positive impact on the company and society. This is because it helps maintain the normalcy of daily life in the local community, by preventing the spread of the virus from a large and therefore potentially dangerous structure. This in turn ensures the smooth operation and continuation of the company's activities.
The new Shared Services Center in Kifissia managed to operate with employees working remotely from March 2020 without any delay. For this initiative the company, at the HR 2020 awards, in the special category for response actions for Covid-19, won an award for the process of remote recruitment, training and knowledge transfer.
