With the outbreak and spread of the Corona virus, self isolation, quarantine and several other measures being taken to curb the virus, Christopher E Nelson, president and CEO of Kemin Industries, expresses what the company is doing for its employees and customers at large.
As Kemin continues to address the impact of Covid-19 around the world, we are continually adapting to the challenges it presents to our business and our teams. Health and safety remain at the centre of what we do; it’s the purpose of the ingredients we make and the services we provide.
We are making the health and wellbeing of our employees and their families, the top priority at Kemin. By protecting them, we are better able to care for you our customers.
I’d like to share our latest updates and newest initiatives:
Our global, cross-functional Covid-19 Steering Committee and regional Response Team continue to monitor new developments and implement policies that align with recommendations from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and specific local regulations.
Our leadership team hosts daily and weekly live calls with teams in the US and globally to provide up-to-date information and policies to employees. These calls keep our teams informed and engaged, especially while working remotely.
Many of our global locations are under shelter-in-place, lockdowns or similar orders. In most of our locations, Kemin had already implemented a work-from-home mandate for all employees who have the ability to work remote and still perform their duties.
For employees who must work onsite, Kemin has launched an “Essential Business Bonus Program” to recognise our employees whose duties require them to be on-site at a Kemin facility during the Covid-19 pandemic. This bonus programme will be more than $1 million. Our role in the food supply chain is critical during this crisis, and Kemin employees in the manufacturing facilities to the research labs are allowing us to continue our work and serve customers.
We require all onsite employees and outside vendors at our facilities to check their temperature upon arrival at a Kemin facility and once later while onsite. Anyone who registers a temperature over 100.0°F is not allowed on any Kemin campus. By protecting the health and wellbeing of our teams, we are able to continue delivering products to our customers who are meeting the needs of consumers.
As an essential business, Kemin facilities continue to operate and we’ve created split shifts and schedules to protect our teams and have increased preventive measures.
Due to the changes and daily life interruptions from Covid-19 for our teams and their families, we want to make sure our employees’ ability to put food on the table for themselves and their families does not change. Kemin purchased gift cards to GrubHub, Walmart and engaged with Hy-Vee Aisles, an online grocery shopping platform for the Midwest region and we waived the delivery fees for employees who order their groceries online.
At our global headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, US, Kemin donated nearly 10,000 articles of personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, safety glasses, gloves, coverall safety suits and disposable lab coats to the Iowa Department of Public Health to be dispensed to area hospitals in need.
The Nelson Foundation, our family’s philanthropic organisation, donated $50,000 to Food Bank of Iowa to help assist those facing food insecurity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The support will provide meals to 200,000 Iowans in need.
In Europe and Asia, our teams have donated PPE and raised monetary funds for their communities. Most recently, our team in Veronella, Italy, donated €25,000 from their own salary to support a local hospital. To assist their generous efforts, Kemin matched their full donation to support Legnago Hospital.
As we continue to navigate uncertain times, Kemin remains committed to serving you our customer with superior products and the technical and scientific expertise you expect from us. Our team remains available to speak with you, keep you informed and address any questions you have.
Our thoughts remain with those who have been impacted and we hope, that while doing our part to provide resources to our employees and our communities, we can help mitigate the risk and severe effects of the Corona virus pandemic.
On behalf of Kemin and the Nelson family, we thank you for your continued partnership. We wish you and your families health and safety at this time, and always.