Supply chain update – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

As we come to terms with the reality that we’re all going to be at home more often than usual in the coming weeks, we’d like to reassure our clients that the priority remains delivering a service they can rely on.

To allow us to continue delivering as many projects as possible, we have taken the necessary precautions to enable our staff to continue working safely, whether that’s working from home, or ensuring our key workers are safe, in line with government guidelines.

We also want to take this opportunity to share with you the details of the three priorities at the heart of our own strategy in response to this pandemic and in keeping business as usual.

Our priorities:

1. Keeping our sites across the country running and the schemes on track

We know how important the schemes we deliver and the infrastructure we operate and maintain for our customers are to the national and local economies and to keeping the country moving. At the moment, all of our sites in the UK remain open and fully operational. Our workforce is passionate about the work we do and will make every effort to ensure that our work can continue, although we will of course never put them or our partners at risk.

2. Ensuring the health and wellbeing of our workforce

Stobart Rail & Civils is a people-centred business and we make every effort to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce. During this period, when we know some of them may contract COVID-19, have to self-isolate and will be concerned about the impact on them and their families, we have a Crisis Management Team chaired by our Managing Director and a business wide steering group and strategy in place to enable us to react quickly and safeguard our workforce community. Where our employees can fulfil their roles from home, we have advised that they do so. We have also shared clear guidance around self-isolation, social distancing, meetings, travel, attendance at events, receiving external visitors to our sites and offices and hygiene. We are communicating regularly with our employees, ensuring that they have the advice and support they need. In doing so, we are sticking closely to UK Government and Public Health England guidance, but are supplementing this with our own additional measures and advice.

3. Business continuity

To further reassure you of our specific approach to business continuity in these unprecedented times:

• We have a business wide Working Group in place exploring all aspects of the impact and potential impact of COVIS-19 on our business
• We are preparing for potential, future eventualities in light of COVID-19 so that we can respond swiftly should the current situation evolve
• All our projects have business continuity arrangements in place
• Our finance team which is responsible for the processing of all payments has implemented its business continuity plan and through electronic invoicing and electronic approvals we are striving to pay our supply chain in a timely manner
• We have undergone a thorough test of our IT systems to ensure that those employees working from home are fully able to do so with minimal disruption to business as usual. As part of our business continuity plans, we have back-up procedures in place
• We are communicating with our employees with the latest advice and guidance and additional measures that Stobart Rail & Civils is taking to protect our business.

As this is an ever-evolving situation please do contact us if you have any specific questions. Paul Crawford, Procurement and Supply Chain Manager paul.crawford@stobartrail.com

Thank you