As the coronavirus situation evolves in the UK and Ireland, we'll be keeping this page updated with the latest information from Saint-Gobain in the UK and Ireland.
View our Covid-19 Secure Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) framework. (PDF)
Watch our Video explaining some of our new ways of working in our branches and sites.
Updated: 30th APRIL 2020
We would like to again thank our fantastic colleagues for their continued commitment and efforts during what is a very difficult time and our customers and suppliers, many of whom themselves face very difficult circumstances.
On behalf of everyone at Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland we would also like to extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those people working in our emergency services, national health services and those helping to keep essential services and infrastructure running day and night.
As we manage our business through these rapidly changing times, we are trying to balance many things. Firstly, our priority to protect employees and their health, wellbeing and safety as well as other important needs including protecting colleagues’ livelihoods, supporting customers, many of whom are self-employed and rely on us, and of course the critical need to support the nationwide response to the Covid-19 crisis. This is something we are completely committed to.
As per our recent update we have been planning extensively for a safe and gradual reopening of our activity. While a number of our businesses have been able to continue operating uninterrupted during this crisis, more of our activity will begin reopening this week, and more over the weeks ahead., to bring more of our operations back. This is being done safely, in a controlled way, absolutely minimising risk through strict measures, including social distancing and the use of PPE where required. These changes will be noticed right across our activities. They are designed to ensure everyone in the workplace is safe, and to ensure we are following the guidance on social distancing and hygiene – two important factors in our revised Safe Operating Procedures.
This week Jewson, Graham and other distribution brands have implemented new safe ways of working with revamped processes for deliveries and collections. Many branches have begun to safely reopen. We are recommencing other operational and manufacturing activity in British Gypsum, our Off Site Solutions activity and elsewhere in manufacturing and distribution. These reopenings are being carefully controlled and managed with new Safe Operating Procedures.
We are continuing to use the minimum number of teams needed to manage the risk and satisfy demand. Many colleagues continue to work from home, once again, in order to protect livelihoods, and support customers. We are of course continually monitoring demand and the public health situation and will communicate with people regularly as we review the situation.
There is much that will be different about how we work and colleagues and customers will notice these new ways of working. There are comprehensive manager briefings, signage, queue management and access restrictions in branches designed to ensure hygiene and social distancing guidelines can be adhered to. In the current phase of re-opening in our Jewson branches, customers will wait in vehicles when collecting products to ensure collections are carefully managed and contactless. Working areas are marked out to protect both colleagues working and customers. In many other areas such as hygiene, social distancing, signage, logistics and, where needed, PPE, things are different compared to before the crisis. Read more about what to expect in our new ways of working here.
If you have any questions or concerns, please get in contact with your local branch or regular Saint-Gobain contact, or alternatively please contact our Brand, Digital Communications team - sgukinfo@saint-gobain.com.
