Clarification about Azambuja warehouse

The Azambuja warehouse’s contingency plan, which has been in effect for more than 2 months, is fully aligned with all the health authorities’ guidelines and attested by the General Directorate of Health, in several visits to the site, in order to ensure that the spreading risk level between colleagues is "very low".

According to statements to TSF, Mário Durval, Lisbon and Vale do Tejo’s Health Delegate, "There are workers who have been infected in their place of origin. Due to the essence of the work, there is no risk of contagion among the Azambuja warehouse’s workers, nor in the company's social areas, given the contingency plan that has been in place for months."

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sonae MC has introduced a series of measures to contain the spread of the outbreak, with only 1/3 of our employees using trains and we have been strengthening our own bus service for several weeks (we doubled the number of buses and sanitation, so that their capacity is only at half, ensuring social distancing).

In addition to these measures, Sonae MC introduced a set of procedures, namely:

We implemented a program of strong communication and awareness on the Covid-19 theme to the general population and managers, in order for them to have the greatest knowledge about the several processes to be adopted, both in hygiene measures and in the procedures recommended by our Occupational Health and the General Health Directorate / World Health Organization;

We implemented remote work for all employees whose function is likely to be carried out under this regime, reducing the number of people who travel to Azambuja daily;

The shift schedules were phased out to avoid employee gatherings at the entrances and exits;

We are conducting temperature checks on all employees, service providers and temporary workers prior to entering any warehouse facility. This measure was implemented on March 24th and will be maintained indefinitely;

We also implemented signage on the warehouse floor to ensure safety distances between our employees / suppliers - at the reception of goods and at the entrance;

We reinforced the safety, hygiene and cleanliness of workplaces, social areas and the entire distribution of operations’ chain and the supply chain, as well as the disinfection of all freight vehicles. This is a daily operation and is repeated several times a day;

We have dispensers with sanitizing gel available and we provide gloves and masks for employees, as well as information on the rules of usage;

We instituted the mandatory use of masks for all our employees;

We provide masks to our temporary workers and service providers;

We acquired protective visors;

In order to reduce contact with supplier drivers, it is the Warehouse’s employees who unload the vehicles, keeping the drivers in a safe area, avoiding contact with employees;

We created a microsite allusive to the Coronavirus with updated information;

We activated a COVID-19 support line with three numbers available (24 hours, 7 days a week) for support and clarification of doubts;

We created containment rooms (isolation) in the warehouses, with suitable PPEs;

We reinforced the warehouses’ cleaning teams so that they can be focused on the disinfection of areas considered critical (toilets, canteens, handrails, walkways, door handles, among others);

We identified employees who are part of risk groups (> 60 years old; pregnant women, chronic disease patients and immunocompromised people), and who stay at home preventively;

We placed portable hand washers in areas further away from the warehouses;
We avoid meetings at the beginning of the shifts and preferably use sound communication;

We Limited the number of locker room and shower users (1 person per 2 m2) and installed new locker rooms and showers;

We Limited the number of people in meeting rooms (1 person per 2 m2);

Operating support equipment is cleaned before and after each use.

Currently, 800 people are employed at Sonae MC's Azambuja warehouse.

In addition to these measures, the entry times were phased out even more, in order to reduce gatherings of people at the train station and the access walkway to the warehouse.

Sonae MC has outlined a solid contingency plan, fully aligned with the health authorities’ recommendations and attested by the General Health Directorate. We maintain the uttermost confidence in those responsible for all teams to carry out the contingency plan outlined by Sonae MC and thus protect both our employees and customers.

Sonae MC is aware of its responsibility towards the country. Our priority is to continue to #AlimentarPortugal (Feed Portugal).

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