Brewer not sending staff home, gives help: CEO

DUTCH brewer Heineken, the parent company of South Pacific Brewery, is not laying off its employees as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, an executive says.
Chairman and chief executive Jean-François van Boxmeer said Heineken was rather committed to supporting the health and safety of its employees by ensuring that strict hygiene and social distancing was followed.
“Heineken is deploying multiple local initiatives across its global operations in support of those who are at the frontline of the fight against Covid-19,” he said.
Van Boxmeer said the support included donations of water and non-alcoholic beverages, hand sanitisers and monetary contributions to frontline medical facilities.
He added that Heineken was donating €15 million (K56.6 million) to support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) relief efforts for the most vulnerable people affected by Covid-19, in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
He said Heineken was scaling up initiatives in support of on-trade customers across markets in all regions
“Heineken is committed to paying suppliers at agreed payment terms and will support its most vulnerable small and medium sized supplies through early payments.”
Meanwhile, SP Brewery Ltd clients were not allowed to enter the company’s breweries and offices during the state of emergency.
However, corporate affairs manager John Nilkare said their receptions would still be manned during normal business hours.