Coronavirus: Safety and Business Continuity Response

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Cotecna has put in place a business continuity response at all levels of its worldwide organisation in order to protect the health and safety of its employees and contractors, and ensure the continued delivery and quality of services to its clients to the fullest possible extent.

Cotecna’s response is coordinated by a task force established at head office, supported by crisis management teams in each business unit tasked with ensuring the continued delivery of Cotecna’s services and the implementation of strict health and safety protocols throughout its network.

Regular communication between the business unit crisis teams and the global task force ensures early identification and mitigation of any developing business continuity risks.

Health & safety precautions have been enhanced to protect Cotecna’s inspectors and technical staff working at client facilities and in the field.

Health and safety protocols for our facilities, employees and contractors

The following measures have been implemented throughout Cotecna’s organisation:

  1. Implementation of strict personal hygiene protocols for all employees and contractors in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and any additional measures specified by the authorities of the countries in which we operate.
  2. Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting regimes at all Cotecna facilities, to further reduce the risk of virus transmission.
  3. Education of all employees and enforcement of social distancing recommendations of the WHO, both within Cotecna’s facilities and those of our clients.
  4. Implementation of daily health monitoring of employees.
  5. Protocols for self-quarantine for any employee who has come into contact with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case.
  6. Maximised the use of smart working, such as home working, to minimise transmission risks by reducing employee density in offices and facilities.
  7. In cases where, for operational reasons, social distance may not be optimal, employees are required to use appropriate PPE including masks.
  8. All inspectors and other operatives performing services at client or third-party premises are required to comply with all hygiene guidelines and to wear the appropriate PPE.

Ensuring continuity of critical activities

To ensure that we can meet our clients’ service level requirements we have taken additional measures to safeguard our critical activities in the laboratory and in the field, including the following:

  • Special protocols have been implemented at Cotecna’s laboratories to segregate teams through shifts, flexible working hours, and physical means such as independent entrances for different groups of staff. Use of communal areas, such as canteen and break rooms, is strictly controlled to ensure that social distancing of a minimum of 2 metres is maintained at all times.
  • At key locations, backup teams are kept in reserve to support active teams, in case of sickness or other business interruption risk.

Safeguarding our supply chain and critical suppliers

To further ensure the ongoing delivery of inspection and laboratory testing services, Cotecna has put in place the following measures:  

  1. Stockage of laboratory and inspection consumables sufficient to mitigate any supply chain disruption
  2. Established a global procurement and distribution process for anti-virus Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its employees
  3. Procurement of products and services necessary for the delivery of Cotecna’s services have been decentralised to reduce the risk of service disruption.
  4. For key suppliers, backup contingency plans have been put in place, including for key functions performed in-house by Cotecna.
  5. IT infrastructure and up-time of Cotecna’s systems is ensured through decentralised in-house resources working remotely to support our worldwide locations and our employees working from home.

Business continuity and evolution of measures

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world and the varied measures taken by governments and authorities, means that Cotecna’s response actions are constantly monitored and updated as necessary.

Currently, we have been able to continue operating at full capacity at all locations, subject to observance of any specific measures taken by local governmental authorities.

For up to date information on our operational capacity at any of our locations, or further information regarding the health and safety protocols implemented by Cotecna, please contact the Country Manager of the relevant business unit, whose contact details can be found here: https://www.cotecna.com/en/locations

This document will be updated as necessary in response to the evolution of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Sébastien DANNAUD
Chief Executive Officer

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