A KEY BUSINESS UPDATE FROM CITYCARE RE COVID-19

A KEY BUSINESS UPDATE FROM CITYCARE RE COVID-19

These are unprecedented times in our country. After week one of lockdown we are seeing a level of engagement and partnership operating in the communities we live, work and play that Citycare hopes will last post pandemic. Keep up the great work NZ!

We are committed to keeping our customers, suppliers and staff informed about how Citycare is managing during these times. Much of our activity falls into the essential services category. That means our partners continue to expect a level of transparency and regular updates from us.

Here’s the steps Citycare is taking to keep our customers, suppliers, staff and communities safe.

Go Hard Go Early

Citycare ramped up our crisis business plan very early in this pandemic. We took a ‘go hard, go early’ approach and segregated key staff into smaller teams in our depots across the country. We increased hygiene and we enforced physical distancing recommendations.

Early steps we took included:

• Early adoption of best practice hygiene and sanitation practices, as recommended by the Ministry of Health and DHBs across our entire operation.
• Staff given explicit instructions that they had to stay at home if they felt unwell – no matter how slight.
• Adherence to the recommendation to restrict domestic travel.
• Team meetings and gatherings restricted and teams split up to minimise the risk of spread.
• A significant number of our people worked from home in the early stages.

At this point, (April 3)  we have no knowledge of any Citycare staff having contracted the virus. We have some staff in isolation for a number of reasons, and they are strictly following the approved guidelines for self-isolation.

Business Continuity

We have worked with our supply chain to ensure business continuity for our essential service partners and to protect the health and safety of our people. Business continuity includes ensuring that we retain all staff, so we are well positioned to start up when able.

Through the early steps taken, and the planning completed, we are confident that we can continue to provide a high level of service indefinitely. We will deliver on our role as an essential business, supporting public infrastructure and our customers building and construction activities across the country.

Essential Services

Citycare is regularly taking advice and discussing with our customers what constitutes essential services. Here are some of the services we are currently undertaking:

• We are removing litter and maintaining useable public spaces to a minimum standard. While we are on lockdown, we have all been encouraged to exercise in our community as long as we take precautions to observe physical distancing. To ensure that our public places are suitable and safe for exercise and walking pets we are continuing basic, essential maintenance of our parks and public spaces.
• Citycare Property provides sexton services in cemeteries. This work is continuing to be delivered following Ministry of Health requirements.
• Citycare Water continues to maintain our critical 3 waters service across the country.

Please contact us for any queries relating to this update.