Since the very start of the COVID-19 epidemic, we at GMV have been monitoring the situation closely. We have decided to follow the recommendations handed down by local, national and international health authorities. We have hence been phasing in a series of preventive measures to ensure the health of our employees and collaborators and their families. Even so, we have managed up to now to continue operating with almost complete normality.

In early March the epidemic took on a much more serious turn, including a declaration of a national lockdown in Spain on 14 March (Real Decreto 463/2020). Although by 13 March none of the company’s worldwide staff had tested positive, we decided to take another decisive step by activating the COVID-19 Business Continuity Plan, applicable in all our offices around the world. This included a series of measures designed to ensure the health of our employees, collaborators and families and make a responsible contribution to society’s effort to check the virus’s spread in all parts of the world where we do business.

These measures included a restriction of trips and meetings and teleworking whenever possible. In cases where staff’s onsite presence was necessary or even essential to guarantee continuity of our operations, the plan laid down specific measures to guarantee a skeleton service.

Right from the start of this crisis, we at GMV have always been well aware of our great responsibility to our clients, a firm commitment we are determined never to fall down on. Thanks to implementation on 13 March of our Business Continuity Plan, practically all our worldwide business has gone on as usual by means of teleworking, except when lockdown restrictions made it impossible to carry on with activities that called for commuting to our own site or our clients’.

In view of the pandemic’s trend, all countries are now organizing an easing down of the lockdown constraints. GMV too is phasing in a progressive return to work of its own employees in all its worldwide offices, guaranteeing the safety of all people involved and the firm itself. This new period has been scheduled to start on 22 June and last until the end of August.

This first step takes its cue above all from the recommendations handed down by government authorities, ensuring social distancing and avoiding any buildup of persons in common areas. For this purpose staff will be broken down into three groups: firstly, the group called “4 + 10”, as a key step towards a resumption of normal working, keeping to a maximum 50% site occupancy; secondly, full-time staff who need to carry out their work on site; and, thirdly, people who will continue to work remotely. The various schemes will be adapted and coordinated in the various countries in which GMV does business.

We at GMV are sure that with the collaboration and commitment of all concerned we will successfully overcome this grave crisis. In the name of the whole GMV team we wish to pass on to all affected people our hopes for a swift recovery and our gratitude and recognition to all those people that have been working on the front line to protect us all. Our thanks also go to our clients, our suppliers and, last but certainly not least, our employees.