How Koch Employees Safely and Responsibly Operate During Coronavirus

Every day during this pandemic, employees at Koch companies get up and head to work – whether at home or at our facilities – recognizing that what they do is more essential than ever. Equally vital is the health, safety, and well-being of every employee, their families, and their communities. As director of our environmental health & safety (EH&S) team, I know firsthand that Koch has no higher priority.

Our vision of the role of business in society is helping people improve their lives by providing the products and services they value while using the fewest possible resources. Koch companies and employees have proven their value at one of the most challenging moments in recent memory – including Georgia-Pacific’s tireless production of bath tissue, paper towels, and hand sanitizer; Infor’s top-notch health IT infrastructure directing 85% of all U.S. COVID-19 lab tests; Molex’s manufacturing of critical components for ventilators; and our businesses across the country donating personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers in their communities.

Across the enterprise, teams continue to monitor developments associated with the pandemic and take appropriate measures to ensure employee safety, including staggered shifts, social distancing, and increased hygiene and sanitation in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As more employees shifted to remote work in March, our IT teams leveraged cloud-based technologies to enable streamlined, secure remote work capabilities.

With increased distance between employees both working remotely and on site, it’s even more important for supervisors to check in with their employees to see how they’re doing. It may sound simple, but it can make a world of difference. We recognize that many employees are also caregivers, maybe for an elderly relative or someone who is sick. They may have school-age children who are at home. We want to help them navigate through the personal challenges that they’re facing as well as their responsibilities as employees.

Connecting with folks across the enterprise and in our supply chain to determine best practices has also been essential, in line with our long-term vision. We continue to seek partnerships and opportunities that complement and strengthen our capabilities, and with this long-term focus I am confident that we’ll all emerge from the pandemic stronger and more resilient. As the world slowly but surely reopens, it’s important we continue to follow guidance from health experts and utilize best practices for the safety of our employees.

-Sheryl Corrigan, Director of Environmental, Health and Safety, Koch Industries