Major tasks need strong teams.

Just like ours.

During the last couple of years a lot has changed. The global pandemic triggered by the Covid-19 virus has meant that many companies are faced with extraordinary tasks and challenges. We are very aware of both our social and corporate responsibility.

Together with our employees, we have implemented local, national and international initiatives and have thus provided significant support in improving the provision of suitable protective equipment and compliance with hygiene measures. We are proud of our strong teams across the world, who have actively helped internally and externally with their flexibility and energy.

Our Corona Action Teams (CAT) have done a fantastic job in providing the best possible support for the employees at our locations.

Together we are strong. And we are happy to take on major tasks.

The protection of our employees is very important to us.

The first case of Covid-19 was reported by an employee as early as the end of February 2020 at Rheinmetall Automotive's location in Neckarsulm (Germany). In other words, even before the acute developments in Ischgl/South Tyrol came to a head, plant management and the crisis team were obliged to act quickly.

Thomas Zaborowski, Senior Vice President Division Hardparts at Rheinmetall Automotive in Neckarsulm (Germany), is head of the CAT crisis team and describes the challenges the location faced from one day to the next and the measures taken to prevent the virus from spreading and to provide the best possible protection for employees.

"If we succeed in continuing to make staff at our locations aware of the dangers posed by the Covid-19 virus, we will have done an extremly good job."

Thomas Zaborowski

Senior Vice President Division Hardparts, Rheinmetall

Mr. Zaborowski, how did you and the other responsible individuals at the location respond to being informed about the first coronavirus case and what immediate measures were initiated and implemented?

Of course we were all a bit shocked at the location when the health authority informed us late on a Friday afternoon that an employee had tested positive for Covid-19. We were practically the first case in our region. In other words, there was no standardised procedure in place at the time for how to respond and there was a great deal of uncertainty on all sides. We just knew that we had to act quickly. We immediately set up a crisis team, the CAT = Corona Action Team, consisting of location management, HR, occupational safety, building management and employee representatives, and acted straightaway. Firstly, we identified the people who had been in contact with the sick individual and reported this to the health authority. This group of people then had to go into quarantine at home. Secondly, as a precautionary measure, we closed the plant over the weekend and carried out extensive disinfection measures. All break rooms, meeting points, vending machines, washrooms, toilets, modules for time recording, lift doors and door handles of main doors were disinfected. It was far from easy to convince the cleaning company to carry out these measures, but using the necessary protective equipment everything worked out. Disinfectant dispensers were also set up, the canteen and kiosks closed and the water dispensers disused. However, it was also very important that we informed our employees at the location quickly and transparently about the situation and the measures taken in order to prevent rumours and reduce worries. A big well done at this point to all involved – this was a superb team effort from everyone.

How did things continue at the location after these immediate measures?

Of course, the news about the case of coronavirus quickly spread among staff and caused fears and worries. How did you and your team respond to the tense atmosphere among the workforce?

How was the crisis team in Neckarsulm (Germany) able to support the other Rheinmetall locations?

What does Rheinmetall do beyond this?

Whether protective equipment, production of disinfectants or face shields – we do what we can. Below is an overview of some of our initiatives.

DENEL MUNITION, SA

… donates 6,000l of hand disinfectant to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), 2,000 packages of hygiene products to local families and 500 bottles of hand disinfectant to a children's hospital.