Apr 16th, 2020
8 mins
XPO Logistics Puts Employee Safety First during COVID-19
Takes extensive measures to protect global workforce in moving critical medical supplies, protective gear, food and beverages, and household staples
XPO Logistics, a leading global provider of supply chain solutions, has adapted quickly to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain continuity of vital services and safeguard its workforce. The company is using a combination of rigorous protective measures, technology and virtual communications to help keep employees safe in all 30 countries where it operates.
XPO teams are working in unprecedented circumstances to move critically important goods through supply chains, including medical products, personal protective equipment, food and beverages, telecommunication devices, household goods and business supplies. The company provides essential support to industrial, retail and institutional customers, as well as government agencies.
Bradley Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of XPO Logistics, said, “I’m beyond proud of the way our employees have stepped up to fulfil our responsibilities in serving communities around the globe. We’ll continue to prioritise the physical, mental and emotional well-being of every person on our team.”
Nearly all of XPO’s sites continue to operate, with short-term shutdowns for deep cleaning as needed. Customers have uninterrupted access to the company’s full range of transportation services: dedicated and non-dedicated truckload, less-than-truckload, last mile, managed transportation and global forwarding.
Additionally, XPO is aiding national, regional and local authorities with crisis management. In Spain, the company is distributing masks and other protective measures for the Junta of Castilla and León. In the United States, XPO has partnered with the New York City Emergency Management Department for the distribution of life-sustaining supplies to people isolated in the epicentre of the pandemic.
XPO moved quickly to deploy comprehensive operating protocols that prioritize employee safety while meeting the company’s responsibilities as a designated provider of essential infrastructure services.
- XPO employees worldwide are working remotely if able to do so. For employees who need to work on site, the company follows the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), national authorities and its own health and safety protocols.
- The company has introduced online programs in seven languages to help employees manage change during the pandemic. These include video sessions on health and safety, stress management and working remotely, as well as information on special policies in effect.
- All XPO workplaces conform to social distancing guidelines. Where possible, sites have erected barriers between workstations and use demarcations on floors to limit contact between employees. Visitors are restricted from accessing XPO offices and field locations.
- Employees must affirm their health status before beginning a shift, stay home if they are ill and be tested if they believe they have been exposed to COVID-19.
- Site management, senior team members and human resources staff participate in meetings prior to the start of each shift to emphasize social distancing and the importance of leaving work immediately if feeling sick. These policies are reinforced by signs posted throughout the facilities.
- XPO’s drivers and transportation contractors perform no-contact deliveries whenever possible, using digital image verification as proof of delivery and managing capacity on the company’s digital freight platform.
- The company has arranged for additional cleaning measures inside its workplaces and provides personal protective equipment and sanitization supplies to employees, with procurement measures in place to monitor inventory levels.
- XPO has created a multilingual COVID-19 portal where employees can access safety information, company policies, preventative measures and benefits information online.
About XPO Logistics and XPO Logistics Europe
XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a top ten global logistics provider of cutting-edge supply chain solutions to the most successful companies in the world. The company operates as a highly integrated network of people, technology and physical assets in 30 countries, with 1,504 locations and approximately 100,000 employees. XPO uses its network to help more than 50,000 customers manage their goods most efficiently throughout their supply chains. The company’s corporate headquarters are in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA, and its European headquarters are in Lyon, France. XPO conducts the majority of its European operations through its subsidiary, XPO Logistics Europe, which trades under the stock symbol XPO on Euronext Paris – Isin FR0000052870. europe.xpo.com
