Through a shared sense of responsibility, we will continue to act swiftly, decisively, with courage and determination, with a firm resolve to confront a global disease, that knows no borders.

A health crisis has many ramifications, human, economic, and social. As all of us traverse through the unchartered territories, during these unprecedented times, navigating new realities, there are many unknowns. These are rapidly evolving times. These are times when extraordinary people are working round the clock to help others and find solutions. The need of the hour is to stay committed and build partnerships for the common good.

Commitment to jointly fight COVID.

To address COVID-19, authorities and organizations are taking extraordinary actions, in providing solutions and creating a meaningful impact. These are times for all stakeholders to work tirelessly and tenaciously, for the common good and be of help especially to vulnerable communities. Work with passion and purpose. Address urgent needs and inspire unique partnerships. Stay humble yet, say with quiet confidence, ‘our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken’.

Stakeholders are coming together to innovate and minimize the impact on public health, mitigate disruptions to the economy, and take care of vulnerable communities. Stakeholders are devising creative solutions and reaching out to communities living in urban centers and remote corners of the country. Traditional boundaries are being demolished, to pave the way for transparency and collaboration.

A Resolve to Act

Besides donating vital medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and medical centers, from breathing masks to gloves, thermometers and protective gear, leading organizations are helping set up and administer schemes to support businesses and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Companies are combining science and technology and sharing expertise to develop a vaccine to fight COVID-19.

Foundations and companies are working with the government authorities to upscale testing significantly. Organizations are contributing to medical equipment, providing meals and ration kits to the needy, and saluting the efforts of frontline warriors. Hotels and resorts have been allowed as temporary health care facilities. Organizations are extending their support to the government, to make hand sanitizers. People have stepped up their efforts and are making contributions to the cause. In many organizations, employees are contributing part of their salary to fight the pandemic. Every day you hear stories of courage and heroism.

It is increasingly evident that the world’s fight against this pandemic will not be effective unless it is also equitable. Responding to this pandemic with full effectiveness will require innovative measures and a coordinated effort bringing all sectors together.

At Nestlé India, we believe, that in such uncertain times, like many other organizations, we have an important role to play, working with and supporting local communities, frontline workers, business partners and employees. Guided by our Purpose, ‘Enhancing

quality of life and contributing to a healthier future’, we continue to take some important steps. We have partnered with leading NGOs such as Akshaya Patra towards feeding programs for vulnerable communities. We have supported Narayana Hrudayalaya Trust to purchase ventilators, conducting virtual training on preventive measures against Covid-19 through our NGO partners, and supporting local authorities and police force in some cities, by providing our products.

We have stood by our dairy farmers, by making sure that every drop of milk they give us, is taken into our factories for processing. For the front-line sales force, working for our distribution partners, we have rolled out “NESTLÉ SURAKSHA” program to cover those who are not covered by Employees’ State Insurance, with a COVID-19 insurance protection for a period of three months. For our factory operators, we have undertaken strict social distancing measures and other precautionary measures at all our manufacturing locations. We have rolled out across all our factories a “NESTLÉ SAMMAN” program that will reward each operator for working during the stipulated period.

In such times, employees of Nestlé in India have supported the fight against COVID-19 and have donated through the “Employee voluntary contribution program”. The amount donated was topped up with equivalent contribution from Nestlé in India, that has been given to the Indian Red Cross Society to strengthen its efforts and provide the much-needed relief in most impacted areas to people suffering under the present conditions.

A Promise of Solidarity

As all of us confront the common threat of COVID-19, the private sector, multilateral organisations, governments, scientists, academia and citizens must remain committed to play its part and give every possible support to make a difference. The current crisis requires every stakeholder’s support. The COVID-19 crisis has taught us, the power of solidarity and the importance of working together. As in the words of Helen Keller "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

As we forge ahead, there is a lot of work that still needs to be done. What is important is to give priority to the most vulnerable, ease their suffering and make sure that no one is left behind. Through a shared sense of responsibility, we will continue to act swiftly, decisively, with courage and determination, with a firm resolve to confront a global disease, that knows no borders.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house