May 11, 2020
As the world moves forward shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, so many of us crave a “return to normal.” At Gore, we too are eager for our Associates to rejoin their colleagues who have remained in our plants to produce essential materials and products.
As much as we desire to bring all of us back together as soon as possible, we have a responsibility to do so in a manner that prioritizes the well-being of our Associates and our communities over a rush to normalcy.
We are carefully evaluating our path forward to ensure we continue to operate in a way that upholds the health and safety of our Associates and is aligned with the distinct culture and values shared by our Associates across the globe. Our Global Pandemic Team remains active, providing guidance based on the best available information from industry best practices, government and public health experts. Over the past several weeks we have put new health and safety practices in place within our facilities, such as staggered shifts, use of general-purpose masks, social distancing and reconfigured workspaces, and would expect further adaptations and improvements to continue.
Associates who have continued to work in our plants throughout the pandemic have done a remarkable job of adopting new practices and ways of working to uphold our healthy and safe environment. As we begin to bring additional groups of Associates back into facilities, we are taking measures to ensure that we continue to operate with this same level of care. These measures include:
- Limiting the initial groups to those who need access to tools and resources within our plants in order to perform their work (e.g., research and product development)
- Providing returning Associates with detailed information about what to expect and an opportunity to address questions and concerns
- Making it easier to maintain social distancing within the facilities by continuing to have many Associates work from home
Our plans account for differences in our facilities and across geographies, which may mean immediate next steps do not look the same or happen at the same pace across our Enterprise. We will continue to assess the status of the local communities in which we operate and make adjustments to our plans accordingly.
While circumstances change, our commitment to our Associates and their families, our communities, and our customers remains stronger than ever. Regardless of how or where our Associates have continued their work over recent weeks, their unwavering commitment during this demanding time has been nothing short of inspiring. We are grateful for the hard work underway across our Enterprise and will continue to provide updates as we continue to thoughtfully navigate through this pandemic together.
Sincerely,
Jason Field, President & CEO
on behalf of the Gore Enterprise Leadership Team
An Update on Gore’s Response to COVID-19
April 6, 2020
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop and change every day, the world we know looks far different than it did just a few weeks ago. One thing that remains unchanged is our concern for and focus on the well-being of our Associates, customers and communities.
As a materials science company, we believe we can apply our technical expertise and production capabilities to help meet short- and long-term needs of the medical community and others who are providing essential services at this critical time. In fact, we have a task force focusing exclusively on that right now.
Drawing upon capabilities across our divisions, some of the solutions we are exploring include garments for front-line health care workers, filtration components for face masks and respirators, and other tools to address specific problems facing hospitals and those caring for critically ill patients. We are committed to doing our part, working with partners across a spectrum of specialties, to provide meaningful solutions. We will continue to provide updates on our efforts.
While that important work progresses, we continue our operations where and when appropriate given the local conditions and government requirements. Because Gore is a supplier to critical infrastructure sectors, including the chemical, communications, essential manufacturing, defense, emergency services, energy, healthcare & public health, and transportation sectors, we must push forward. We do so with the health and safety of our Associates foremost in mind and following local guidance that defines what kind of work and which facilities are considered essential.
We take these decisions seriously and we make them with guidance of our Global Pandemic Team. COVID-19 is impacting different parts of the world in different ways, on different timelines, and with government guidelines that are not uniform across the globe. Without question, we are committed to doing what is right for our Associates and also the customers and communities that rely on our products.
During this difficult time, we turn to our purpose as an Enterprise, improving life, which is underpinned by innovation, integrity, product performance and teamwork. Perhaps never before have we needed or depended on this promise more than we do today. We are committed to each other and to our customers. We are wholly dedicated to our Associates and their families. We are determined to help our communities however we can, using all the tools and expertise at our disposal. Together, we will get through this.
Sincerely,
Jason Field, President & CEO
on behalf of the Gore Enterprise Leadership Team
Important Message from Gore’s Enterprise Leadership Team Regarding COVID-19
March 18, 2020
As we navigate through this uncertain time together, nothing is more important than the safety, health and well-being of our Associates, customers and communities. Gore has a global pandemic team in place to guide our decision-making as we take measures to minimize risks, evaluate the impact on our global operations and make adjustments across our supply chains to minimize disruptions. We do this to serve customers around the world who rely on our products to improve, and sometimes even save, lives.
In an effort to reduce the risk of exposure for our Associates and the communities in which we operate, we are decreasing the number of people in our facilities worldwide. This means that those Associates who can work from home will do so, and necessary meetings with customers and others will be conducted virtually. Any Associates whose commitments require them to be present in our facilities are taking extra precautions to prevent illness.
Additionally, we understand that different parts of the world are at different stages in this global pandemic. Some regions have closed schools. Others have limited movement. To address the impact on our Associates, we are continually evaluating and supplementing our time off procedures and benefits. Without question, any Associate who has been ordered to quarantine and whose work cannot be done from home will receive full pay for the quarantine period, up to two weeks, depending on exposure assessment.
We are committed to doing what is right for our Associates and the customers and communities who rely on our products. As we continue to evaluate the status of this pandemic and heed guidance from governments, public health experts and our Global Pandemic Team, we adjust our operations and procedures accordingly.
In the meantime, we express our deepest concern for the health and well-being of our Associates, their families, friends and those with whom we do business. This is an unprecedented time and we are determined to get through it together.
Sincerely,
Jason Field, President & CEO
on behalf of the Gore Enterprise Leadership Team