Update to Iwi from Sealord Group Ltd
9 April 2020
Tēnā koutou katoa e ngā Rangatira
Two weeks into COVID-19 Alert Level 4 and we’re really pleased with how all our staff, at work and at home, have adapted to this new way of operating as an essential business.
Our staff in our factories and on our vessels are all doing a fantastic job in their roles on the frontline. We’ve worked hard to make sure they feel safe coming to work and feedback shows morale is positive.
For our factory staff, we are contributing $6 towards a daily lunch meal, with an additional payment for each day worked during lockdown. This has gone down very well, as have all our additional measures to protect them. You can see our on-site temperature checking in action in this TVNZ news story.
Our recruitment campaign for hoki season is reaping positive results, with a great response from New Zealanders across the country. Thanks for sharing this with your people. We’ve received nearly double the applications as at the same time last year, and have started a robust screening process to ensure Sealord remains COVID-19 free. People can still apply online via www.sealord.com/nz/careers/.
We’re yet to receive a date for our MPI audit but anticipate this to go smoothly due to the strict processes and protocols we have in place, in accordance with official guidelines.
There’s no doubt these are challenging times. While our financial results so far this year are positive, our position for the remainder of the year is somewhat unpredictable due to the fluid situation nationally and globally. We’re facing reduced demand from our food service and export customers, and increased pressure on pricing. As I tell our staff, all we can do is keep focussing on our work and doing it the best we can under these challenging circumstances. We will continue to keep you updated.
All the best for a happy Easter with those in your bubbles.
Stay safe,
Doug Paulin – Chief Operating Officer
Sealord Group Ltd
