CNH Industrial Is Helping to Tackle Covid-19 in South America
CNH Industrial’s social programs are fully embedded in South America across a variety of sectors including education, culture and local community initiatives. And in response to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the Company has further extended these programs to encompass donations of masks, PPE, basic food baskets, meals, energy generators and support in the production of respirators across Brazil and Argentina.
“We are experiencing an unprecedented global crisis, which is impacting not only the health service, but all other sectors. CNH Industrial is continuing to work to ensure the health and safety of all our employees as well as business continuity, as what we do is considered essential for society, and we are focusing especially on our dealers and customers,” said Vilmar Fistarol, General Manager South America, CNH Industrial.
Concrete actions
In these difficult times, concrete actions make a real difference. To this end, the Company is focusing on helping health facilities in the local communities where it is present. Some 20,000 face masks and goggles have been donated to the following hospitals: the Servas, the Regional Hospital and the St. Francisco of Assisis Hospital Foundation in Contagem, Minas Gerais state, in the South East of Brazil and close to the Company’s Regional Head Quarters; Nossa Senhora das Graças Hospital and the Municipal Hospital of Sete Lagoas, also in Minas Gerais and close to IVECO’s manufacturing base; the Sorocaba Regional Hospital Complex; the Irmandade Santa Casa in both Sorocaba and Piracicaba and the Sugarcane Workers Hospital in Piracicaba, in the state of São Paulo, where Case IH and CASE Construction Equipment have significant presence together with the Paraná State Health Secretariat, the state which is home to New Holland’s manufacturing in the Country.
It is not only donations of commercially available PPE which have been made, the 3D printing facilities at the Company’s IVECO facility in Sete Lagoas have been repurposed to produce face shields.
Food distribution programs
CNH Industrial is also donating food baskets, containing essential items including foodstuffs, personal hygiene items and cleaning products, to the Pastoral de Sorocaba. It is also providing meals for public hospitals and nursing homes in Contagem, Sete Lagoas and also for truck drivers. The Company has provided local associations with the use of trucks to help distribute basic necessities during this time.
Advanced manufacturing assistance
The Company is also participating in initiatives aimed at expanding the production of respirators for hospitals in Córdoba, Argentina. Four power generators are being made available to healthcare facilities, three in Argentina and one in Brazil.
Assisting in mental wellbeing
Together with partner social NGOs in Brazil, the company is helping to monitor the level of social isolation of children and the elderly, and is promoting joint online initiatives to raise awareness regarding personal care, which also helps prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“Now it is all about unity, understanding and solidarity from everyone, companies and citizens alike. As a company, we have a social responsibility in the midst of the pandemic and we will live up to it in the communities in which we operate,” concluded Mr. Fistarol.
