Barloworld Limited: Leading Brands

The health and safety of our employees, customers and communities are of paramount importance to us. At Barloworld we actively promote health and safety with policies and practical programmes to assist our people, customers and other stakeholders to safeguard themselves at all times. We monitor the work environment in all jurisdictions and ensure that we comply with the relevant health and safety regulations and guidelines, including COVID-19 regulations. Barloworld has implemented preventative measures and safety protocols to manage the risk of workplace infections to keep our teams, customers, and suppliers safe.

The Barloworld COVID-19 policy that is in place outlines various health and safety measures taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our operations across various geographies. We continue monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on our employees and have implemented additional measures to assist employees to navigate this uncertain, changing and stressful period.

• Click here to view our response to the global pandemic in the 2021 Integrated Report.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes ‘coronaviruses’ (‘CoV’) as a "family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases". A new strain of coronavirus was detected in late 2019, namely ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2’ (‘SARS-CoV-2’), previously known by the provisional name ‘2019 novel coronavirus’. It is this strain, which causes the virus now known as COVID-19.

At the end of January 2020, the WHO declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as “a public health emergency of international concern”. Since then governments across the world have been focused on alleviating the impact of COVID-19 and curbing its further spread. Barloworld Group has implemented measures to manage and mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus in a manner which supports and complements measures already put in place by various governments and stakeholders.

The virus spreads when respiratory droplets from an infected person get into your eyes, nose or mouth. It also spreads when you touch surfaces which someone who is infected with the virus has coughed or sneezed on, and then touch your nose, mouth, or eyes. As the virus can live on surfaces for a period of time, it is critical to frequently clean and disinfect commonly used objects and surfaces. It is also important to avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Fever;
• Cough;
• Sore throat;
• Shortness of breath;
• Chest pains;
• Body aches.

Symptoms may appear within 2-14 hours after exposure. Once infected, symptoms range in severity from mildly flu-like indicators to much more serious symptoms which in some instances may result in hospitalisation.

1. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
   How to wash your hands correctly:
   – Apply soap and water on your entire hand;
   – Rub underneath your fingernails;
   – Rub between fingers;
   – Rub your palms;
   – Back of hands;
   – And wrists.
   
   You are advised to wash your hands:
   – When caring for someone who is sick;
   – Before preparation of food and before eating;
   – After using the bathroom;
   – After handling animals and animal waste.
   
2. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer which is comprised of at least 60% alcohol.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
4. Cough into a flexed elbow or cover your mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Be sure to dispose of it afterwards.
5. Avoid sharing food, utensils and stationery.
6. Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces regularly.
7. Practice mandated social or physical distancing, which means keeping a space of at least 1 metre between yourself and other people.

If you experience mild flu-like symptoms you must:

• Seek medical advice;
• Stay home and self-isolate/quarantine yourself.

Follow the recommended procedures when you experience any symptoms and most importantly, stay home.

Here is a list of helpful resources which you can consult for more detailed information on COVID-19:

The World Health Organisation (WHO) https://www.who.int/

COVID-19 Corona Virus South African Resource Portal https://sacoronavirus.co.za/

Alternatively contact one of the South African Government’s COVID19 support lines:

Emergency Hotline: 0800 029 999

WhatsApp Support Line: 0600 123456

With COVID-19 still on the rise it is vital that you boost your immune system and make healthier lifestyle choices. Here are a few tips on how to strengthen your immune system:

• Exercise regularly;
• Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables;
• Drink plenty of water;
• Get adequate sleep;
• Try to minimize stress.

The Barloworld Group’s priority is to continue to implement all mandatory measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the safety of our employees, customers and communities.