SAFE CASHEW
COVID-19 RESPONSE
We are committed to rise up to the challenge in a responsible and humanely manner.
Alphonsa Cashew Industries has been a trusted and valued supplier to customers worldwide for over 60 years because we deliver safe, high-quality cashew even when external events or circumstances challenge us. We are fully committed to maintaining these high standards as the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic event continue to evolve. Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have activated appropriate measures and precautions to protect ourselves, our partners, and our customers while ensuring necessary supplies of our products.
Our thoughts are with all those who have been impacted by the coronavirus, especially those who are sick and under medical care. We are inspired by the immense contributions of medical professionals and essential workers whose selfless efforts are helping ensure that people around the world are cared for, and their basic needs for surviving this challenge are met respectfully.
Our People
Our People are at the heart of our business. Therefore, the health and safety of our employees, business partners and the communities where we operate are extremely important for us.
We are working hard with our employees to ensure their health and safety, and prevent further spread of the virus. Dedicated cross-functional teams lead our efforts in the battle against COVID-19 who monitor developments, coordinate prevention efforts, communicate with and guide employees at offices and origins, as well as ensure that appropriate equipment and processes are in place to keep our employees and operations safe, in a fast-evolving environment.
We continue to ensure safe operations at every processing facility. We have introduced and strengthened various measures as per international accepted protocols to increase hygienic levels and social distancing in order to protect our employees and safeguard the production process. When and where possible, we are beginning to return to standard operations in a gradual and differentiated manner that enables us to quickly retighten restrictions if needed.
Migrant Workers
We have a significant number of migrant labours working at our processing facilities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. When the pandemic hit, migrant labours were the most affected as they were unable to return home as the country was under total lockdown. We offered all of our migrant colleagues free accommodation and free food of their choice during the entire period of the country-wide lockdown.
Our Customers
We are working closely with our customers to ensure that business flows smoothly and is able to adapt to any changes in the external environment. We are trying to maintain uninterrupted deliveries to our customers by managing logistics and transportation schedules and working closely with our logistics partners to ensure the ability to transport our good quickly through our preferred shipping lines and other networks.
We want to assure our consumers that cashew nuts are safe to enjoy in line with World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Drug Administration, USA (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guidelines that there isn’t any food safety risk relating to food transmission of the coronavirus.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Notification
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA Notification
Our factories are currently running as normal, although with reduced workforce and there are no formal border restrictions to the flow of our goods.
Our Suppliers
Our Procurement Team at Origins is working closely with our suppliers in West Africa, most of whom are smallholder farmers to overcome this pandemic challenges. We have also instituted active communications with our suppliers to monitor daily purchase and inventory levels at origin and remain alert to any potential supply chain disruptions.
We are committed to supporting farmer livelihoods and communities by continuing our sourcing business as usual while taking extra precaution during the procurement activities.
Our Community
As part of our purpose to create fair and sustainable value wherever we operate, we are also engaged in supporting local communities, where COVID-19 has an impact on health services and the most vulnerable. Support is being given to local charities & organisations, and others through cash donations for food and medical supplies.
As our processing facilities are located mostly in rural areas, most of our employees come from the local community. Health and Safety training and awareness classes that are given to our employees on regular intervals have a ripple effect on the local community by way of our employees spreading awareness and knowledge to stay healthy and safe during this pandemic.
COVID-19 Advisories to stakeholders
Resources
COVID-19 Employee Guideline
Our COVID-19 Employee Guideline is for all of our employees that helps them with important information and guidelines.
COVID-19 Interim Guidance For Cleaning and Disinfection
We had created a special COVID-19 Interim Guidance For Cleaning and Disinfection that was circulated to all Factory Managers and Supervisors. This guide is being used to clean and disinfect all of our processing facilities daily.
COVID-19 Positive Employee SOP
We have developed a Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) that needs to be followed when one of our worker tests positive for COVID-19.
Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
We have developed a Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist that allows the Pandemic Manager to check the progress on each actions. This allows the management to check on the organisational preparedness to face a pandemic.
Pandemic Influenza Planning Guide
We have developed a Pandemic Influenza Response Guide that will be used by the top management to help them in preparing the entire organisation for facing a pandemic.
Pandemic Influenza Response Guide
We have developed a Pandemic Influenza Response Guide that will be used by the Pandemic Manager giving clear instructions on what to do on various topics during each pandemic phase.
Circulars
Phase 1 Letter to Employees - English
Phase 1 Letter to Employees - Malayalam
Phase 2 Letter to Employees - English
Phase 2 Letter to Employees - Malayalam
Phase 3 Letter to Employees - English
Phase 3 Letter to Employees - Malayalam
