Section SOCIETY
TOPIC Initiatives on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

PALAPLAST SA

Actions & Corporate and Social Responsibility for addressing COVID-19

Palaplast with a high sense of social and corporate responsibility took  series of actions to prevent and treat COVID-19 and participated in the joint effort to meet the medical equipment needs of the hospitals of Thessaloniki. Proving in practice once again that the company's human resources are one of the key factors of its timeless success, inter-company actions were implemented focusing on the safety and health of employees.

To all citizens and also to the employees of the company nationwide.   

Planning and immediate realization began in the first months of the pandemic and continues to this day.       

During this challenging period that we have faced and still facing to this day, it is crucial that we remain united, supporting our heroes of the day, our nation’s doctors and nursing staff.

For that reason, PALAPLAST declares present and involved in the common effort to meet the needs for medical equipment of G. Papanikolaou General Hospital of Thessaloniki and AHEPA University General Hospital of Thessaloniki.

With primary objective the intensive monitoring and treatment of the Covid-19 virus we undertake to provide an advanced, fully equipped Intensive Care Unit, comprised of a specialized electronic nursing bed, monitor of vital organs and a high-tech electronic respiratory station worth 80,000€.

In addition, Palaplast supports non-profit organizations affected by the pandemic, in collaboration with the Network of Social Solidarity and Assistance; we stood by the work of the Hellenic Children's Village, supporting the efforts of its people. We also support the Child's Smile, the Parents Association of Children with Neoplastic Disease Flame and the Accommodation Structure of Unaccompanied Minors Arsis.

Our people, one of our valuable assets and whose participation ensures the continued development and implementation of our vision. That is why we in Palaplast have invested in the health and safety of our employees and their families. We carefully planned in detail the safe work plan for these unprecedented situations caused by the pandemic and we implemented it from the very first days.

Regarding the safe work plan created by the executives of the company, always in relation to the competent authorities, we proceeded to the following actions:

• Purchasing protection equipment in large quantities to avoid future market shortages, such as disposable and fabric face masks, disposable gloves and antiseptic liquids / gels to be placed in any area of ​​the factory.

• Continuous and detailed information of employees about current situations and measures and written instructions for compliance.

• Designing a special plan for the immediate management of a suspected case (quarantine of a suspected case, conducting a test to detect the coronavirus of the case and all employees who came in contact with and disinfecting the area by a specialized company) to continue functioning effectively all the factory sectors.

• Cooperating with large medical centers throughout Greece for the full financial coverage and provision of molecular and rapid tests to our employees. At the beginning of the new year, after the Christmas holidays, all Palaplast employees were tested in the company's courtyard by specialized staff of a large medical center, with 100% of the staff being negative for COVID-19.

• Cooperating with a cleaning company in order to apply disinfection against COVID-19 in all areas of the factory as well as daily disinfection of frequently used surfaces.

• Digitization of many tasks such as exclusive electronic transaction between customers and suppliers, electronic orders, participation in virtual industry exhibitions and e-meetings with partners. The training of the staff by specialized computer executives helped in the immediate acquaintance with the new technologies.

• Application of teleworking to a large percentage of employees in any departments where this was possible and provision of equipment where there was a need.

• Decongestion of employees in the company's premises and keeping distances with specially designed schedules and keeping shifts. As well as avoiding any overcrowding with the temporary ban on entering the break areas inside the premises.

• Granting special purpose permits and permits or telework as a matter of priority to those employees who belong to vulnerable groups and had to remain at home throughout the emergency.

• Issuance of coupons to all employees to be used in a large supermarket chain.

Palaplast has and will always strive for social solidarity even more so now that not only nationally but internationally we are dealing with a crisis. Having as main concern to protect ourselves and each other we must stand united to secure a better future for all.

Palaplast collaborated with the Network of Social Solidarity and Assistance that helped raise money for the Greek Children's Village and was in charge of the distribution of the equipment of the ICU stations in the hospital units of Thessaloniki.

The executives of the company created the safe work plan always in relation to the competent authorities and organized with care and readiness its realization, being present at every step and in every decision.

All over Greece.

Palaplast’s targeted actions helped ensure the health of its 300 employees. More specifically for the protection of the staff, Palaplast supplied over 7,000 disposable face masks, 1,650 cloth face masks, 6,000 gloves and 150 kg of liquid antiseptic. Also, 164 molecular and 466 rapid tests were performed to detect coronavirus, in the staff. The donations exceeded € 85,000 and benefited non-profit organizations and citizens by strengthening the Intensive Care Units (ICU), through the provision of special electronic beds, monitors of vital functions and high-tech electronic respirators in the hospitals of Thessaloniki.

Palaplast, one of the most dynamic industries in the production of plastic pipes and fittings, has 40 years of operation in 2020, which is due to its long experience in the fields of irrigation, water supply and heating.

Palaplast is one of the first industries to receive ISO: 9001, holds the know-how and takes care of the development of mechanical equipment. Quality products, competitive prices and prompt service are our most important competitive factor.

An important asset for Palaplast's progress is its employees. "Our wealth is the people, the employees, the associates, the ones we have met in the four decades of the company," says the President, which is why our main concern is to ensure their health.

With the immediate response of Palaplast to these unprecedented circumstances we managed not only to maintain the safety and health of all of us but also to develop through new processes (such as Digital Marketing and the experience of participating in virtual industry exhibitions) with immediate results to be reflected in the increase of exports and consequently the turnover of the company.