COVID-19 Response
Navigating the crisis with resilience
Our proactiveness in conceiving solutions to meet market uncertainties and an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to those in need kept us resilient in the face of the pandemic. We have incrementally stepped up our plan of action against the pandemic since last year to respond as circumstances demand.
KEEPING UP OUR EFFORTS FROM LAST YEAR
Safety and well-being initiatives with flexible work model for our employees
Partnering the government, business and channel partners to connect consumers with essentials
Keeping our factories operational at capacity to meet the needs of consumers
Conceiving innovative marketplace models
Making contributions and aiding essential workers and the community
LEVERAGING THE POWER OF DIGITAL FOR SMARTER INVENTORY PLANNING
During the pandemic, we launched the SupplyVue tool, which helps the Eaglescliffe and Canadian teams achieve over 30% reduction in stock and over 99% service levels to Canadian customers. SupplyVue is a business process innovation that aims to optimise the farm-to-table journey by using analytics for better visibility, planning, and stability. It helped us avoid the bullwhip effect of panic buying common among consumers during the COVID-19 outbreak
SupplyVue
is a business process innovation that aims to optimise the farm-totable journey by using analytics for better visibility, planning, and stability
99%
Service levels to Canadian customers with over 30% reduction in stock, aided by SupplyVue
DISTRIBUTION AGILITY DEMONSTRATED DURING THE PANDEMIC
We have shown agility in finding ways to serve the consumer and reach them in their hour of need with strong distribution capabilities.
- Through direct delivery to customers, we mitigated bottlenecks in UK’s retail distribution
- Partnered with Flipkart, Zomato and Domino’s Pizza in India for innovative distribution solutions
- Launched D2C brands in the Premium Beverages category in India
PRIORITISING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING
We also supported our employees, giving them a sense of belonging and security amid the challenging time. Considering the challenges of new ways of working, we undertook several initiatives to ensure physical, mental and emotional well-being of employees at the frontline and those working from home. The multi-pronged approach included the following initiatives across geographies:
- Introduced BEAM, an employee assistance programme for the India business and made 24X7 counselling service available at our touchpoints and factories
- Launched a 12-week Digital Health Challenge to encourage physical activity
- Introduced ‘Let’s Chat’, an informal means of engagement to build a stronger connection with the Direct Reports of our leadership team
- Extended medical insurance to cover COVID-19 for our broader ecosystem in India – third party service providers, distributors and their employees and several others
- For employees on field or in operation roles who travelled to markets or factories regularly, the highest levels of safety protocols were followed
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CAMPAIGNS AROUND THE PANDEMIC
Partnered with HelpAge India in the Iss Baar #BaadonKeLiye #JaagoRe campaign to provide 5,000+ monthly ration kits across India. We also conducted awareness sessions at designated sites for disadvantaged elderly beneficiaries and distributed 5,000+ breakfast meals in Bengaluru
Tata Sampann launched #HarDinHaldi campaign to promote the immunity boosting benefits of turmeric during the pandemic
In the UK, we donated £150,000 to support the wider grocery industry and 1.5 Million people who were identified as the most vulnerable in the UK received Tetley tea as part of the UK Government’s weekly DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) care packs
In the US, Eight O’Clock Coffee donated free coffee to grocery store workers during the early stages of the pandemic to appreciate frontline retail workers through #GroceryStoreHero
In Canada, 30,000 samples of refreshing Tetley tea were included in curated care packs for 13,000 nurses in Ontario