Was the public health crisis not anticipated? To say so is to state the obvious, in everyone’s eyes.Has it left its on mark on all our personal and professional lives? No one would say otherwise. I want to pay tribute here to the tremendous cohesion and collective commitment of the entire company and its employees during this unprecedented time.The fully understandable anxiety, the changes in our working habits and disruptions in our family environments did not turn us away from our individual and collective responsibilities, and on behalf of the Group, I thank you.

As soon as the first signs emerged, the Group rallied to action to preserve its employees’ health.Regrettably, some of you did fall ill; however, to date, no one has contracted a severe form likely to endanger their health. We are counting on each and every one of you to continue complying with the public health measures in effect, for your own sake and that of others.

The economic and social state of emergency turned all our agendas on end.

Although overall, the Group has been less affected by the crisis than others, we did nonetheless lose up to 35% of our monthly business at the height of the pandemic and as of today, have still not returned to so-called “normal” activity.

The COVID-19 crisis thus remains a part of our reality. We will have to learn to live in this new world with the new constraints it brings in the everyday, without relinquishing any of our values. Already, we have the strength of a Group that is both Global and local at the same time.

We are established everywhere, we produce everywhere at our customers’ doorstep, and this is an essential asset in times ahead. Add to this the mobilisation and cohesion that you demonstrated, and we can be sure we will take this challenge on successfully together.

The results of the February 2020 SICAME Survey, presented in this newsletter, give us more reason to believe in our ability to succeed together. I have confidence in us.

Vincent ROY