While taking all safety measures, SEKEM and all its subsidiary companies are still fully running an efficient operation relying on our direct community consisting of almost 2000 members, as well as our loyal partners. At SEKEM, we believe it is in challenging times like these that the power of collaboration is needed most of all and we are committed to keeping you informed. So here’s the business update on SEKEM’s companies and projects.
Internal health and safety measures in all SEKEM’s institutions
As it has always been, the safety and security of our employees and visitors remains our highest priority. We are always training to maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene. In response to the coronavirus, we have taken additional measures developed in consultation with global and local public health authorities to make our cleaning and hygiene protocols even more rigorous.
We have also developed an internal strategy based on substitution or rotation as a precautionary measure according to the new state restrictive regulations, ensuring the prevention of any hindering to the production. Our devoted workers continue to maintain the work flow through rotational shifts. We have also conducted a clear health reporting system to all of our employees ensuring their personal safety and support them in staying healthy also when they are at home by giving them hygienic products or face masks.
How the coronavirus affected the business
It is obvious that the coronavirus has affected the global economy and all sectors. The demand on Organic products has tripled, the demand for face masks and hand sanitizers has increased by five times while their prices tripled, and e-commerce has boomed like never before, as concluded iSiS Organic’s General Manager. The borders regulations have affected the logistics and the sourcing of many products and materials. All of these sudden changes have affected SEKEM Group and its subsidiary companies, yet we are still able to adapt our plans and actions, with the support of our community and partners.
SEKEM’s companies and products
SEKEM has directed its focus and attention from the very beginning towards essential and vital products while boosting its health value by using Organic and Biodynamic agricultural methods. And now more than ever, the consumer has understood and appreciated the value and quality of those products. We will continue to meet our customer and consumer’s expectations and be a constant healthy part of their journey.
SEKEM’s subsidiary companies; iSiS Organic, Atos Pharma, NatureTex and SEKEM Health label are all developing new products to fulfill the market and consumer’s needs in the time of the Coronavirus. Some of our new products for iSiS Organic and SEKEM Health are in the line of immunity boosting Phytopharmaceuticals, while NatureTex has developed sustainable facemasks made from Organic cotton.
SEKEM’s development projects continue!
It is at such difficult and critical times when development is most needed. Hence, SEKEM is ensuring the continuation of its social and ecological projects.
13 Villages Project launches Eco Gamer
While some of the 13 Villages Project initial actions were postponed due to the social and business restrictions caused by COVID-19, SEKEM’s educational institutions and staff exhibited flexibility and initiative and developed Eco Gamer as a sub-project serving the 13 Villages. The project seeks to give young people from diverse backgrounds improved skills and accessible ways to map and assess their local communities with sustainability in mind, and to design, implement and celebrate regenerative local solutions, projects and social enterprises together.
Greening the Desert business update
In March, the second phase of Greening the Desert campaign was launched as planned to start reclaiming the next 63 hectares of Wahat desert land. Thanks to our contributions, in only one month time, we were able to raise over 40% of our funding goal. We also started sending out the first SEKEM vouchers to our lenders to enjoy SEKEM’s healthy products. Besides, we decided to give home to our 70 seasonal workers in Wahat in addition to our full-time contracted workers, as long as the current critical situation persists.
According to SEKEM’s holistic vision, the social and cultural aspect continues to guide our business – but we are very grateful that our businesses are still running smoothly in order to also ensure the financial security of our community members in the long run.
Nadine Greiss
Integrative Health: What, Why and How?
Responsibility, Opportunity and Optimism
Making it Explicit: Embedding the SDGs Into the Core Business