12 May 2020

The Terni Steelworks are the first Italian company to receive recognition and a specific attestation by DNV GL – Business Assurance, one of the leading certification and verification bodies in the world, for its actions against the Coronavirus in these past months.
”AST – states DNV GL Business Assurance – has dealt with the COVID-19 emergency using its own Business Continuity Organisation Model, whose organisation, escalation processes and risk assessment tools were well-defined. The Business Continuity Model sets forth defined and clearly documented levels of activation, responsibility and organisational structures. These factors made it possible for the company to respond promptly and, at times, preventively with regard to the provisions issued by the lawmaker as the crisis evolved.”

“AST provided the human and financial resources required for the implementation of the action plans that resulted from the indications of the Business Continuity Committee, consisting of the corporate departments whose functions were most pertinent in pandemic scenario. Another element was setting up a Joint Committee, with the direct participation of workers’ representatives, which constitutes a valid organisational solution for sharing information and for rapidly defining actions in response to the evolution of the epidemic.”

The attestation also points out the efficient use of internal communication channels “with the aim of constantly providing personnel with information on the mitigation and preventive measures implemented, raising personnel awareness of the conduct to adopt in order to reduce the risk of infection and on the applicable regulatory updates (at national and regional level). The company adopted efficient external channels of communication with the other stakeholders, through which it disseminated information concerning the measures introduced in the various phases of the crisis (e.g. top management communiques, online publications, videos, etc.). It is worth pointing out the ease of use and contents of the Manual for the Training and Information of AST employees, drawn up for COVID-19, which describes the measures implemented and the persons to contact in case of emergency, which was intended to personally involve workers as a proactive party, also towards colleagues and family, in preventing the epidemic from spreading.”

A significant acknowledgement, an important step in the path undertaken by AST for the adoption of all measures that can protect workers’ health and safety. A particularly complex commitment when faced with a hitherto unknown enemy, which has deeply changed the way people experience the workplace, connect with colleagues, and manage their breaks and meals. Nothing will be the same again; we must be able to make our own new rules and focus on things that we would not have deemed important: small sacrifices that can protect us and our families.