Volkswagen issues guidance to 40,000 suppliers for protective measures

In connection with the resumption of production, the Volkswagen Group has developed measures ensuring the maximum level of health protection for its employees and is now implementing them at its plants.

In order to provide the best possible support for the resumption of production and logistics processes in the coronavirus crisis by its more than 40,000 suppliers and several hundred logistics contractors throughout the world, the Group is making its concepts available to them with immediate effect.

Stefan Sommer, Board Member of the Volkswagen Group responsible for Procurement, said: “We are reacting to the large number of enquiries received and to the evident demand on the part of our suppliers. We hope to be to help them protect the health of their employees in connection with the resumption of their activities. This applies especially to those suppliers who may not have the resources needed to develop such a package of measures in a short space of time.”

Gerd Walker, Head of Production of the Volkswagen Group, said: “Over a period of several weeks, more than 50 process and health experts from all Group brands have developed standards that apply throughout the Group to protect employees against covid-19 infection risks.” They also include specific communication packages for everyday work in production, logistics and the office. A works agreement on the subject covers the scope and implementation of the measures.

The suppliers, service providers and logistics contractors with which the Group cooperates will receive access to the protection measures proposed via the Volkswagen B2B platform www.vwgroupsupply.com and will be able to inspect the entire package of measures and use it in accordance with their requirements. For communications on the standards, the Group has developed a variety of communication materials which are available in 19 languages.

Preventative measures