WTTC and ICC Issue Covid-19 Restart Guide for Employers
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) have published a set of recommendations for safely re-opening customer facing businesses in the age of Covid-19.
As the coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread disruptions to global supply chains and businesses of all sizes, the tourism sector is particularly impacted by travel restrictions, declining traveller confidence and reduced consumer demand. ICC and WTTC have released the Quick Restart Guide for Employers to provide businesses with recommendations for ensuring operational readiness, preparing staff and limiting risk of exposure to the virus within workplaces.
“Our guide provides recommendations for businesses around the world, be they large enterprises or SME’s, to ensure employees are able to return to their place of work safely and are in line with WTTC’s Safe Travels protocols,” WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara said.
The ICC-WTTC guidance is divided into clear categories to help travel and tourism businesses restart their operations safely. From rebuilding trust and confidence with customers to preparing staff returning to workplaces, the guidance provides businesses with a checklist of considerations for reopening. The checklist includes the following essential actions:
- Access to the latest health and safety guidance from local, national and
international authorities, - A Covid-19 Prevention Plan, which includes considerations for infection prevention, cleaning and disinfection guided by health experts and governmental authorities,
- Protocols and guidelines for ensuring staff health, including provisions for health checks when appropriate,
- Protocols to promote physical distancing,
- Adequate supply of hygiene products, such as soap and sanitiser, for staff and guest use,
- Appropriate personal protection equipment where required by local authorities,
- A business continuity plan in place that details how your business will respond to other social, economic or environmental crises that may arise.
“ It’s critical for ICC and our global network to engage with travel and tourism businesses as we work together to reinstate consumer confidence, protect employees and safely re-open our economies, ” ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton said.