Measures / Best Practices Adopted by Industry to Combat COVID -19 Outbreak

Measures / Best Practices Adopted by Industry to Combat COVID -19 outbreak

As on 16 April 2020

Index

Sr No Company Name Page No

1. Sterling and Wilson Pvt. Ltd 1

2. Vedanta Group 3

3. Blue Dart Express Ltd 4

4. Gensuite India 6

Some International Best Practices

5. National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), USA 9

6. Cargill, USA 20

7. Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry 21

8. Mubadala Healthcare, UAE 25

Measures taken by Sterling and Wilson Pvt Ltd

Article by Mr Manoj Deorukhkar, CIO, Sterling and Wilson Pvt Ltd on how the company ensured secure Work from Home Policy

COVID-19 has created havoc across the world, and the pandemic has severely disrupted the social life and economic activities. For organizations, it’s quite challenging to ensure the health and safety of people, and at the same time having a minimal impact on business continuity.

At Sterling and Wilson, we quickly responded by aligning our IT strategy with the evolving situation. The company had a well-thought-out BCP (Business Continuity Planning) policy in place. The policy was rolled out immediately, with applications availability, collaboration, and mobility as key pillars.

To implement work from home (WFH), help desks were rapidly set up at regional centres, laptops were made available for everyone, and wherever it was not feasible desktops were installed. Since the lockdown was sudden, and with the immediate effect, many of our employees couldn’t manage to get their laptops to work from home. We quickly came up with UYOD (Use Your Own Device) policy and enabled our people to use their laptops, with necessary precautions, to ensure continuity of work.

For an EPC company, work from home is a novel experience. However, our people responded positively and quickly adapted to this new reality. Though we faced some challenges, in a few locations, due to bandwidth and stability of home internet connection. Our people are using tools like Microsoft Teams, LifeSize, SharePoint, and OneDrive for internal and external communication and to store database.

To ensure safe and trusted connections for work from home, we have enhanced the VPN (Virtual Private Network) connections multi-fold. The company has organized online tutorials on how to use ICT tools to dispense their day-to-day activities. Also, we have identified anchors at each location to help their peers.

Investments made by the company in cloud and collaborative tools have benefited us immensely. Our cloud strategy has ensured the availability of a wide range of applications without having an on-premise operational data center. Collaborative tools such as video conferencing have empowered our employees to interact seamlessly with peers, partners, and customers and take the necessary decisions.

Cybercriminals are always at the look-out for a situation like this to do cyber frauds that could lead to a data breach, loss of privacy, etc. Work from home has a massive

1 implication on IT security posture, especially on network and application security. Recently, we have seen an upsurge in attempts from hackers, since the lockdown, and that has prompted us to vigorously restart the IT security awareness campaign as well as the actual deployment of few tools like anti-virus on personal computers.

An organization must have strong systems and processes in place to ensure business continuity. While continuity of work is a business need, our utmost priority is the safety of our people. ICT tools have been a great help in facilitating the work from home concept. It’s an opportune time for an organization to relook into the digital transformation strategy.

Additionally, remote working can translate into a reduction in operational costs, minimizing business travels, less pollution, etc. Most importantly, it can help employees to achieve work-life balance and be more productive.

Source: https://sterlingandwilson.com/media/

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Blue Dart ensures continuity of essential supply chain for the nation during COVID-19 outbreak Deploys its 757 Boeing freighters to move medical and pharmaceutical supplies with additional new routes

Mumbai, April 06th, 2020: Against the backdrop of the global Covid-19 outbreak, our nation is grappling with a situation never experienced earlier & this has a widespread impact on the economy. Businesses across sectors and geographies are disrupted due to mobility suspension.

In this challenging environment, Blue Dart has mobilized its Business Contingency and Continuity Plan (BCCP), including pandemic operating plans, and is implementing preventive actions as appropriate to ensure least disruption in our services to Indian businesses. Our QRT – Quick Response Team, is working 24x7 towards mitigating potential impacts while ensuring continuity of the supply chain across the nation. Our six 757 Boeing freighters operating day and night across Indian skies have been prioritised to deliver medical equipment & pharmaceuticals amongst other shipments enabling the nation in its fight against the COVID 19 pandemic.

We are continuously monitoring and responding to the various situational challenges caused by COVID-19 keeping the interest of customers, employees and community paramount. We are providing vital updates and necessary information to our customers and employees on precautionary measures and permissible guidelines to operate across geographies during the 21-days nationwide lockdown.

Balfour Manuel, Managing Director, Blue Dart Express Limited said, “In this critical health crisis, our Express logistics services play a critical role, in saving lives – whether it is by sending emergency medical equipment and supplies to healthcare workers; delivering necessity goods to customers; or by finding solutions for companies to continue their operations. To this end, we are working closely with Government bodies and Institutions. Our QRT is responding exceptionally to the situation & industries we are working with have appreciated the response that Blue Dart has been able to put together at short notice. We are working round the clock to deliver in a time-bound manner so that the fight against the pandemic is supplemented & multiplied. Ensuring the air life-line of the nation our aircrafts are deployed”

To ensure essential deliveries are not disrupted, Blue Dart also operated two new air - routes Guwahati and Pune which are not a part of our normal schedule. We are also flying flights as exigencies demand. Additionally, we are exploring international charter to support critical Government requirement.

Blue Dart has listed itself on the dedicated Medical Air Cargo website www.civilaviation.gov.in

Shipments moved: Across the country we have been delivering testing kits, reagents, enzymes, medical equipment (ventilators), N95 respirators and surgical masks, gloves, & other items requisitioned by State Governments. Customers such as Siemens, Boston scientific, Sun pharmaceuticals and several others have used our aviation service to move essential medical supplies.

About Blue Dart: Blue Dart Express Ltd., South Asia's premier express air and integrated transportation & distribution company, offers secure and reliable delivery of consignments to over 35,000 locations in India. As part of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s DHL eCommerce Solutions division, Blue Dart accesses the largest and most comprehensive express and logistics network worldwide, covering over 220 countries and territories, and offers an entire spectrum of distribution services including air express, freight forwarding, supply chain solutions and customs clearance.

The Blue Dart team drives market leadership through its motivated people, dedicated air and ground capacity, cutting-edge technology, wide range of innovative, vertical specific products and value-added services to deliver unmatched standards of service quality to its customers. Blue Dart's market leadership is further validated by its position as the nation’s most innovative and awarded express logistics company for exhibiting reliability, superior brand experience and sustainability which include recognition as one of ‘India's Best Companies to Work For’ by The Great Place to Work® Institute, India, ranked amongst ‘Best Multinational Workplaces in Asia’ by The Great Place to Work® Institute, Asia, voted a ‘Superbrand’ and ‘Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brand’, listed as one of Fortune 500’s ‘India's Largest Corporations’ and Forbes ‘India's Super 50 Companies’ to name a few.

Blue Dart fulfils its social responsibility of climate protection (GoGreen), disaster management (GoHelp) and education (GoTeach) through programs.

For further information, contact:

Blue Dart Express Limited Perfect Relations Archana Mohta Nitu Siddam P: 9833758933 P: 9967048682 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

Gensuite announces a complimentary Real-time COVID-19 management solution for the business community

Gensuite has always been a dependable and trusted partner, and in the current time of crisis, as Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) professionals, we are determined to do everything we can to help businesses stay connected wherever they are, digitally.

Gensuite is offering a complimentary cloud-hosted, pre-configured, ready-to-use EHS solution with Incident and Action Management program package, consisting of real-time pandemic exposure managing capability in its solutions enabling the business community to track and manage all pandemic risks and exposures, visualize the impact across geographies and initiate timely preventive and progressive actions to combat and manage resources effectively for 6 months, at no cost.

About Gensuite

The Gensuite solution is Inspired by Users and Created for Leaders Like You, to foster safe and sustainable work environments worldwide. It enables companies to implement robust cross-functional compliance & management systems – locally, globally and across diverse operating profiles. Our comprehensive cloud software suite features intuitive, best-practice process functionality, flexible configurations and powerful extensions across application suites for Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) and Sustainability; Quality; Security; Responsible Sourcing; Product Stewardship and Equipment Asset Management. For over two decades, we’ve helped companies manage safe & sustainable operations worldwide, with a focus on fast return on investment (ROI), service excellence and continuous innovation.

Gensuite’s applications are intelligently integrated with global and company customizable EHS content in addition to partnerships with leading regulatory content providers and meet virtually every EHS management and compliance process need, currently for 16,000+ sites, 1,000,000 users, in 120+ countries and 16 languages.

Today, Gensuite’s experienced management and executive leadership team is ably supported by a broad team of functional and IT professionals, determined and committed to partner with customers to deliver extraordinary value. The Gensuite Subscriber & Partner Community continues to push the innovation envelope and now looks to redefine programs through cutting-edge, emerging technologies with high-value & practical impact.

The Gensuite team is united by a common purpose – enabling Gensuite users and their organizations to accomplish business objectives more efficiently, effectively and collaboratively.

Gensuite Products:

• Audit & Compliance Assurance • Incident Management • Health & Safety Management • Environmental Compliance • Management Systems • Training Compliance • Sustainability & Energy

65+ App Modules | 250+ Subscribers |16,000+ sites | 120+ Countries |1 Million Global Users |Configure & Deploy Quickly |6 • Chemical Management • Quality Program • Supplier Responsibility • Security/Crisis Management • Product Compliance • Dashboards & Operational Engagement, Business Processes, and System Support with Mobile capability across the suite.

The Gensuite Benefits

Deep domain knowledge in EHS

• Demonstrated experience in ensuring alignment and evolution of the Gensuite system with strategic objectives and visions of our subscribers

Highest standards of customer support

• A highly technical, customer-orientated support team with deep EHS heritage & domain expertise to drive EHS excellence

• Customers are assigned a dedicated Gensuite service team to ensure that our world-class Service Level Commitments are met & exceeded

Depth and breadth of integrated functionality

• Gensuite currently offers 65+ integrated, web-based applications that span the entire EHS spectrum, with additional capabilities for allied functions such as Sustainability, Security, Quality, Responsible Sourcing, Product Stewardship and Equipment Asset Management

• Continuous application evolution as the standard—no software version upgrades required

Mobile Capabilities and Built-in Reporting & Analytics

• Gensuite has been pioneering Mobile capabilities for the compliance community since 2006; Take the power of Gensuite with you anywhere with Gensuite Mobile, including on and offline capabilities and seamless desktop integration

• With Gensuite Analytics | by Tableau®, powerful Business Intelligence is as simple as drag, drop and share. Interactive visualizations make it easy to connect, analyze and see your data; leading better identification trends, underlying causes and risk factors

Gensuite Approach, Offering, & Rapid ROI

• Our common application architecture, provides customization & configuration for business needs and the ability for customers to deploy Gensuite in as few as 4-6 weeks from contract signing

• Our service cost model is based on the business scale of implementation (business profile, industry, # of sites, # of employees, scope of roll-out, and intended use) rather than per user/concurrent user licenses; Engaging an unlimited number of employees in key activities and tasks that are managed in Gensuite

• Gensuite provides a wide offering for reporting, analysis and KPI metric reporting capabilities; Each Gensuite application has a reports and/or charts module that can be used to monitor and identify trends across various levels

Naveen G.V is an Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and Management professional with 20 years of experience spanning across Government, Consulting and Industry sectors. He is currently the Managing Director & Executive, Business Development for Gensuite, a US headquartered company offering software solutions to global customers in managing their EHS, Sustainability and Risk management programs. In his earlier role, Naveen was the EHS Leader at the GE Global Research Centre at Bangalore. Naveen has a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering and is a Lead Auditor for ISO 14001: Environmental Management System and RC 14001: Responsible Care Management System covering environmental, health, safety, security, product stewardship and outreach activities.

Nipun Pereira is an Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Professional, holds a Master’s in Environmental Sciences, PG Diploma in Health, Safety and Environment and PGD Environmental Law from the National Law School. He is NEBOSH IGC Certified in Occupational Health and Safety, Lead Auditor for ISO 14001: Environmental Management Systems and holds an MBA in Operations Management and Six Sigma Green Belt Certification. He has over 10 years of work experience and currently working as a Senior Solutions Specialist, responsible for Business Development across MEA, India and APAC for Gensuite, a US based company offering software solutions to global customers in managing their EHS, Sustainability and Risk management programs.

Website – www.gensuite.in / www.gensuite.com

NIPUN PEREIRA Senior Solutions Specialist +91 9964356360 [Mobile] +91 8067659990 [Office] [email protected] www.gensuite.com

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If you’re having trouble reading this, click here. Global Manufacturing Economic Update

Essential Takes on Leading Economic Indicators By Chad Moutray and Linda Dempsey – April 9, 2020 – SHARE

Manufacturers Struggle to Maintain Operations Worldwide due to COVID-19

The Monthly Toplines

Just two of the top 10 markets for U.S.-manufactured goods experienced growth in activity in March: China and the Netherlands. More importantly, aside from the rebound seen in China, each of the other nine economies had weaker PMI data in March than in February, highlighting the abrupt halt in activity seen globally as nations struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The J.P. Morgan Global Composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and services, fell sharply from 46.1 to 39.4, its lowest level since February 2009. More importantly, the services sector component (down from 47.1 to 37.0) dropped to an all-time low, with fewer people going to restaurants or retailers and travel beyond the home severely restricted worldwide. The improvements seen in China in March reflect the attempts of businesses coming back online to some extent. New data on industrial production will likely also show this rebound when released on April 17. In February, Chinese industrial production fell 13.5% year-over-year, its steepest drop in output since 1990. Elsewhere, the data continue to reflect the struggle to maintain operations worldwide, with new orders and production dropping sharply. Many firms are also dealing with supply chain and employment disruptions. Here are some examples:

Despite rising somewhat in March, the J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI noted that the contraction in demand was the worst since the spring of 2009. Eurozone manufacturing activity declined at the fastest pace since July 2012, with Germany contracting for the 15th consecutive month and other markets also struggling. Business and consumer confidence in Europe fell from 103.4 in February to 94.5 in March, the biggest monthly drop in the survey’s 35-year history. images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 1/11 9 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 Our largest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, each contracted sharply in March. Activity in Canada fell to the lowest level since the survey began in October 2010. Activity in Mexico, down from 50.0 to 47.1, contracted for the fourth time in the past five months. The au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing PMI fell to its worst reading since the April 2011 tsunami. The April IHS Markit survey data will likely show further deteriorations in manufacturing sentiment globally.

The U.S. dollar has soared 7.0% against a broad-based index of currencies for goods and services since March 3, according to the Federal Reserve. As such, the U.S. dollar has been very strong relative to other currencies, especially as investors have flocked to the safety of dollar-denominated assets in the current COVID-19 financial crisis. The U.S. trade deficit fell to the lowest level since September 2016, decreasing from $45.48 billion in January to $39.93 billion in February. The decline over the past two months in the trade deficit has stemmed largely from a sharp decrease in goods imports, which have fallen from $207.44 billion in December, to $203.37 billion in January, to $198.42 billion in February, a level not seen since October 2016. In non-seasonally adjusted data, U.S.-manufactured goods exports declined by roughly 1 percent in the first two months of 2020 relative to January and February of 2019. Manufacturers continue to advance efforts with the administration and Congress to ensure trade certainty and address challenges overseas, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic:

Monitoring foreign export restrictions and bans on personal protective equipment, health products and other products during the COVID-19 response Working with U.S. government agencies to create streamlined communication channels to aid manufacturers facing trade and supply chain bottlenecks Monitoring essential critical infrastructure guidance globally during the COVID-19 crisis Urging a quick return to the negotiating table to begin negotiations on a U.S.–China “phase two” trade deal Working with policymakers in the United States, Mexico and Canada to ensure full implementation of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement Securing a strong Miscellaneous Tariff Bill in 2020 to eliminate tariffs on products not produced or available in the United States

images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 2/1110 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6

Global Economic Trends

Worldwide Manufacturing Activity: The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI declined at a slower rate in March, likely due to some stabilization in China, after falling to its lowest level since May 2009 in February on worries about the COVID-19 outbreak and disruptions in “supply chains and demand.” The headline index increased from 47.1 in February to 47.6 in March, contracting for the second straight month (and the eighth time in the past 11 months). The underlying data were mixed. The pace of decline for global output and employment eased in March. However, the contraction for new orders and exports deepened further, with each falling to levels not seen since the spring of 2009.

The index for future output (52.3) indicated some cautious optimism for very modest growth six months from now, even as it softened to the slowest rate since the survey question was added in July 2012. With that said, there has likely been a further deterioration in activity in many economic markets from both the COVID-19 outbreak and oil price shocks, which suggests some additional weakening in the forthcoming April data.

Meanwhile, the J.P. Morgan Global Composite PMI, which includes both manufacturing and services, fell sharply from 46.1 to 39.4, its lowest level since February 2009. More importantly, the services sector component (down from 47.1 to 37.0) dropped to an all-time low, with fewer people going to images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 3/1111 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 restaurants or retailers and travel beyond the home severely restricted worldwide. (The low point in the Great Recession was a reading of 37.8 in October 2008.)

Major Markets: Just two of the top 10 markets for U.S.-manufactured goods experienced growth in activity in March: China and the Netherlands. More importantly, aside from the rebound seen in China, each of the other nine economies had weaker PMI data in March than in February, highlighting the abrupt halt in activity seen globally as nations struggle to contain the COVID- 19 pandemic. These contractions in manufacturing performance were at multiyear lows, often the worst seen since the Great Recession, with some notching new record lows. Here are more details on each of these major markets (in order of their ranking for U.S.-manufactured goods exports in 2019):

Canada: down from 51.8 in February to 46.1 in March, the lowest level since the survey began in October 2010 Mexico: down from 50.0 to 47.1, contracting for the fourth time in the past five months China: up from 40.3 to 50.1, rebounding from the worst reading since the survey began in April 2004 as the nation stabilizes from its COVID-19 outbreak and starts to get operations back up and running Japan: down from 47.8 to 44.8, its worst reading since the tsunami in April 2011 United Kingdom: down from 51.7 to 47.8, a three-month low and reversing the post-Brexit boost in confidence seen in February Germany: down from 48.0 to 45.4, contracting for the 15th straight month Netherlands: down from 52.9 to 50.5, slowing in March with new orders (44.9) contracting at the fastest rate since December 2011 South Korea: down from 48.7 to 44.2, its lowest level since January 2009 Brazil: down from 52.3 to 48.4, its worst reading since February 2017 France: down from 49.8 to 43.2, a level not seen since January 2011, with output declining at fastest clip since March 2009

Regional and National Trends: The downward shift in global manufacturing activity over the past month can clearly be seen in the PMI data discussed above. Here are some other economic trends worth noting:

China: The improvements seen in China in March reflect the attempts of businesses coming back online to some extent. New data on industrial production will likely also show this rebound when released on April 17. In February, Chinese industrial production fell 13.5% year-over-year, its steepest drop in output since 1990. Retail sales (down 20.5% year-over- year) and fixed-asset investment (down 24.5% year-over-year) were also off sharply in February and will be closely watched for improvements in March.

images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 4/1112 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 Europe: In contrast, Eurozone industrial production could start to show the effects of COVID-19 with its February release on April 16. In January, industrial production was up 2.3%, but with a decline of 1.9% year-over- year. Retail sales rose 0.9% in February and were up 3.0% over the past 12 months, with the unemployment rate dropping to 7.3% in February, the lowest since March 2008. With that said, business and consumer confidence fell from 103.4 in February to 94.5 in March, the biggest monthly drop in the survey’s 35-year history. United Kingdom: Real GDP was flat in the fourth quarter, slowing from a gain of 0.5% in the third quarter. On an annualized basis, the U.K. economy grew 1.1%, the slowest since the first quarter of 2018. Industrial production edged down 0.1% in January, but with manufacturing output up 0.2%. Since January 2019, industrial production fell 2.9%, the most since February 2013. Retail sales were down 0.3% in February, declining for the third time in the past four months, with a decrease of 1.6% year- over-year, the weakest rate since March 2013. Canada: Manufacturing sales were off 0.2% in January, led by weaker demand for petroleum and coal products and transportation equipment. After declining for five straight months, manufacturing sales have declined 1.2% year-over-year, with new data coming out on April 16. Retail sales were up 0.4% in January, with 3.4% growth over the previous 12 months. Mexico: Industrial production fell 0.6% in February, declining 1.9% over the past 12 months. Manufacturers have reported a 1.0% decline year- over-year. Japan: Industrial production increased for the third straight month, up 0.4% in February, led by chemicals, electronic parts and devices and metals. Yet, Japanese industrial production has fallen 4.7% since February 2019. Emerging Markets: Buoyed by the stabilization seen in China, the IHS Markit Emerging Markets Manufacturing PMI rose from 44.6 in February, the lowest reading since March 2009, to 49.1 in March.

Trade-Weighted U.S. Dollar Index: The U.S. dollar has soared 7.0% against a broad-based index of currencies for goods and services since March 3, according to the Federal Reserve. As such, the U.S. dollar has been very strong relative to other currencies, especially as investors have flocked to the safety of dollar-denominated assets in the current COVID-19 financial crisis. This index reflects currency rates per U.S. dollar, suggesting the dollar can purchase a lot more today than it could just a few weeks ago. In general, manufacturers continue to cite a strong dollar as a challenge, both to their earnings and for increasing international demand. Over a longer time horizon, the U.S. dollar has risen 17.1% since Feb. 1, 2018, with 33.9% growth since July 1, 2014.

International Trade: The U.S. trade deficit fell to the lowest level since September 2016, decreasing from $45.48 billion in January to $39.93 billion in images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 5/1113 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 February. The decline over the past two months in the trade deficit has stemmed largely from a sharp decrease in goods imports, which have fallen from $207.44 billion in December, to $203.37 billion in January, to $198.42 billion in February, a level not seen since October 2016. In February, goods imports fell for consumer goods (down $1.13 billion), foods, feeds and beverages (down $403 million), industrial supplies and materials (down $1.60 billion) and non-automotive capital goods (down $3.69 billion, including $2.59 billion for computers and accessories and telecommunications equipment). However, goods imports increased for automotive vehicles and parts (up $1.40 billion).

Meanwhile, goods exports rose from $136.25 billion in January to $137.20 billion in February, led by growth in automotive vehicles, parts and components (up $537 million), industrial supplies and materials (up $719 million) and non-automotive capital goods (up $241 million). At the same time, exports declined for foods, feeds and beverages (down $91 million, including a decline of $503 million for soybeans) and consumer goods (down $698 million).

In non-seasonally adjusted data, U.S.-manufactured goods exports totaled $176.31 billion in the first two months of 2020, down 1.01% from $178.11 billion in January and February of 2019. As such, it suggests that demand for manufactured goods has remained weak so far this year, building on the declines seen last year.

International Trade Policy Trends

U.S. Joins G20 Leaders, Trade Ministers Pledging to Minimize Disruptions to Trade and Global Supply Chains. As the United States and other countries respond to the health, trade and economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump joined other G20 leaders in a March 26 virtual summit and joint statement, pledging joint efforts to “minimize disruptions to trade and global supply chains.” G20 Trade Ministers held a follow-up summit on March 31, pledging to “take immediate necessary measures to facilitate trade” in goods needed for pandemic response. The statement, however, stopped short of any pledge to avoid or limit export bans or restrictions. In his statement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer affirmed the importance of not disrupting supply chains, though he also said that the crisis had shown the dangers of “overdependence on other countries” and the need for supply chain diversification. Both statements followed announcements from a group of Pacific Rim countries (New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, Canada, Australia, Brunei and Myanmar). They issued a joint statement affirming the importance of refraining from export bans or restrictions and working together to ensure a free flow of trade during the COVID-19 pandemic. images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 6/1114 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 The NAM is monitoring closely foreign export restrictions and bans on personal protective equipment, health products and other products during the COVID-19 response and has worked with U.S. government agencies to create streamlined communication channels to aid manufacturers facing trade and supply chain bottlenecks.

Learn more.

Manufacturers monitor essential critical infrastructure guidance globally amid COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the NAM’s broad engagement on issues related to essential critical infrastructure amid the COVID-19 pandemic, manufacturers continue to monitor closely global actions that affect their ability to operate around the world. On March 31, Mexico released a decree that defines a narrow set of industries and activities as essential in Mexico. This decree has resulted in considerable uncertainty for manufacturers with facilities in Mexico, including those that supply essential manufacturing operations in the United States. On April 2, the Canadian federal government issued non-binding guidance with a list of services and functions across 10 critical infrastructure sectors, including manufacturing, energy, information and communication technologies, health, food and transportation. Additionally, a number of Canadian provinces, including Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan, have released their own essential critical infrastructure guidance.

Learn more.

U.S., China continue implementation steps for “Phase One” deal. Even amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. and Chinese officials are continuing efforts to implement the U.S.–China “phase one” trade deal (English and Chinese), with President Trump and senior U.S. officials touting concrete progress on some of the most immediate agriculture items. NAM sources indicate that the two sides have set up and started using dialogue mechanisms, including calls between “designated officials,” and initial deadlines such as Chinese steps to lift bans and implement protocols to facilitate U.S. exports of products such as potatoes, beef, pet food and dairy products. It remains unclear whether China met its March 27 deadline to provide the United States with a detailed, timeline-driven action plan for steps to improve intellectual property. However, NAM sources indicate that China and the United States have had constructive conversations about those commitments. Questions remain about China’s progress on its commitments to purchase $200 billion of manufacturing, agriculture and energy products. China’s February 19 creation of a new exclusion process provides a images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 7/1115 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 facilitation mechanism. Though he did not provide details on manufacturing purchases, President Trump on April 6 indicated that initial trade statistics show increased Chinese purchases of agricultural commodities. Separately, USTR on March 20 also announced a public comment process for potential modifications for products facing Section 301 tariffs and needed for the medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a follow-up notice, USTR stressed that public comments would be open until June 25.

The NAM strongly supported the deal based on key commitments in areas such as intellectual property and dispute resolution, calling for robust implementation of its commitments. The NAM also urged a quick return to the negotiating table to begin negotiations on a “phase two” deal to discuss unaddressed areas of the NAM’s negotiating framework and provide the pathway to step back from trade war actions that have caused significant business uncertainty for manufacturers.

Learn more.

USMCA entry into force likely delayed until July 1 at the earliest. The United States, Mexico and Canada continue to work toward implementation of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, with Canada and Mexico completing domestic procedures required prior to entry into force of the agreement. On April 2, Canada notified the United States and Mexico that Canada has completed its domestic ratification process for USMCA. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a press release that the “Canadian government will continue to work with the United States and Mexican governments to determine an ‘entry into force’ date that is mutually beneficial.” On April 4, Mexico notified the United States and Canada that Mexico has completed its internal process to enable entry into force of the USMCA. On April 7, the government of Mexico requested a transition period for full implementation of the automotive provisions under the agreement. On March 30, a bipartisan group of 19 senators urged the Trump administration to delay entry into force. They wrote that “USMCA should not enter into force prematurely – particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic – and thereby deny American farmers, workers, and businesses its intended benefits.”

July 1 is likely the earliest date on which the USMCA can enter into force. The NAM will continue working with policymakers in all three countries to ensure full implementation of the USMCA so that manufacturers can grow their business even more with our country’s two largest trading partners. images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 8/1116 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6

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USTR Releases 2020 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on March 31 released the National Trade Estimate report, its long-standing annual report on international trade barriers around the world. This year’s report – more than 500 pages in length – covers trade barriers in 63 markets around the world, including all of the United States’ free trade agreement partners. These barriers protect foreign competitors and block access by U.S. goods and services to critical foreign markets as well as efforts by USTR to address those barriers. Included with the press release is a summary of the biggest developments highlighted in the report and fact sheets on digital trade barriers and agriculture-related measures. The report covers many of the priorities that the NAM highlighted in its October 2019 comments, including import tariffs, export subsidies and limitations, discriminatory localization policies, lack of intellectual property protection, technical barriers to trade, investment restrictions and digital trade. The fact sheet on key developments ticks off key areas where the NAM worked to lead the charge, from larger issues such as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement and the China “phase one” deal to specific regulatory issues such as Colombia truck scrapping and European technical standards for key manufactured equipment. The biggest focal points are concentrated in a handful of markets, with the European Union by far the largest (running nearly 50 pages). Other countries and regions that received extensive coverage include China, India, Russia, Indonesia and Japan.

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U.S. Export-Import Bank approves temporary relief measures to deliver flexibility and liquidity to exporters. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ex-Im Bank has approved two sets of relief measures to support exporters during this challenging time. It also has rescheduled its annual conference to this autumn. On March 12, the Ex-Im Bank announced relief provisions for its customers impacted by COVID-19. These include waivers, deadline extensions, streamlined processing and other flexibilities that are in place for an initial period of 30 days, with the possibility of an extension. On March 25, the Ex-Im Bank Board of Directors approved four temporary relief measures to inject liquidity into the market and provide maximum flexibility for exporters and suppliers. Click here for more information about these measures, which include temporary bridge financing, progress delivery payment financing, supply chain finance guarantees and working capital guarantee expansion.

images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 9/1117 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 The Ex-Im Bank Annual Conference, originally set to take place on April 2–3, 2020, will now be held on September 10 –11, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The conference theme is “Keeping America Strong: Empowering U.S. Businesses and Workers to Compete Globally.” The conference provides opportunities to hear from key administration officials and export finance experts, participate in breakout sessions, meet Ex-Im Bank staff and network with other U.S. exporters and international buyers, among other opportunities. Click here to register.

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Commerce Department MTB report expected by April 9. The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to release by April 9 an assessment of the more than 3,000 MTB petitions to temporarily reduce or eliminate tariffs, which were submitted to the U.S. International Trade Commission late last year. MTB petitions and public comments submitted on each petition can be accessed via the USITC’s MTB Petition System website.

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USTR Notifies Congress of Intent to Negotiate U.S.–Kenya Trade Agreement. On March 17, Ambassador Lighthizer notified Congress that the Trump administration will negotiate a trade agreement with Kenya, saying that “we look forward to negotiating and concluding a comprehensive, high- standard agreement with Kenya that can serve as a model for additional trade agreements across Africa.” Under Trade Promotion Authority, the administration is required to publish negotiating objectives at least 30 days prior to the launch of negotiations.

Learn more.

Take Action

Stop Fakes Roadshow: Intellectual Property Issues Facing the U.S. Auto Industry Postponed Detroit, Michigan This roadshow delivers important information about intellectual property to the audience that needs it most: start-ups, entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses, independent creators and inventors. Experts from multiple government agencies that deal with intellectual property issues present the information. Learn more.

Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region in conjunction with the Trade Americas – Business Opportunities in the Caribbean Region ConferenceMay 31 to June 5 Bridgetown, Barbados The conference will focus on region-specific sessions, market-entry strategies, images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 10/1118 4/15/2020 images.nam.org/EMAIL/Newsletters/Global_Econ_Update/2020/2020-0409GlobalMembers.html?_zs=S8TCi1&_zl=qnbf6 export compliance, legal, logistics, disaster resilience and recovery and trade financing resources. Participants will also be able to have prearranged one-on- one consultations with U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service officers and/or Department of State economic/commercial officers with expertise in commercial markets throughout the region. Learn more.

For a listing of upcoming U.S. Trade and Development Agency missions, click here.

For a listing of upcoming Commerce Department trade missions, click here.

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HOME / NEWS / CARGILL FOUNDATION SUPPORTS MN CENTRAL KITCHEN, MINNESOTA NONPROFIT AND RESTAURANT COMMUNITY TACKLES HUNGER

News Cargill Foundation supports MN Central

All Press Releases Kitchen, Minnesota nonprofit and Our Stories restaurant community tackles hunger On the Issues

Speeches MINNEAPOLIS (April 13, 2020)— As COVID-19 continues to spread, there is a growing need to feed those who are food insecure in the Twin Cities community. To help meet the growing demand, Cargill Foundation supports the MN Central Kitchen Company Statements in its mission to tackle hunger and layoffs brought on by COVID-19.

Media Contacts Today, Cargill’s headquarters cafeteria opens its door to the MN Central Kitchen. This additional kitchen space will provide employment opportunities and 4,000 meals each week for Minnesotans. The Cargill Foundation is also contributing $1 million Logos, Images & Video to add a distribution site in North Minneapolis with Appetite for Change and to support the production of 120,000 meals across all of MN Central Kitchen’s sites. FedByTrade™ “At Cargill, we believe our state’s nonprofits and hospitality professionals can continue to respond to the growing need for food assistance in our community and are proud to join them in this relief for food insecure children and families in Minnesota,” said Katie Clark Sieben, Cargill Foundation Director. “It is humbling to see our NGO, restaurant and business communities rally together and mobilize quickly to provide nutritious food and employment opportunities.”

The restaurants provide the kitchen space, staff, supplies and food; Second Harvest Heartland coordinates logistics; Loaves & Fishes and Appetite for Change distribute the to-go meals to Minnesotans free of charge at its more than 30 locations across the state; and companies like Cargill fund the operation and provide additional kitchen space.

“We can’t fight this virus hungry and yet hunger is growing in our community every day. Effectively battling COVID-19 is going to take all of us coming together, putting our best innovations forward, to make sure everyone is safe and fed,” said Allison O’Toole, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. “The Cargill Foundation’s support of Minnesota Central Kitchen is a perfect example of the kind of powerful partnerships we need right now. We’re grateful for Cargill’s long-standing backing and we’re not surprised that they’ve stepped forward, once again, when we need the community to come together like never before.”

“For those of us who choose to cook for and serve people as a profession, the thought of not being able to do so is heartbreaking,” said Jonathan Gans, The Bachelor Farmer’s executive chef. “We hope that, through the MN Central Kitchen, even though many of our businesses will be affected by this pandemic, we will still be able to feed and take care of those who need it most during these difficult times. A cook needs to cook, and that’s what I intend to do.”

This is just one example of how Cargill is working with nonprofit and NGO partners around the globe to help address food security, health and safety needs and agriculture and food industry challenges due to the spread of COVID-19. In addition to monetary donation, we are collaborating with nonprofits around the globe to donate food, ingredients and other high-need products for those who are vulnerable during this pandemic. For example, Cargill has donated nearly 1 million pounds of food to food shelves and hunger relief efforts in local communities where our employees live and work. Cargill’s global and regional COVID-19 response is guided by our purpose to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.

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About Cargill Cargill’s 160,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 154 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture.

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HOME / NEWS / CARGILL FOUNDATION SUPPORTS MN CENTRAL KITCHEN, MINNESOTA NONPROFIT AND RESTAURANT COMMUNITY TACKLES HUNGER

News Cargill Foundation supports MN Central

All Press Releases Kitchen, Minnesota nonprofit and Our Stories restaurant community tackles hunger On the Issues

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AGREE REJECT MANAGE COOKIES 21 4/15/2020 Dubai Chamber encourages the private sector to contribute to the Community Solidarity Fund against COVID-19 | Dubai Chamber

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Dubai Chamber / Dubai Chamber Encourages The Private Sector To Contribute To The Community Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19

DUBAI CHAMBER ENCOURAGES THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY FUND AGAINST COVID-19 - The Chamber has launched a page on its website that contains information about the fund's participation mechanism and goals

https://www.dubaichamber.com/whats-happening/chamber_news/dubai-chamber-encourages-the-private-sector-to-contribute-to-the-community-solida… 1/322 4/15/2020 Dubai Chamber encourages the private sector to contribute to the Community Solidarity Fund against COVID-19 | Dubai Chamber Published On: 09/04/2020

Buamim: The private sector will play an essential role in supporting the fund and strengthening public- private partnership

Dubai, UAE – Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry has launched a webpage, on its website, to appeal to the private sector to support its ght against Coronavirus and contribute to The Community Solidarity Fund against COVID-19.

The new webpage, which was developed shortly after the launch of the initiative, contains all the information regarding how private sector can donate to the Fund.

The Fund has been set up by the Islamic Aairs and Charitable Activities Department as a response to the growing societal concern to contribute to the ght against Coronavirus.

Dubai Chamber was the rst organisation to make an initial contribution of AED 10 million and will be focusing on providing humanitarian and logistical assistance to blue collar workers.

Elaborating on the launch, Hamad Buamim, President & CEO, Dubai Chamber said, “This webpage contains all the necessary steps for businesses or individuals who is interested in registering for this Fund to make a contribution, along with the details of the Chamber’s plan to deal with the social, economic and health impact of the Coronavirus on the community and the businesses. Through this Fund we are witnessing a synergy between the two sectors and the private sector will play a fundamental role in supporting the Fund to deal with the challenges we are facing due to Covid- 19.” https://www.dubaichamber.com/whats-happening/chamber_news/dubai-chamber-encourages-the-private-sector-to-contribute-to-the-community-solida… 2/323 4/15/2020 Dubai Chamber encourages the private sector to contribute to the Community Solidarity Fund against COVID-19 | Dubai Chamber The PCEO further pointed out that the Chamber developed the webpage to facilitate the participation of the private sector, and manage it in an easy and fast way, calling on the private sector to play its role in preserving the security and safety of all groups of society.

Private sector companies wishing to contribute to the Fund and carry out their social responsibility can access the Chamber’s website, where a dedicated team of Chamber employees will respond to all inquiries, and ensure that there are no obstacles in contributing to this Fund.

Those interested in knowing more about the Fund can access the page through: https://www.dubaichamber.com/community-solidarity-fund- against-covid-19

The site is best viewed using IE11 and above, Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Chrome.

https://www.dubaichamber.com/whats-happening/chamber_news/dubai-chamber-encourages-the-private-sector-to-contribute-to-the-community-solida… 3/324 United Arab Emirates

MUBADALA Healthcare Introduces Measures to Facilitate Increased Healthcare Access in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

In an effort to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mubadala Healthcare has introduced various initiatives across its assets in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Department of Health in Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Health Authority. Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Senior Vice President at Mubadala Healthcare, sheds light on Mubadala Healthcare’s commitment to fight against the spread of COVID-19.

To date, over 220,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered throughout the UAE with Mubadala Healthcare’s National Reference Laboratory (NRL) working around the clock and processing over 25,000 of those tests. Each day 1,000 tests are processed, and in the coming weeks NRL will expand its testing capabilities to 5,000 tests a day.

Mubadala Healthcare facilities also launched critical medication delivery directly to patients’ homes across the UAE. There have been over 3,750 critical prescriptions delivered to date. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi accounts for 50% of those prescriptions. Additionally, a COVID-19 drive-through testing site has been launched at Healthpoint, which is screening on average 270 patients daily with a total of 1,742 patients serviced to date.

Patient calls have increased by 2,000% at the Abu Dhabi Telemedicine Centre since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The center has expanded telecare operations and increased staff members to handle the growing volume of calls from patients, regardless of their insurance coverage. This service limits patients’ potential exposure to viruses and reduces pressure on hospitals across Abu Dhabi.

Mubadala Healthcare is also providing flexible payment plans across its network for patients that are not insured.

Source: https://www.mubadala.com/en/our-impact/covid19-response/mubadala-healthcare- introduces-measures