Newrest mobilises against the Covid-19 crisis

Toulouse, April 7, 2020 – Newrest, the French company specialising in out-of-home catering which employs nearly 35,000 people in 58 countries, has seen a significant and worrying shutdown of almost all of its activities in France and around the world due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. In the month of April 2020, Newrest recorded the loss of almost 90% of its turnover and has, at this time, over 30,000 non-working employees in 48 countries, including over 5,500 in France.

We have mobilised our forces to guarantee continuity of the Group’s operations, particularly for those customers who are most vulnerable during the health crisis

Despite an unprecedented and exceptionally serious global crisis, Newrest’s priority remains the safety and health of its employees and customers. The Group has taken exceptional steps to guarantee flawless services and added protection measures.  Newrest is making every effort to ensure that its customer operations continue, in particular in the health sector (nursing homes and clinics), as well as its services for the Armed Forces and prisons.

Targeted actions to protect all Group employees

In order to best prepare for the future and the post-crisis period, Newrest has deployed an exceptional rescue package to support its staff. Anxious to preserve the purchasing power of its employees and to ensure the group remains sustainable, measures have been implemented in line with the local situations in each country:

• All Group executives performing management roles are reducing their annual compensation by 30%, and, depending on the length of the crisis, will commit to further cuts if necessary. The money saved will be redistributed in the form of salaries in countries that do not have compensation systems.

• Paid holidays take precedence over requests to implement existing compensation arrangements.

• At the local level, company agreements are being negotiated in all countries in which the Group operates that do not have compensation schemes. These agreements are intended to guarantee minimum incomes for the most vulnerable employees and those worst affected by the cessation of business. These negotiations depend on the existence of government social protection systems.

For example, in Africa and Latin America, we have decided to guarantee that the most exposed employees will receive 30% to 50% of their salaries for the month of April.

These provisions have been implemented to protect all Newrest group employees, whether they are in the field providing services or have been impacted by the cessation of business.

The Group is conducting social campaigns to support the most vulnerable people and caregivers.

Newrest is a socially-responsible group and helps the most vulnerable in society: in association with the SNCF, Newrest has donated the equivalent of over 20,000 meals to various associations helping the most vulnerable (Samu social, Les Petites sœurs des pauvres, Les Resto du Cœur, Secours populaire)

Lastly, to help support nursing staff engaged in tireless work, Newrest has distributed several thousand protective masks and FFP2 masks, as well as latex gloves and bottles of disinfectant gel to various hospitals (Hôpital Georges Pompidou à Paris, Hôpital de Melun and Clinique de l’Occitanie).

About Newrest 

Founded in 1996 under the name Catair, the Newrest Group, led by Olivier Sadran and Jonathan Stent-Torriani, is today the only company operating in all catering and related service sectors: inflight, buy-on-board, onboard duty-free, catering, remote site and support services, rail, airports and motorway catering concessions.

With 34,900 employees based in 58 countries, the Newrest Group reported managed revenues of € 2 billion in 2019 and is also the world’s leading independent company working in inflight catering.

At the end of the 2019 financial year (September), 94.6% of the Group’s capital was owned by its management (340 employees). Newrest’s minority shareholders are the following: Duti Participations (1.9%) et Naxicap (3.5%).

Newrest is engaged in a process of continuous improvement and innovation in the services it offers to its customers, as well as in the well-being and advancement of its employees and managers. The sustainable development of the company and strict respect for social and environmental values are at the heart of its activities.

Press contact: Image 7

Roxane Planas

rplanas@image7.fr

06 37 05 84 42