Covid 19 – A statement from Tim Jenkins, CEO Gemini Rail Group

• I am holding a coronavirus conference call every morning to ensure my Executive and Senior Team are fully briefed with all of the latest updates issued by the Government. This information is then cascaded down through to each business function head to share with their teams.
• All updated information is shared with employees via a number of platforms:
  • Daily Company Notices sent out to all staff via email
  • Multi-locational screens are updated daily (or as and when required) broadcasting all Government guidance on personal hygiene, daily updates, action required etc. (A PDF of this information is also emailed out to staff to ensure all employees who are now isolated/working from home are kept informed).
• We have identified our most vulnerable staff, all of whom have been asked to complete health assessment forms which are being checked and assessed by both our HR team and Line Managers. Those identified as ‘at risk’ have now left site and are working from home, where possible.
• We have taken all of the suggested precautions regarding hand sanitisation and increased personal hygiene awareness e.g. hand washing etc. Important hygiene advice and relevant information posters have been put up around site.
• As per Public Health England’s guidelines and recommendations on ‘distancing’, we are asking our employees to cease face to face meetings both on and off site. Conference and video calling are operational and will continue until further notice.

With regards to supply chain, we do not currently source any products directly from outside of the UK. Where parts/assemblies are obtained from outside the UK, this is managed through our UK based suppliers. Where we are aware of critical supplied parts/ assemblies from key suppliers they currently have stock within the UK to meet our programme requirements for 2020. We have requested from our supply base their risk/ mitigation plans and following their responses will take any necessary action to maintain supply and minimise disruption to all our programmes.

Activities for Gemini are spread across a large site and we are keeping numbers of staff limited to ensure minimum exposure. Were an outbreak to occur across site where a number of the workforce became infected with the coronavirus, we would engage with our customers immediately to advise of the situation. Our aim is to be able to continue with some projects throughout this period, but should we find ourselves with a dramatically reduced workforce, we would of course need to prioritise accordingly. However, please be assured that this would be under close consultation with the relevant people/customers.

We are in a position to be able to limit numbers of staff in each location across Wolverton Works to ensure an increased level of ‘distancing’. Whilst we cannot stop the spread of the virus, we are certainly doing all we can to limit its ability to contaminate.

Our facilities team have increased the cleaning of toilet and canteen facilities across Wolverton site to ensure they are fully stocked and cleaned twice a day until the virus is under control and no longer a threat.

Our IT team have tested our bandwidth and have confirmed we have ample capability to support our staff working remotely which further assures our business continuity capability.

We are lucky to find ourselves with a very engaged workforce. Although there is of course an underlying sense of worry for most, the general approach being taken by our staff is to listen to the advice being given by the Government, react when/if needed but to carry on in as normal way as possible.

We hope this information satisfies any immediate concerns many of you may have. Obviously, we are all entering into an unknown world and therefore doing the best we can to navigate through but please be assured we will keep all avenues of communication clear and open.

Kind regards

Tim Jenkins

CEO

Gemini Rail Group