The South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce have launched an innovative partnership with Amazon to help Welsh businesses get back to work and kick-start the economy as lockdown restrictions ease.

This innovative partnership with Amazon, which will also launch across other UK Chambers of Commerce, will see up to 1,000 businesses tour Amazon fulfilment centres, where staff have been working safely throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Whilst regulations are in place  in Wales, Chamber members will have the opportunity to see first-hand how Amazon has implemented a range of measures to address these to keep their staff safe whilst continuing to serve their customers during the crisis. This will help  Welsh businesses better prepare to re-open when Welsh Government does ease restrictions.

With guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), Amazon has implemented a series of preventative health measures at its sites to help keep employees, partners, and customers safe. The company has made more than 150 significant process changes to ensure the health and safety of its team members – from enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures to the distribution of personal protective gear and the implementation of temperature checks across its UK operations.

Businesses will receive practical advice on how to operate safely as restrictions ease, whilst complying with Welsh Regulations, and apply any learnings to their own action plans for reopening their workplaces. The partnership is designed to complement Government’s workplace guidance.

South Wales and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive, Heather Myers said:

“We are excited to begin our partnership with Amazon and give businesses the opportunity to see first-hand how the company has worked safely throughout this crisis.

“Regulations and restrictions are in place in Wales, and this offers Welsh businesses the chance to see the practical reality of working compliantly and safely to assist them in preparing and apply this learning to their own operations.

“Businesses will need to take a safe, risk-based approach to returning to work, in close consultation with their staff. For many this will be an entirely new way of working. The Chamber is here to support and help them to do this.”

Amazon UK Operations Regional Director Stuart Morgan said:

“Whether it’s fulfilling orders in one of our fulfilment centres, delivering an order to a customer’s doorstep, or one of the many roles in between, we couldn’t be more proud of the critical role our teams are serving by enabling people to stay safe at home while receiving the products they need.

“Nothing is more important to us than making sure that we protect the health of our teams, and we’ve been working around the clock since the early days of the outbreak to make changes to our processes and procure the necessary supplies for this. We’re delighted to share that experience with fellow Chamber members around the country and help restart British business.”