GraceKennedy to implement COVID-19 vaccination policy

The GraceKennedy (GK) Group has announced that it will be implementing a COVID-19 vaccination policy for its employees and contractors in 2022. The official announcement was made by Group CEO Don Wehby in a communication circulated to all GraceKennedy employees on December 29, 2021.

At a virtual town hall meeting hosted by Wehby on Wednesday, details of the draft policy were presented to the GK team, who were given the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on what is to be implemented. Professor of Public Health, Epidemiology and HIV/AIDS Dr Peter Figueroa also presented on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and participated in the question-and-answer segment at the town hall.

Wehby explained, “GK is committed to providing a safe place of work for our team, business partners, and customers. This has become particularly critical in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been strongly encouraging our team to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and have been facilitating this through vaccination blitzes for our Jamaican businesses. We have also hosted virtual awareness sessions with medical experts to answer questions about the vaccines from our team members across the group. However, despite our best efforts, vaccination rates across our group vary considerably by location, and in some places, they remain too low. This is particularly worrying as the highly contagious Omicron variant of the virus spreads around the world. I consider the GK team a part of my extended family, and their safety is of paramount importance to me. So, in keeping with GK’s commitment and my own personal commitment to provide a safe working environment for our team, a COVID-19 vaccination policy is being rolled out across our group.”

TO WIN THE FIGHT

He continued, “Many of us have lost colleagues, friends, family members, and other loved ones to this virus. It has been an extremely difficult time for us all, so we must do all that we can to stop the spread of this devastating disease. I believe that widespread vaccination will be vital in winning our fight against COVID-19, and I have made a personal commitment to the GK team that I will do everything in my power to ensure that every GK team member who wishes to get vaccinated has the opportunity to do so.”

The new GK COVID-19 vaccination policy becomes effective on January 14. Under the policy, as of January 14, GK team members will be required to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status to the company. The COVID-19 vaccination requirement then begins to take effect on February 11. As of February 11, all GK employees, contractors and consultants will be required to be either fully or partially vaccinated against COVID-19. Then, on April 29, 2022, all GK employees, contractors and consultants will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or be subject to COVID-19 PCR testing every two weeks. If team members, contractors or consultants opt not to be fully vaccinated by April 29 and choose to take a PCR test instead, the cost of the tests will be borne by them.

Wehby explained that the timing of the policy and timelines included in the vaccination directive have been carefully considered, based on the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the markets where GK operates around the world, and the time required between the first and second dose of some types of vaccines. The policy will apply to all new and existing employees of GK and will also extend to the company’s third-party contractors, consultants, and independent contractors. Applications for exemptions from the vaccination directive for medical reasons will be considered.