Covid-19: A Letter to Members from the Group CEO
In these unprecedented times, I wanted to provide you with an update on the Club and tell you about what the West is doing to support its Members, staff, partners and friends, all of which we hope remain fit and well at this uncertain time.
The West
I am pleased to confirm that all of our staff remain largely unaffected by the virus, however, the wellbeing of our teams around the world continues to be our primary focus and we do all we can to provide the support and assistance they and their families require during this difficult period. All our offices are closed in accordance with governmental advice in their respective jurisdictions, with all staff working remotely and contactable in the usual ways.
The service and support the Club provides to its Members is especially crucial at times like these and we are fully committed to ensuring this is not compromised in any way. Our Management Team are in regular contact with all our colleagues in the regional service centres around the world to ensure our staff have the resources and support they require at all times.
Support network
The Club continues to receive a significant number of queries regarding Covid-19 and we have established an internal team to provide a timely and consistent response across all of our offices.
We have a dedicated Covid-19 page on our website, which includes FAQs that will be updated as the situation evolves. The Club is also actively involved and contributing to various Working Groups at International Group level on this subject.
Our Loss Prevention Team is likewise focused on providing proactive advice to Members, including important topics such as the mental well-being of crew and dealing with Covid-19 onboard ships.
Financial position
The investment position of the Club is not immune from the economic uncertainty generated by the pandemic, but our conservative investment strategy and strong balance sheet are enabling us to absorb the market volatility at a time when financial stability is essential for all our Members and partners. Your Board will review the Club’s year end results as usual at their meeting in May (which is likely to be conducted virtually) but I’m pleased to say that we are facing this unprecedented period from a strong financial starting position.
Our commitment to you
We recognise and understand the difficulties all our Members are experiencing but the Club is striving to ensure that we provide you with the best possible support throughout these unprecedented and challenging times.
I hope you remain safe and well and please don’t hesitate to contact the West if we can help in any way or you have any queries or questions.