Our commitment to Co-op customers and communities
April 17, 2020
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we’re making adjustments in our operations to make sure we’re doing everything we can to maintain the health and safety of our employees and communities.
Our response to the pandemic is different than other brands because we’re a different kind of business. Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) serves and supports its members—over 160 local, independent co-operative businesses operating in nearly 600 communities across Western Canada. Together, we’re doing what we can to keep these communities supplied with essential products and services, including food, fuel and pharmacy.
In response to the pandemic and guidance by public health authorities, FCL has taken the following steps at our operations and have recommended these same steps for independent co-ops:
- Taking measures to ensure physical distancing by staggering shifts and reducing the number of individuals in a facility at one time.
- Frequently sanitizing and cleaning each location and delivery vehicle, paying particular attention to areas with higher traffic or touchpoints.
- Keeping our team members updated with guidance from public health authorities what it means for each of us:
- Employees who are feeling unwell or showing symptoms are directed to self-isolate at home and seek testing.
- Following recommendations of self-isolation for those who have travelled outside of Canada
- Offering safe shopping options, which can include online shopping with physically distanced pick-up or delivery, installing plexiglass shields, restricting the number of customers in the store and incorporating floor markers to support physical distancing.
- Deploying a toll-free number to provide Co-op leaders and employees with immediate support for questions or issues related to COVID-19.
- Committing that our prices on all essential items remain stable throughout this challenging time.
- Planning for a deep clean of any site or facility where a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified.
- Posting each co-op's protocol for addressing an employee confirmed case on its website.
We’re taking the right steps to ensure that our supply chain and your local co-op stores are safe.
Thank you for being a loyal Co-op customer and member. We’ll continue to update you on our efforts to help your local co-ops and communities stay safe and healthy.