Australian manufacturer SPC, which processes and packages fruit and veg at its sites in Shepparton, has made the bold move to mandate vaccination for all staff by end November to gain entry to any company location.
All SPC staff, including casual and permanent staff as well as contractors, must have at least the first dose of the vaccine scheduled by 15 September 2021, with the first dose administered by the end of October. Any visitors to an SPC site will also be required to be vaccinated – which would include all suppliers delivering products and services to SPC facilities.
SPC's position, as stated by chairman Hussein Rifai in today’s announcement, is this: “Lockdowns are not a sustainable solution, and the Australian economy needs to open up again. The Delta variant poses a significant threat to our people, our customers, and the communities we serve. The only path forward for our country is through vaccination.”
SPC believes the vaccines-for-all measure will ensure the health and well-being of all staff and the broader community.
The company maintains that a fully vaccinated workforce will ensure it can continue to deliver an essential service while helping Australia return to an open economy in line with the Prime Minister’s four-point plan out of Covid.
All staff will be aided and offered compensation via paid time off when required to receive their vaccinations as well as special paid leave of up to two days for any staff who may become unwell after vaccination. For those with a pre-existing condition and are unable to receive the vaccine their circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
SPC’s leadership team, headed by CEO Robert Giles, has expressed their recognition of the significant threat the Covid-19 Delta variant poses to both the business and the broader Australian community.
Giles said: “We have already implemented rigorous safety plans at all our sites in response to the pandemic. These plans have ensured our people’s health, safety and job security while ensuring business continuity for the essential service we provide to the broader community.”
Giles believes Australian companies must go further by rapidly vaccinating their staff.
“By taking proactive steps now, we are shoring up our company for the future. We firmly believe that it will be manufacturers and innovators like SPC who will help drive Australia’s post-Covid economic recovery,” concluded Giles.
