Page 2 - August 2020 Inform (H-F200(2))

Group CEO
For many of us the last four months have been the most challenging of our lives. Our worlds are changed forever, both professionally and personally, replete with new routines and new extremes. There is no manual, no elder wisdom, no life hack to refer to and the triangulation of social media, epidemiologists and government opinion is bewildering. We are truly all in this together.
We are fortunate to work in a business where the majority of our categories and channels remain relevant to our customers and consumers. The response from you as individuals and teams to ensure business continuity and support each other has been nothing short of phenomenal - a unilateral display of our SPIRIT values in action. I take neither of these for granted and I look forward to collaborating with you over the coming months to protect our business, support our communities and cement our reputation. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the many examples in this newsletter of where we managed to deliver our original plans AND create new opportunities and ways of working - reflective of the foundations of entrepreneurship,
integrity and accountability that the SHS Group is built on.
Whilst overall performance across the Group remains solid, we still need to understand
the long-term impact of the shrinkage of the out-of-home and food service sector and, with our customers, we are preparing for a deep and enduring recession. In addition, Brexit remains a focus and indeed a threat unless a deal
is concluded - Group and Divisional planning teams are currently preparing for
potential scenarios. Nevertheless, as individuals and teams, we have demonstrated that in uncertain times it is essential to control the controllable, reflected in the many fantastic examples of business and brand successes showcased in this edition of Inform.
We are all embracing a new virtual world where webinars will become an essential platform for business updates and team engagement. I hope you enjoyed your recent Divisional briefings which provided an update on performance at Group and Divisional level, outlined our ongoing response to Covid-19 and how we will continue to operate in this ‘new world’. The Group Management Board is committed to hosting regular briefings to keep you informed of Group performance, initiatives and ways of working as we navigate our way through this pandemic. Additionally, we are hosting a new ‘In the Spotlight’ series - designed to provide an insight into each of our Divisions, brands and people. The first in the series features Paul Fraser, Managing Director of 3V and it is available to view on the Larder. Paul shares an overview of the business and discusses the Meridian & Rocks brands and operations.
We recognise that during these unprecedented times it can be difficult to maintain a healthy work/life balance. Our Wellness Wednesday communication has been developed to
share resources, hints and tips in support of our mind, body and balance welfare. Remember to take care of yourself and be kind to others. With the virus
still at large, it is clear social distancing and hand hygiene protocols will remain for some
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