Aramco responds to COVID-19 with support for our people and communities

Aramco is today providing an update on how we are keeping our people and communities safe from COVID-19, while continuing to supply the world the energy it needs.

In our response to COVID-19 we have prioritized the safety, health and wellbeing of our 70,000 men and women, as well as our communities, around the world. We have implemented measures to reduce the risk of infection and to mitigate the virus’s impact on our people and our business. The company and its employees have also supported community efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Our inbuilt systems for managing global crises ensure all our sites remain operational. Our supply chains also remain uninterrupted, as we continue to work with our partners to ensure safe delivery of materials.

Aramco’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Amin H. Nasser, said:

“The world has encountered unprecedented complexities as a result of COVID-19, which have required high levels of agility and adaptability.

“The safety and wellbeing of our people has always been Aramco’s top priority and we continue to put them first in every decision we make.

“I am proud of how Aramco has responded to the challenge with a strong, united and compassionate approach, which stems from our deep-rooted community values. COVID-19 has no doubt created physical barriers, but it has also brought many of us closer together.

“We stand by our promise to do all that we can in the fight against COVID-19, helping those around us and delivering the world’s energy throughout this pandemic.”

Our People

Aramco has a number of measures in place at each of our locations, including active prevention programs, detailed contingency plans and leading medical support services to minimize risk and ensure the best possible care. All these measures are in line with government and official health advice in each of our operating jurisdictions, alongside our own internal health measures which are guided by advice from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia.

We are proud to have a joint venture with Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH), whose facility at our Dhahran headquarters is integral to our medical preparedness and response to COVID-19. We have worked with JHAH to roll out a company-wide health awareness campaign, including weekly updates, and ensure all our employees have access to the latest accurate information about preventing transmission of COVID-19, actions they should take if they display symptoms, tips on caring for themselves at home and where to receive medical assistance.

In addition, we have launched a COVID-19 Mental Health Tool Kit, an online resource for people in isolation or quarantine, their family and friends. This provides guidance and practical steps on how to care for their emotional health during this stressful time.

We have also facilitated working from home wherever possible, including employees considered to be at higher risk from infection, to reduce the in-office population, all in line with social distancing instructions issued by authorities in each of our locations. Managers have also been directed to ensure that their business continuity plans prioritize employees as part of our long-standing commitment to staff safety.

As a result of the essential nature of their work, much of which cannot be done remotely, many of our staff continue to report to their usual workplace. We thank all those who turn up each day to ensure Aramco’s operations continue at all of our facilities, as well as our healthcare colleagues at JHAH - who are on the front line helping those who need assistance most. To protect those working at our facilities, we have intensified sterilization efforts, applied social distancing rules and ensured strict health practices are adhered to. There is also 100% thermal screening of employees and contractors across all facilities and company transport to limit the possibility of contagion at both onshore and offshore facilities.

Our Communities

Working with the communities in each of our geographies, and in line with relevant government measures, we are providing support that includes much-needed medical equipment such as ventilators, high-efficiency air purifiers and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Saudi Arabia

• On April 1, 2020 Aramco and its subsidiaries presented 200 million SAR (US$53 million) to the Health Endowment Fund of the Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia to support efforts to combat COVID-19. In particular, the endowment focuses on providing ventilators for intensive care units.
• Aramco and its subsidiaries have also launched an employee donation campaign, ‘Stay Home Stay Safe’, to support vulnerable people during this unsettling time through the provision of basic foodstuffs, preventative equipment such as masks and hand sanitizer, and educational materials. The campaign raised over US$1.7 million, a figure that has been matched by the Company, and the total amount of more than $3.4m will be used to supply essentials to 20,000 households in 15 cities across Saudi Arabia. 
• Aramco tanks are also being used to store raw sterilizing materials for the Food and Drug General Authority ahead of being needed for manufacturing products that counter the spread of COVID-19.

Global

• Together, our global offices have committed to contributing more than US$3.5 million to support healthcare and disaster relief organizations.

Asia

• Our Aramco Asia office facilitated donations of cash and critically needed medical supplies to the Red Cross Society in China. 
• Aramco Korea made a donation of US$800,000 to South Korea’s Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
• S-Oil, of which Aramco is the largest shareholder, has donated US$400,000 to South Korea’s relief efforts.

Europe

• Aramco Europe donated funds to Italy’s Fondazione Buzzi for intensive care units and other medical supplies 
• Aramco Overseas Company in London has delivered essential healthcare items such as masks and sanitizers to more than 500 Company-sponsored students in the U.K. Remote and in-person medical services are also being provided.

Americas

• In Detroit, home to one of our Global Research Centers, more than 2,000 protective masks were donated to Harper Hospital in collaboration with the North American Association of Chinese Engine Engineers (NAACEE). 
• Aramco Americas also provided 30,000 KN95 masks for the city of Houston, where it has its headquarters. 
• Aramco’s subsidiary, the Motiva Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, has continued to operate safely and efficiently, producing ethylene, which is being used to make medical supplies that are in high demand. In addition, it has donated 1,200 PPE suits to the Regional Emergency Operations Center for COVID-19 testing sites across Southeast Texas. 
• The Aramco Americas team has created an employee fundraising and company matching initiative in support of the Houston Food Bank.
• The staff of AramcoWorld magazine have provided classroom guides and other multimedia sources to support online teachers.

Aramco stands ready to continue providing support to our people and communities around the globe. We are proud of our world-leading record of reliability, as well as our men and women who are doing their part to keep people safe and ensure essential business continues throughout this dynamic situation.

Additional information on Aramco’s response to COVID-19 can be found in more detail on a dedicated webpage: saudiaramco.com/en/news-media/covid