At Webber Wentzel, we remain committed to taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees, our clients and our service providers. Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and doing everything we can to get this under control is our priority.
Outlined below is an overview of the measures we are taking to keep people safe and maintain client service. If you have more specific enquiries relating to your matters or how to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on your business, please speak to any of our Webber Wentzel partners.
- We have set up a Covid-19 task team, which includes senior management, to monitor all developments in consultation with a general practitioner and to continually advise the firm on how best we can safeguard ourselves and help prevent the spread of the virus. The situation is also being monitored at a Risk Committee and ExCom level.
- Our client teams are equipped with technology to work from home or remotely if needed and we are confident that we can continue to operate if the current situation changes.
- All staff and suppliers have been asked to take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. Visible posters on respiratory hygiene have been placed throughout our buildings and we regularly update staff on any developments. We also recommend that staff avoid shaking hands and make use of the sanitising hand rub dispensers available throughout the workplace.
- Our cleaning processes have been reviewed and we have implemented additional measures to ensure our hygiene follows best practice for Covid-19.
- Staff have been advised to stay at home if they experience any symptoms related to Covid-19 (or any other illness). If they are worried that they may have been exposed to have Covid-19, we ask them to make sure they stay away from other people and call the Covid Hotline.
- Social distancing and avoiding physical contact are recommended measures to avoid the spread of the disease, so we have asked staff to avoid large gatherings and crowded areas where possible.
- All work-related travel outside South Africa is now prohibited. As an alternative to travel, we have urged staff to make use of virtual meeting technologies as much as possible. Any non-essential domestic air travel is discouraged. If a staff member needs to travel domestically, we ask them to take sensible precautions to minimise risk.
- We have also asked staff to inform us of all their personal travel plans. Personal travel is strongly discouraged but if staff do travel outside of South Africa, they are required to self-quarantine from home on return for a period of 14 days. After the quarantine period, they are required to be tested by a verified medical practitioner equipped to diagnose Covid-19 and provide us with a medical note before returning to the workplace.
- If a member of any of our staff's household has travelled (in the last two weeks) or will travel, or if they come into contact or close proximity with anyone they know has travelled anywhere outside of South Africa, they need to declare it and self-quarantine. If they have been in contact with anyone who may be infected, they are also asked to declare it and self-quarantine.
- Emergency plans have been put in place to be able to isolate anyone at the workplace suspected of having the virus in order to minimise contact with others.
- We are also engaging with all our suppliers to ensure they are also developing plans to maintain their commitments to our offices.
Webber Wentzel will continue to monitor the spread of Covid-19 and update our risk areas, guidelines and policies to adapt to any changing developments.
