Groupe PSA is implementing a new health protocol for its employees, to create the necessary conditions for a safe and gradual return to work.

The company says it will use audits to ensure the new measures are being adhered to.

A timetable for the resumption of production at its European factories is expected to be announced shortly.

Since the start of the Covid-19 health crisis, Groupe PSA has been working on a clear axis "Protect the health of its employees and protect the sustainability of the company", while helping the community with initiatives such as the massive donation of masks or the provision of vehicles to medical staff.

While factories and offices are shut and employees are working remotely, where possible, Groupe PSA's central spare parts distribution stores continue to fulfill an essential mission to support the maintenance of vehicle being used by key workers.

A health protocol to reinforce preventive measures was defined with the support of medical teams and applied in the various sectors of activity of the company: Commercial, industrial and tertiary (including R&D).

This protocol includes taking the temperature of staff, requiring them to wear masks on site and also respecting safety distances between people in meeting rooms, at each station or in break zones.

PSA Groupe says the implementation of reinforced measures, taking into account the diversity of the working environments in each of its factories, creates the prerequisites for a resumption of activities.

While the company announced the suspension of its industrial activities until March 27, 2020, a timetable for a gradual and safe resumption will be established, taking into account the context of the health crisis and the results of the audits of implementation of the reinforced health measures.

New dates will be set for the restart of European mechanical factories and assembly sites, which will also integrate the ability of suppliers to support them.

Carlos Tavares, chairman of Groupe PSA’s Managing Board, said: "We will not compromise on the health of our employees so that the industrial restart necessary for the sustainability of the company can be carried out under optimal conditions. I have every confidence in the ability of the employees of Groupe PSA to help get out of this crisis without fatality. Our fighting spirit and our collective mental strength are as many assets that we put at the service of our fellow citizens".

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