Supporting Our Communities in EMEA: Our Commitment to COVID-19 Relief and Recovery
The following email was sent today to all Goldman Sachs employees in EMEA by Richard Gnodde, CEO of Goldman Sachs International.
Following the emails sent by David, John and Stephen outlining the firm’s global efforts to support communities impacted by COVID-19, I wanted to highlight several additional EMEA-specific initiatives.
Support for the UK NHS
Through the Goldman Sachs COVID-19 Relief Fund, we are deploying $1 million to Barts Charity, which funds Barts Health NHS Trust, the organisation behind the new NHS Nightingale Hospital at the ExCeL convention centre in East London. In partnership with NHS Nightingale, we are leveraging the firm’s engineering talent to find technology solutions designed to streamline operations and increase efficiencies as the new hospital is rapidly brought into service. A number of the firm’s engineering teams have been giving their evenings and weekends to assist in this project and they are having a direct and meaningful impact.
We have also donated webcams to NHS ICU facilities, for monitoring and communicating with COVID-19 patients. You can personally support charities aligned to your local NHS Trust and volunteer through the UK Government’s NHS Volunteer Responders programme.
Support for Frontline Relief Efforts
We have already started deploying grants through the COVID-19 Relief Fund to a number of non-profits across EMEA who are providing critical relief and support to the vulnerable during this crisis. The initial tranche of capital has been directed towards the worst-hit European countries to date – including Italy, where we are supporting the Fondazione Policlinico di Milano, and Spain, supporting the Fundación Ramón Areces. Further grant funding is being urgently deployed across additional EMEA markets.
Meanwhile, across Europe, the firm has donated a significant number of surgical and N95 masks to hospitals in London, Dublin, Frankfurt, Madrid, Paris and Warsaw. Remaining supplies are earmarked for additional hospitals in these cities, plus Stockholm and Moscow. These masks were procured by the firm over time in response to previous epidemics, well before this current crisis.
Support for Communities in Need
I know Community Teamworks (CTW) is something which many of you look forward to at this time of the year and, as you will have seen in Sunday’s To All, we have now launched virtual volunteering opportunities for the first time ever. These projects vary from outreach to elderly members of our communities in isolation, to employability skills training, to mentoring homebound students, and more. Despite working from home arrangements being in place across the region, there are many ways in which you can get involved with your local communities. We will continue to add opportunities throughout the forthcoming days.
Support for Small Businesses
In support of our 10,000 Small Businesses and 10,000 Women graduates, we are offering a comprehensive package of materials to help participants navigate through this crisis – including the launch of our public Small Business Resource Centre. Please feel free to share this page with any entrepreneur in your network who may benefit from this information. As part of the new CTW virtual volunteering opportunities, we are offering emergency coaching sessions to 10,000 Small Businesses and 10,000 Women graduates, to connect them with Goldman Sachs people for mentoring, advice and support. To lend your talent and expertise, please sign up on our volunteer portal.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate David, John and Stephen’s gratitude for your generosity and diligence – not only to your clients and your work, but also to communities in need. This is a true testament to the firm’s culture of service.
Finally, as we approach the Easter weekend, I would like to thank you for the hard work and focus. Please do take some time over this extended weekend to rest and recharge with your loved ones.
Richard