Taking care of each other during a global crisis

My reflections after one month in lockdown

Today is Deloitte’s 175th year in business, our Founders’ Day, and in light of the current COVID-19 crisis, this anniversary serves as a timely reminder of our firm’s resilience in the face of historic challenges. We are strong and prepared, and for that, I need to thank the more than 4400 Deloitters who are providing quality services to our clients despite new working conditions and social distancing measures. We have seen increased demand for expertise in various domains such as crisis management, scenario planning, tax and legal services, supply chain continuity, and cyber security, which shows the broad scope of COVID-19’s impact. By virtualising our business almost overnight, we have been able to guide many of our clients with insights, advice, and creative solutions to help them respond, recover, and even thrive through this crisis.

As we begin our second month in a national lockdown, I am filled with pride at how quickly our people have adapted to the circumstances while continuing to help our clients navigate these uncharted waters. Supporting each other through these trying times is our priority, and ensuring we stay connected is crucial. Deloitters have leveraged their creativity to find new ways to keep in touch virtually while maintaining our community spirit. Our Energise@Deloitte programme has been reimagined as Energise@Home, a digitalised space with activities and resources that focus on keeping active, nurturing mental health and staying connected while at home.

There are undoubtedly difficult days ahead but it’s important that we draw strength from the many inspiring initiatives taking place, and that means further activating our Purpose to make an impact that matters. For example, something that has stood out to me in recent weeks is the commitment of our people to help the most vulnerable in society. In collaboration with the VUB and Close the Gap, our ‘Virtual Hugs’ initiative provides mobile devices to COVID-19 patients in hospitals and care centres so they can communicate with their loved ones. 

We have seen how COVID-19 knows no borders and no economy is immune. For now, we remain focused on the needs of our people, our clients and our community, and offer our gratitude to the medical staff all around the world who are on the front lines protecting us from this invisible enemy. They are the real heroes and we are indebted to them for their dedication and sacrifice.

While none of our efforts around this global crisis will be easy, it is on us to do what is right, not what is easy. Let’s continue to take care of each other and stay safe at home. Working together, we can overcome any obstacle, just like we have always done.