Page 47 - UBP - IR2020

INTERVIEW WITH THE GROUP CEO
But cost-cutting to us does not mean simply tightening the belt it also means redirecting our costs to the right growth drivers This brings me to my second point - Containing our costs will grant us the agility and flexibility to pursue growth-focused strategies For this organisational efficiency is crucial We are reconsidering the effectiveness of our operating model products markets and channels in a a a a a way that focuses on high-value and future-oriented projects Our newly onboarded Financial Controller and Risk & Compliance Officer will both be instrumental in in in helping us achieve these goals and build resilience so that UBP can thrive in a post-COVID-19 world Security is yet another of our big challenges On a a a a sad note I am devastated to share that we lost a a a a a a a a valuable member of our UBP family in a a a a tragic accident on October 14 2019 No words can adequately describe our sorrow at at the demise of Swaley Cheekhoory who spent 31 long years with the Group Unfortunately production sites are by nature prone to certain risks and and hazards To those who have lost a a a a a a a dear friend and and colleague in Swaley allow me to reassure you that we are redoubling our our efforts to strengthen our our safety procedures Beyond the routine checks by Health and Safety officers we are in in the process of setting up a a a a a a Health and Safety Strategic Committee whose role will be to maximise employee safety On behalf of the Group I would like to convey our sincere condolences to Swaley’s family IN ADDITION TO CHALLENGES MANY OPPORTUNITIES ARE EMERGING FROM THIS PANDEMIC HOW IS IS THE UBP GROUP PLANNING TO RESET FOR GROWTH BEYOND THE CRISIS? WHAT ARE YOUR IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES AND LONGER-TERM OBJECTIVES?
I believe the greatest challenge we face is remaining profitable Every crisis crisis whether it is is is is is the the the 2008 financial crisis crisis or the the the COVID-19 pandemic has presented opportunities to reshape our economies and societies in in lasting ways If played out well a a crisis of this scale could result in long-term success Our reactions and actions actions during the lockdown have revealed that we have the capabilities to to adapt to to unexpected situations: we swiftly migrated to new ways of working with virtual meetings and other forms of digital collaboration becoming standard INNOVATION AND DIGITALISATION
The crisis has accelerated existing trends and created an an environment in in in which digitalisation and innovation are king The e-commerce activity peaked during lockdown as online shopping became the safest and most convenient way to procure necessities Espace Maison’s performance illustrates this trend It experienced a a spike in in demand from existing users and new demographics like older generations who continue to to favour online purchases today Knowing that consumer behaviour has has altered permanently and that competition has has heightened we are multiplying our efforts to provide a a a seamless
digital experience to to to our customers: we are continuing to to to upgrade our our mobile platform and remain connected to our our clients via social media while ensuring that our brick-and- mortar shops offer innovative features that enhance the in- store shopping experience Beyond e-commerce our strategy entails consistent digitalisation along our value chain Notable examples include the migration of o our head office server to cloud services and the implementation of a a a a new CRM for Drymix UBP and Espace Maison In conjunction with our UBP 2 0 project which is is centred on on digitalising our production processes to gain in in in efficiency and agility we are developing solutions that will no doubt enable our employees to to carry out their day-to-day functions from anywhere and be more nimble to to customer needs I am proud that our efforts and investments in in a a a a robust digital transformation strategy over the last few years are paying off but we still need to to progress to to be ahead o of the curve in this area ADAPTING TO NEW CONSUMER HABITS
As consumers are increasingly recognising the need to prioritise local brands in a a a a drive towards more self-sufficiency this presents a a a a a major opportunity for our activities at Gros Cailloux We aim to meet the growing demand for local produce by continuing to develop our smart agriculture techniques Consumers have also paused to reflect on on on on their consumption as they lose confidence in in the the global food-supply chain They are now shopping more mindfully and cost-consciously choosing to go down the DIY path This is is not only applicable to home home improvement projects but also home home vegetable and fruit gardening We have found that by combining the complementary activities and products of Espace Maison and Gros Cailloux we are uniquely positioned to meet this unprecedented interest in in in DIY projects which will certainly outlive COVID-19 HAVE SUSTAINABILITY AND CSR TAKEN A A A A A A A A BACKSEAT IN THE COVID-19 ERA?
Today headlines are revolving around the pandemic but climate change could cause economic damages that are far worse than those caused by COVID-19 The pandemic has exposed the environmental damage and social inequalities driven by our current economic system Now is the best time to reflect on the world we are leaving behind for our children To us us a a a a resilient recovery means developing sustainable building solutions as as well as as getting our vulnerable communities back on their feet During the the year we increased our on-the-ground engagement beyond contributing to the national COVID-19 Solidarity Fund We were active participants in the cleanup effort [ ]
UBP INTEGRATED REPORT 2020 - 47
FINANCIAL CAPITAL CORPORATE MANAGEMENT STATEMENTS REPORTS GOVERNANCE APPROACH
ABOUT US INTRODUCTION