In the context of the crucial developments concerning COVID-19, businesses should be responsive, alert and agile to cope with the constant forthcoming changes.
Rapid development of the new COVID-19 coronavirus requires awareness and the contribution of all of us, businesses and individuals, with a sense of personal and collective responsibility towards society. We urge you to keep up to date with the latest developments announced by the competent authorities.
Where should I look for valid information
World Health Organisation: www.who.int
Τhe Hellenic National Public Health Organization: www.eody.gov.gr
Ministry of Health: https://www.moh.gov.gr/
Ministry of Development and Investments http://www.mindev.gov.gr/
Minister of Finance https://www.minfin.gr/
How we are responding to the coronavirus COVID-19
At Grant Thornton, our main concern is undoubtedly ensuring the health and safety of our people, partners and clients. Following the instructions, issued by national and international bodies, we have already implemented all measures issued not only for our own protection, but also to slow down the spread of coronavirus in the society.
For our people
- Suspension of all business travel
- Limited transfers to the most necessary
- Remote working for the majority of our people when their physical presence is not required for specific reasons
- Replacing any meetings, appointments and scheduled presentations via Skype and other media
- Allocation of project teams with the objective of achieving the best possible result for the smooth execution of our operations with clients
- Holding all training sessions online
- Preventive disinfection of workplaces
- Special care for vulnerable groups
- Granting special purpose leave to parents
For our clients and partners
Grant Thornton has prepared an integrated and tested Disaster Recovery Plan, as well as a Business Continuity Plan, both certify the capacity of existing IT infrastructure to meet an urgent and universal need for remote work of our executives, as well as a potential increase in cyber attacks. Grant Thornton's Risk and Crisis Management team closely monitors the recent developments and is ready to put in place additional measures, should it be required. Furthermore, our people have both - the capability and IT infrastructure - to work remotely and continue rendering services to our clients, should it not require our physical presence at the client’s site, or access to client documents and information.
The situation globally
Various bodies have warned the coronavirus could be the biggest risk to the global economy since the 2008 financial crisis.
Estimates suggest the outbreak could:
GDP
Reduced by 0.5%
on global scale
global Growth
Halved
in 2020
workforce absence
Increase by 20%
Confirmed Cases
341.722
on a global scale
While some industries will be more affected than others, all firms will feel the impact.
Source: Grant Thornton UK, Johns Hopkins Coronovirus Global Cases
An unprecedented threat
This coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented threat. But this is also an unprecedented opportunity to rally against a common enemy.
In this environment of uncertainty, where the economy faces major challenges, our key priority remains to keep providing you high quality and value-added services while at the same time helping minimize the effects of this crisis, not only to the economy, but the society as a whole.