Compass Group is to recognise the exceptional efforts of its colleagues and support its communities during the coronavirus crisis, the company has announced.

In a statement, the food and support services giant said: “Our colleagues are playing an invaluable role in the effort against coronavirus in NHS hospitals and critical services up and down the country. 

“This includes sites like the new field hospital at ExCeL London, schools for key workers and vulnerable children, and the armed forces, police, national infrastructure and government buildings. We are proud of them, particularly how quickly they have responded to the shutdown.

The company has take the following action to show solidarity with its employees:

Recognising the frontline workforce

• Awarding a bonus in the range of 8% to 17% additional pay to all its 7,800 colleagues supporting the NHS as ward hosts, hospital porters or cleaners.
• Foodbuy, its procurement business, is providing 10,000 free food boxes for collection by its frontline employees.

Nutrition for the most vulnerable

• Donating £500k of food to Fareshare as well as ensuring the company’s food surplus continues to support food banks and other charity and community providers including: PlanZheroes, Too Good to Go, Olio, Salvation Army and City Harvest.

Supporting the national crisis effort

• Redeploying 1000s of Compass team members into hospitals, care homes and onto the shop floor of national retailers.
• Creating new cook-along YouTube content for people staying at home with regular shows for primary, secondary and adult audiences and weekly shows with CBBC celebrity Chef and MBE Allegra McEvedy.  

Robin Mills, Managing Director of Compass Group UK and Ireland, commented: “Across the UK, Compass employees are playing an invaluable role in the country’s battle against coronavirus, ensuring NHS patients and staff are fed and their wards are kept clean, and supporting key workers in the education, defence and infrastructure sectors. I am enormously proud of them and want to thank them for the incredible dedication they are showing in unprecedented circumstances. As a business we are doing everything we can to support the national effort.”