Since the coronavirus appeared in January, Paris-based SUEZ has been greatly mobilized across the world to help its customers around its missions: water treatment and distribution, waste collection and recovery. SUEZ, along with its partners, plays a key role in public health and is responsible for providing essential services during the fight against COVID-19.

To further support its stakeholders—clients, employees, suppliers, managers and shareholders—SUEZ has offered to reinforce support measures and to provide additional financial resources.

Under its new solidarity plan, all employees who have been placed on partial unemployment will be duly compensated in accordance with the SUEZ social policies applicable in their country, or receive at least 50 percent of their salary in countries without an adequate social system.

In France, SUEZ will provide a net €1,000 bonus to all teams on the ground who have been mobilized in order to ensure business continuity. Furthermore, employees who have been placed on partial unemployment will receive their salary in full. Finally, the profit sharing will be paid per the initial schedule.

As a measure of solidarity, the CEO and the executive committee members have decided to donate 25 percent of their salaries during the lockdown period. The donations will be provided via the SUEZ Foundation to the Institut Pasteur and to Unicef to finance research and provide support of healthcare workers during the crisis. In addition, the SUEZ Foundation will allocate a significant part of its budget to COVID-19 support measures.

In order to contribute to these solidarity measures, which are at the heart of SUEZ' mission, the Board of Directors calls on its shareholders to adopt during the upcoming General Assembly a proposition of a dividend of 0.45€ per share, a reduction of around a third compared to the previous fiscal year.

"SUEZ is currently mobilized to provide our customers with essential services during the global sanitary crisis," said Bertrand Camus, CEO of SUEZ, in a statement. "Due to its geographical span and scope, and thanks to the solidity of its balance sheet, the group can set up solidarity contributions in addition to its operational commitment. We are preparing for tomorrow, today."