Deutsche Post DHL Group has provided volunteer humanitarian logistics support for COVID-19 response in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and the United States. The efforts by DHL employees fall under the company’s GoHelp volunteer initiatives and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between DHL and the Red Cross; three were signed this year and the total throughout the region is five. DHL also has MoUs with Coordinadora Nacional para la Reduccion de Desastres (CONRED) in Guatemala and the Costa Rica National Emergency Commission (CNE). Under these agreements, DHL will collaborate on emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts in times of need.
In April, DRT (disaster response team) volunteers from DHL Express and DHL Global Forwarding worked with CONRED in Guatemala, to provide consultation for establishing and managing a COVID-19 warehouse. In addition, DHL provided 175 wooden pallets to CONRED to support storage of COVID-19-related supplies. In July, DHL helped unload aircraft containing medical supplies to support COVID-19 response efforts.
DRT volunteers from DHL Express and DHL Global Forwarding consulted with Costa Rica’s CNE in April to support efforts to establish and manage a central warehouse for incoming COVID-19 related supplies.
Argentina: Under an MoU signed in July, 89 DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain volunteers assembled 4,220 emergency kits for distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brazil: In May and June of this year, DRT volunteers from DHL Express, DHL Global Forwarding and DHL Supply Chain, supported the Red Cross by consulting on the establishment and management of a warehouse for pandemic supplies and donations. Employees also delivered food rations to families in need.
Colombia: In April and May, DRT volunteers from DHL Express assisted the Red Cross in Bogota by assembling more than 21,000 food ration bags for citizens impacted by COVID-19 sheltering requirements. The efforts fall under the MoU signed by DHL and the Red Cross in March of this year.
Ecuador: DHL Express is currently advising the Red Cross on developing a process for assembling nearly 10,000 bags of food to distribute to those in need throughout 24 provinces. DHL employees began assembling the first 1,500 bags on August 15. The company is also preparing to transport blood tests to private laboratories for the Red Cross.
Panama: DHL Express and DHL Global Forwarding employees recently provided virtual warehouse consultation and assembled 6,000 ration bags containing food, diapers, milk and other necessary items. In addition, DHL Express transported medication to non-COVID-19 patients.
United States: DHL Supply Chain expanded its support to the American Red Cross under an MoU signed in 2019, in which the division provides skilled forklift drivers to three Red Cross Disaster Warehouses in the United States: Atlanta, GA; Carlisle, PA; and Arlington, TX. Since January of 2020, DHL Supply Chain employees have provided more than 624 hours of support to the American Red Cross in support of disaster response efforts, which have continued despite COVID-19. The program was initially established to provide assistance to the American Red Cross during Hurricane Season but was expanded this year to include support during the pandemic as requested.
Source: DPDHL Group
