Corona Beer, Other Companies Observe Corporate Social Responsibility in COVID-19 Efforts
Across Mexico, large corporations have been losing millions and even billions because of the COVID-19 outbreak, but that doesn't stop them from helping the front liners battling the deadly disease.
In a recent article, hospitals in the state of Mexico are thankful for receiving 100,000 bottles of Corona, not the virus, and definitely not filled with beer.
Although the world-famous beer's name-association with the COVID-19 has significantly affected its sales, it proved that "corona" can also bring hope nowadays.
Like many large corporations, the brewery has shifted its production and filled the familiar beer bottles were with purified water.
Corona also pledged to continue providing 200,000 liters of drinking water to neighborhoods around Mexico City each week, which it has done since earlier this month. Aside from that, the company also vowed to continue working with the government on ways to support medical personnel.
Other corporate entities across Mexico, like Ford México, the giant bakery firm Bimbo, and the resources company BHP also have extended help by contributing resources to support medical staff during the pandemic.
Ford announced that its Chihuahua plant would convert its operations starting April 27 to produce 100,000 plastic face shields over the coming days. The first 20,000 will go to the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Guanajuato, and México, regions where Ford has manufacturing plants.
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Meanwhile, 60,000 shields will be allotted to the federal government to distribute as it sees fit, and the remaining 20,000 will be aired to countries in Central America where Ford also has plants.
Grupo Bimbo, the world's largest bakery, had to close its plant in Wuhan, China, but has pledged some 200 million pesos or the U.S. $8 million, to support the medical staff and small businesses in Mexico.
Its aid package includes the distribution of 1 million face masks and 2.5 million box lunches to medical personnel across the country.
Seventy million pesos will also be allotted to fund Mexico City's 854-bed Citibanamex Center; a temporary hospital erected to cater to patients with respiratory symptoms.
Small businesses will also receive financial incentives to keep them afloat, as well as 1 million cloth masks to protect employees.
ALSO READ: As COVID-19 Cases Rise in Mexico, so Does Criminality
Joining these efforts is Australia-based mining and resources company BHP, whose global assets in 2019 were upwards of U.S. $100 billion, the very same amount it has allocated to coronavirus aid. Half of the funds will proceed to the Mexican Health Foundation and utilized for training health professionals, converting hospitals to coronavirus units and research projects, among other efforts.
The remaining U.S. $50,000 will be given to Cáritas Tampico, a non-profit in Tamaulipas that helps vulnerable communities in the southern part of the state, as well as in northern Veracruz. The funds will be used to produces food and medications to those in need in that region.
READ MORE: Number of Coronavirus Outbreaks in Mexican Facilities Is Alarming
Mexico currently has recorded 10,544 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 970 deaths and 5,956 recoveries.
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