The WHA Industrial Zone 1 in Nghe An Province has effectively deployed a business continuity plan to minimize disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The zone, the first project of Thailand’s WHA Group in Vietnam, deployed the plan soon after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc declared the Covid-19 outbreak an epidemic on February 1. It immediately formed a crisis management team to protect employees and support its customers and partners.

"Our crisis management team has four main tasks," said Vivat Jiratikarnsakul, WHA Chief Operating Officer, Industrial and International, also crisis management team leader.

"The first is to assess the situation and the new developments daily; the second to initiate adequate actions to mitigate risks for the company’s employees, customers and business partners; the third to ensure deployment of enough resources where and when needed; and finally, to coordinate all remedial actions."

Vivat Jiratikarnsakul, WHA Chief Operating Officer, Industrial and International,
also crisis management team leader.

Assisted locally by the zone’s Nghe An office, led by General Director Nguyen Thi Bich Lien of the WHA Industrial Zone Nghe An JSC, the crisis team put in place a series of protective measures, including employee travel restrictions, social distancing, splitting critical workforce in different locations, temperature checks for employees and visitors, and frequent sanitizing of the company’s premises.

These measures complied with practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other recognized international organizations.

WHA Industrial Zone 1 in Nghe An Province facilitated working from home
to ensure employees’ safety amidst the novel coronavirus epidemic.

The WHA Group on March 23 initiated a Business Continuity Plan (BCP), aiming to prevent operational disruption and ensure delivery of products and services.

Under the plan, a specific team has been set up to support operations, with back-office capabilities for industrial development, logistics and utilities. The plan includes the protection of water facilities with routine disinfectant sprays and restrictive access, increasing inventory to protect the supply chain and avoiding business interruptions.

The company has enabled its employees to work from home by providing them with permanent access to necessary data and software, and facilitated the use of the latest voice and video communication tools.

The BCP also includes a disaster recovery solution.

"A good BCP must comprise strict measures for data protection. In today’s digital era, data is one of the most valuable resources for any business. Setting up an appropriate Disaster Recovery Site, in order to continuously protect our data and systems, is essential," said David Nardone, Group Executive - Industrial and International, WHA Industrial Development Plc.

David Nardone, Group Executive - Industrial and International,
WHA Industrial Development Plc.

"A practical BCP must not only minimize the impact of a crisis, but also help companies gain the trust of their investors, customers and business partners, as well as build a strong brand image," he added.

Nardone said new developments would be monitored and Vietnamese authorities’ recommendations followed strictly.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of having a good BCP to avoid a major disruption of operations. Our embrace of new technologies also proves that we are entering a complete digital era where technology affects the way we work and live. This explains why nowadays, access to digital infrastructure is almost as important as access to electricity and other utilities. The internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity," he added.

WHA Industrial Zone 1 in Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province.

Set up in February 2017, the WHA Industrial Zone 1 had an initial area of 145 hectares, which in turn, is part of the 498-hectare Phase 1, now open to local and international investors. With a total area of 3,200 hectares upon completion, it will be one of the largest industrial zones in north central Vietnam.

The WHA Group operates 10 industrial estates in Thailand.

For more information:

Nghe An Office: Telephone: (+84) 238 222 9999; Address: Lot AC1-1, WHA Industrial Zone 1 - Nghe An, Nghi Long Commune, Nghi Loc District, Nghe An Province, Vietnam

Hanoi Office: Telephone: (+84) 243 574 6999; Address: 11th Floor, Daeha Business Center, No. 360 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

Email: invest@whavietnam.com

Website: www.whavietnam.com