• Unexpected events call for extensive planning and preparation to ensure readiness
• Prioritising health and safety as well as ensuring minimal disruption are important
• The pandemic has changed the way businesses operate, making it necessary to relook business and operating models for long-term sustainability

One can never be fully ready for a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. You prepare as best as you can, taking into account all possible scenarios but also knowing that an odd curve ball can be thrown at you at any time.

In the case of Maybank, we believe that our continuous emphasis on detailed business continuity planning as well as regular crisis simulation exercises over the years have equipped us with insights and necessary experience in managing unexpected events that could occur at any time and disrupt our business.

It is based on this rigorous planning that we activated our business continuity plan as early as January soon after the virus outbreak began. This was followed by live split operations in our Greater China network on 3 February and across critical functions a week later. This is to ensure that we were prepared in case the situation escalated to cause widespread business and operational disruption, as had happened subsequently.

Priority was customers’ and employees’ health and safety and mitigating disruption to society

Our first line responses covered both internal and external stakeholders, in line with guidance from relevant health authorities and our commitment to ensure the safety and health of customers and employees. From early on, we worked quickly on the procurement of personal protection equipment for our employees across the group, and also instituted temperature checks for employees, customers and visitors to our group-wide offices and branches while stepping up the frequency of cleaning and sanitisation of our premises...

Categories:

Keywords: