EBRD and EU clients support the battle against coronavirus in Morocco

The EBRD’s clients in Morocco are responding to the coronavirus challenges. They work to fight against the outbreak and its negative impacts by supporting public healthcare, producing masks, changing their business practices to save jobs and donating food.

In regular times, with the support of EBRD’s Morocco Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (MorSEFF) programme, these environmentally friendly companies invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to increase their productivity, reduce energy use and cut greenhouse gas emissions by securing loans under the. The programme is supported by the European Union (EU), which provides incentives to clients.

Supporting public health care services 

To deal with this crisis, collaboration between public and private healthcare providers is key. The medical, paramedical and administrative team of Polyclinic El Kelaa, a multi-disciplinary private clinic, pledged to provide service and assistance to the regional healthcare authorities.

“In addition to our mandate to continue providing care for medical and surgical emergencies, we dedicated an entire floor with twenty beds to patients requiring a quarantine. We also made available two ventilators to support a local public hospital and supplied phone line service for remote consultations with our medical staff.” Said Dr. Abdellatif Khaled, Head of Polyclinic El Kelaa.

Previously, MorSEFF helped Polyclinic El Kelaa to invest in LED lighting, install air conditioners, air-water heat pumps and solar water heaters. These investments allow the medical centre to save 250,000 kWh each year, this is equivalent to 35% of the original energy used.

Producing 100,000 masks daily for public health

When the pandemic struck, Simitis, a textiles company, responded fast to adapt its production. Now it produces 100,000 reusable masks each day for workers of public institutions to use as a protective measure against the spread of the virus.

Previously, Simtis, invested €4 million in a new energy efficient production machine. This enabled the company to expand its fabric dyeing and finishing workshop, improve energy efficiency and reduce water use.

Adapting the work environment to maintain production

A manufacturer of polypropylene bags, Multisac, continued to make its products to meet the demand from its agro-industrial clients. Multisac’s key challenge was to ensure health and safety of its 600 employees by implementing new sanitary and security measures to reduce the risks of contamination and preserve jobs. The company switched from three 8-hour to two 12-hour shifts and doubled personnel transport vehicles to increase social distancing. Employees in non-manufacturing roles now work from home. This helped the company maintain the same number of jobs and respond to the demand for its products.

To support families in need, Multisac joined the momentum of national solidarity by contributing 500 tonnes of food products valued at 2 million dirhams.

Previously, MorSEFF helped Multisac invest in renewable energy sources to support its production. The company installed a set of energy saving technologies, including a photovoltaic solar panel on the roof. This helped the company cut its production costs and reduce energy bills.

Changing the business model to save jobs

Due to the confinement measures, suppliers of restaurants, cafes, and hotels across the country have been significantly impacted. Au Four Gourmet, a small industrial bakery located in Casablanca and catering to restaurant businesses, is no exception. Just a week after the quarantine started, the bakery decided to launch “CROC” a new consumer brand of frozen bakeries with home delivery services. This allowed the bakery to stay open and keep its staff employed.

Through MorSEFF, Simitis invested into a new production a couple of years ago. This allowed the company to increase the quality and quantity of its baked goods and save energy.

Donating food to support citizens in need

Two of MorSEFF’s clients, a tea company, Sultan Teas and a pasta and couscous manufacturer, Dari Couspate donate food, joined a group of six Moroccan agro-industrial companies to support families in need by donating millions of products including milk, table oil, tea, couscous, sugar and water.

Sultan Teas has mobilised €2.5 million (equivalent to 10 million dirhams) to participate in the national effort with a donation of €1.3 million (equivalent to 5 million dirhams) to the Special Solidarity Fund. Dari Couspate, in turn, contributed €2 million (equivalent to 8 million dirhams) in the form of a donation of 5 million dirhams to the Special Fund and donations of pasta and couscous with a total value of 3 million dirhams. Under MorSEFF, both companies invested in modernising their productions lines with the support of MorSEFF. Upgrading to energy efficient production lines helped each company save more than 30% of their original energy use.

More and more companies are stepping up with their own acts of solidarity and resilience against Covid-19. Now, more than ever, small gestures make a big difference.