How Zalando puts health and safety of employees first while serving customers across Europe

In the current situation, where local stores are only allowed to open under certain regulations, e-commerce plays a key role in stabilizing the European economy. With our extensive network of warehouses and partner services connecting physical stores to our digital platform, Zalando contributes to supporting Europe’s economy and supply chain stability. 

We remain committed to delivering on our customer promises and will stay open for business under strict government guidelines in these unprecedented times. At the same time, it is of utmost importance to us to ensure our employee’s health and safety. We are still closely monitoring the developments and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) as well as national and local authorities. Across all of our locations, strict preventative measures that preceded, follow and even extend government guidelines and recommendations have been implemented. We are doing everything in our ability to safeguard the health of our employees.

Safety measures across the entire Zalando Group

All colleagues – if their job allows it – are enabled to work remotely. Due to the nature of our business, the option of remote work does not exist for all of our employees. In our logistics centers, production studios and some parts of our offices, employees still come to work every day. To ensure a safe working environment for all of them we follow the guidelines of the authorities and have implemented the so-called 3G rule – only employees who are vaccinated, recovered or tested negative are allowed to enter our premises. Tables in canteens and handrails received coatings that prevent viruses from surviving on surfaces, the cleaning frequency has been increased in all areas. Disinfectant dispensers have been installed on all floors to be used by employees frequently. 

Across all locations, employees are encouraged to evaluate business travel and trainings according to its necessity, and external visitors on our premises are required to adhere to all measures during the visit. 

Playbooks prepared well ahead by our interdisciplinary Zalando Coronavirus Taskforce ensure proper handling of confirmed Covid-19 cases. When a confirmed case is reported to our Covid-19 hotline, we act in close coordination with the health authorities. All people who had close contact with the respective employee are immediately instructed to self-quarantine at home. Affected working areas are extensively cleaned.

In general, we pursue a comprehensive testing and vaccination strategy at Zalando. At our German logistics centers, where some 7,000 employees work, more than approx. 600,000 tests have been carried out. In the office locations we offer self-tests both to be conducted on site or for take-away to test regularly at home. In addition, Zalando offered employees at all its sites, including the offices in Berlin, an opportunity to get vaccinated against Covid-19. Since the vaccination campaign began in the summer of 2021, Zalando has facilitated over 10,000 vaccination appointments. 

Additional measures at Zalando logistics sites

Thermal cameras are taking every employee’s body temperature before entering our warehouses. Anyone with a higher body temperature is sent home on sick leave immediately with a concrete recommendation for action. Medical and FFP2 masks are distributed as part of personal work clothing in all logistics centers. Work stations have been repositioned to ensure at least 2 meters distance, and additional protective barriers between work stations have been installed. Markers on the ground and trained guides among our employees remind everyone of these distancing rules. Zalando has been minimizing movement between teams in order to keep departments separated. The amount of people who can take a break at the same time has been limited to avoid crowded relaxation areas. Seats in those areas have been rearranged with more distance between them. We encourage our employees to change into their work wear at home to avoid using the shared changing rooms on our premises. We increased the ventilation to ensure up to 100 percent share of fresh air in the warehouses and installed filter systems to increase air quality. Additionally, carbon dioxide sensors have been installed in meeting rooms and canteens to check air quality and take action if needed.

Canteens re-opened in line with special protective measures according to the recommendations of DEHOGA: a one-way road system implemented in the serving area, no self-service anymore as food is not openly given out to employees, intense cleaning and regular disinfection is in place, organizational measures shall ensure social distancing for service personnel which also are equipped with protective masks and gloves, serving areas and cash desks are equipped with partitions made of acrylic glass. 

We have further increased the number of buses to and from our logistics centers in cooperation with public transport companies and other providers, making it easier for employees to comply with the distance regulations. In order to communicate proactively and transparently, we use a multitude of internal channels such as posters and our employee magazine to enable and motivate all of our employees to apply individual protective measures like frequent hand washing and social distancing. To facilitate hand washing during work, we have provided additional mobile hand wash basins in addition to our existing washing facilities. 
 

Additional measures at Zalando Studios

Every product that enters our Fashion Store has to be photographed. In the Zalando Studios, next to mannequins, we work with models, hair and makeup artists, stylists and our own production teams. To adhere to the strict safety rules on site, besides other measures, we have separated working areas to two different floors with extended  distance between sets. Teams are rotating on a weekly basis and break times have been separated to avoid crowded kitchens. Face masks are provided to all employees and are mandatory for those employees who work together with models, hair- and make-up artists. The minimum distance between people is maintained at all times and cleaning and hygiene measures have been reinforced on site.