Boskalis Sustainability Report 2020

10

SAFE AND CONNECTED DURING COVID-19

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM FROM DAY ONE Early March when the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent in Europe, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) was mobilized and together with the Board of Management convened on a daily basis. The ERT and Board followed the developments on the projects and our vessels closely and set priorities to safeguard the safety of our employees, focused on the continuity of the business, and took measures to preserve the financial position of the Group. As time progressed, many of the COVID-19-related ERT/Board actions were delegated to the Travel Emergency Team and other operational departments. CRITICAL ROLE FOR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS From the first day of the pandemic there was a huge desire among our colleagues around the world for information and answers to a wide array of questions. The role of internal communications was critical throughout the pandemic. This resulted in frequent COVID-19 updates from CEO Peter Berdowski via email and video messages. Through our global internal communications platform Yourizon, which was conveniently launched in February 2020, we were also able to share stories and pictures from colleagues working on projects, vessels and at home, with the aim of keeping everyone in the company up to date on the latest developments. Early May, an interactive livestream was held with the CEO in which he answered questions from many colleagues around the world. Since then, we held regular livestreams and interviews to keep the organization informed and connected – both with the CEO and the Board members within their respective divisions.

EARLY TESTING AND PRIVATE CHARTERS In the initial period, the challenge to relieve and rotate colleagues on the vessels and projects was massive. Despite legal measures in certain countries restricting travel, the impact of the pandemic on the aviation industry, which came to a grinding halt, still had a crippling effect. By mid-April, we had established our own PCR testing procedure in collaboration with the Corporate Travel Clinic in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Through this procedure, we tested colleagues in the Port of Rotterdam using the facilities on board our vessels Ndeavor, BOKA Da Vinci and Ndurance; this meant we could establish if a relief crew was healthy and free of COVID-19 and we could provide relief for projects and vessels in Europe. For projects outside of Europe, the testing facility was later expanded to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and, in the absence of scheduled flights, Boskalis organized numerous private charter flights to keep the projects moving. TRAVEL EMERGENCY TEAM With a core team in the Netherlands and support colleagues in locations around the world, the Travel Emergency Team (TET) was set up in March, when travel restrictions were introduced in numerous countries, to assure safe traveling between vessels and projects. The focus was on optimizing travelers’ wellbeing as well as the continuity of their travel arrangements. TET’s activities included arranging tailor-made travel options for individuals and groups, which occasionally involved contact with the Dutch embassy of a particular country. The team worked day and night, ensuring employees who needed to travel had the right documentation, and dealing with the unpredictable logistics of quarantine. The TET was in regular contact with the projects to discuss the support needed and maintained close contact with travelers during their journeys. ONLINE LEARNING ACADEMY A new online learning platform was introduced early April. This platform was due to be introduced in a hybrid classroom/online format in the summer of 2020, however due to COVID-19, the format was amended to online only and the roll-out was fast- tracked. Through the academy, colleagues were able to continue to develop their skills and knowledge. The platform offers a wide range of online courses related to project-based working, digital skills, leadership and vitality. Since the introduction, colleagues have followed more than 2,000 courses. THE VITALITY PORTAL Recognizing the need to focus on the wellbeing of our employees throughout the pandemic, we created the interactive Vitality Portal, where employees can find a diverse package of information, services and activities to support their vitality and

Strategy and ambition SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 – BOSKALIS