Covid-19 : Message from CEO

The numbers of new COVID-19 cases continue to increase rapidly around the world. For anyone who may have been directly impacted by the virus, I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to you and your families on behalf of the entire Ajinomoto Group and to wish you a speedy recovery. I would also like to express my gratitude to the countless health organizations and healthcare professionals worldwide who are working tirelessly day and night to respond to this global crisis.

The Ajinomoto Group is continuing to operate our global production facilities to fulfill our responsibilities as a supplier of a wide range of products and services, from foods and seasonings to ingredients for personal hygiene products , amino acids that help the immune system, and development and manufacturing support for the pharmaceutical industry. Throughout our production and distribution chains we are taking thorough precautions to reduce the risk of contagion and ensure that our products continue to be available to consumers. But ensuring these supply responsibilities is not something we can achieve on our own. It requires the commitment of our suppliers of raw materials, the distributors who deliver our products, as well as the retail industry. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for their efforts in this regard.

The Ajinomoto Group is working closely with Japan’s COVID-19 regional response headquarters and four similar response headquarters around the world to collect reliable information on the pandemic, both on the ground in each country and from the World Health Organization. We will continue to take all appropriate decisions and actions as the situation evolves from minute to minute to ensure the well-being of all our employees from production to logistics. For the safety of our over 34,000 employees and their families around the world, we are taking strict hygiene precautions in all our facilities and encouraging employees to work from home and curtail business travel whenever possible. We regret the many inconveniences and the extra burden that this has placed on our business partners and customers, but we ask for your understanding.

The Ajinomoto Group, in each situation, is exerting every effort and taking all necessary measures to prevent disruptions to production and to preserve the nutrition and wellness lifeline. If difficulties in procuring materials or other problems by chance should arise, we promise that we will work to fulfill our supply responsibilities to the greatest extent possible by prioritizing those products and services most essential to the wellness of our customers.

The battle against COVID-19 is expected to continue for some time to come, but I am positive that by acting together as employees of the Ajinomoto Group, we can help overcome the tremendous challenges facing us all and fulfill our responsibility to maintain the nutrition and wellness lifeline.

 

March 27, 2020

 

Takaaki Nishii

Representative Director,

President & Chief Executive Officer