Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 06.05.

20

We have reduced any contact you need to have with people with our social distancing rules which we all have a
responsibility to follow: from collecting parcels at a sub-depot, to delivering them to people’s homes and we
understand that the new processes are working well and keeping you and customers safe. Please familiarise yourself
with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots.

We are seeing instances where some couriers continue to write COVID-19 instead of HTC; please familiarise yourselves
with the detail that communicated the change (to writing the name and HTC instead of the name and COVID-19),
effective from 31/03/20.

For deliveries where there is no safe place OR a signature has been manifested then place the parcel on the doorstep,
knock on the customer’s door and take 2 steps backwards away from the door:

• If the customer or a member of their household answers the door, ask their name and inform them that you are
not asking them to sign for the parcel.
• Please select ‘Household’, enter the name given and then write “HTC” in the signature box.
• If no one answers the door then pick the parcel back up and attempt again as normal. A courier should not leave
the parcel on the doorstep
• If the parcel is no longer required then pick the parcel back up and select “no Longer Required” on the HHT and
follow the normal process
• The above method can also be followed if the customer volunteers to take/sign for a delivery which would
otherwise have been delivered to a safe place

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must clearly
capture the parcel in that safe place.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

06/05/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 29.04.20

Covid Tests

As you may have seen, the UK and Scottish governments have announced that essential workers such as yourselves
are able to receive a Coronavirus test if they or one of their household is showing symptoms of Coronavirus.

You can book a test here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested

The guidance on the testing process can be found here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/881043/covid-
19-testing-self-referral-portal-user-guide.pdf

Please note that the current guidance is that tests are most effective in the first 3 days of displaying symptoms.

We are expecting a similar scheme to be launched in Wales and N.Ireland and will communicate further details of
this when received.

Currently there is no requirement to have proof that you are an essential worker. However to ensure you are able to
access tests smoothly we have produced a letter confirming that you are an essential worker. This can be found
within the information / courier information section on Couriers Online, entitled ‘Covid Tests - Essential Worker
Letter 29-04-20’

Social Distancing and sub depot processes

Familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots. Manifest
messages are in place to ensure reminders are available regarding social distancing and the social distancing poster
also appears on the front page of Couriers Online.

Everyone has a responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure they comply with the government guidance
on social distancing, details are included throughout the previous updates.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to the processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to the
sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than sorting
them prior to putting them in your vehicle.

Delivery volumes

On Friday we shared a communication regarding current network volumes as we continue to see significant volumes
of parcels from our clients and expect them to continue for the weeks to come. Please ensure support is in place to
manage the expected volumes and remember than forecast volumes are available and can be viewed on Couriers
Online.

Conor Ormsby, Head of Courier 29/04/20

Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 21.04.20

Social Distancing and sub depot processes

Familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots. Manifest
messages are in place to ensure reminders are available regarding social distancing and the social distancing poster
also appears on the front page of Couriers Online.

Everyone has a responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure they comply with the government guidance
on social distancing, details are included throughout the previous updates.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to the processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to the
sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than sorting
them prior to putting them in your vehicle.

Collections

Please ensure you check the manifest and attempt customer collections. For those customers who are not self-
isolating, we continue to encourage all customers via website and online channels to leave items in a safe place for
you to collect.

Partner Rewards website

Partner Rewards have added a COVID-19 information page to their website, bringing together some of the
information they wanted to provide on health and wellbeing, fun and education, family entertainment and self-
employed support. Visit www.hermespartnerrewards.com to view the Partner Rewards website.

Thank you for all your hard work and please of course ensure that you observe social distancing at all times to stay
safe. Please remember that all previous communications and advice is available below within this document.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

21/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 17.04.20

As the current Lockdown period is extended, we continue to support millions of people at home during this period,
protecting the vulnerable and easing the pressure on our public services.

Please read the detail that was communicated on 30/03/20 and shared again on 08/04/20 within this pack regarding
the removal of customer signature and the change to writing the name and HTC instead of the name and COVID-19,
effective from 31/03/20.

For deliveries where there is no safe place OR a signature has been manifested then place the parcel on the doorstep,
knock on the customer’s door and take 2 steps backwards away from the door:

• If the customer or a member of their household answers the door, ask their name and inform them that you are
not asking them to sign for the parcel.
• Please select ‘Household’, enter the name given and then write “HTC” in the signature box.
• If no one answers the door then pick the parcel back up and attempt again as normal. A courier should not leave
the parcel on the doorstep
• If the parcel is no longer required then pick the parcel back up and select “no Longer Required” on the HHT and
follow the normal process
• The above method can also be followed if the customer volunteers to take/sign for a delivery which would
otherwise have been delivered to a safe place

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must clearly
capture the parcel in that safe place.

Please familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

17/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 15.04.20

NEXT

On 27 March we advised that NEXT had temporarily closed their warehouses for new orders, we can now advise that
NEXT are starting a phased approach to commencing customer orders by limiting the number of orders they take
each day. They will open each day and then stop taking orders once the daily limit is reached, until the following
morning when they will re-open again.

Their customers can still use the return service. Please ensure collections are attempted on the day of manifest. As
with all clients, NEXT are advising their customers to use the safe place collection process.

Delivery information

Providing real time tracking information ensures visibility throughout the parcel journey and ensures clients and
customers are kept informed. Before leaving the sub depot or your designated address to carry out deliveries, please
download available manifests and receipt scan all items.

All items should be delivered or attempted on the day of manifest. Providing accurate tracking information is crucial
and ensures clients and customers receive meaningful delivery updates. When returning a parcel to the depot please
select the accurate reason and attached a completed authorised return card.

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must
clearly capture the parcel in that safe place.

Think secure

Whilst out delivering please remember the social distancing measures and ensure you think secure.

Always lock your vehicle, even whilst driving and be vigilant at all times. Never leave the key in your vehicle or engine
running while delivering a parcel. Please report all incidents and concerns to the police and your field manager.

Thank you for your hard work during this difficult time and stay safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

15/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 14.04.20

Social Distancing and sub depot processes

Familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots. Manifest
messages are in place to ensure reminders are available regarding social distancing and the social distancing poster
also appears on the front page of Couriers Online.

Everyone has a responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure they comply with the government guidance
on social distancing, details are included throughout the previous updates.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to the processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to the
sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than sorting
them prior to putting them in your vehicle.

Delivery volumes

We continue to see significant volumes of parcels from our clients and expect to see a 10% increase in volumes this
week in comparison to last week so please ensure support is in place to manage the expected volumes. Please
remember than forecast volumes are available and can be viewed on Couriers Online.

Thank you for all your hard work.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

14/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 10.04.20

NEXT collections

Whilst NEXT have temporarily closed their warehouses for new orders, their customers can still use the return
service. Please ensure collections are attempted on the day of manifest. As with all clients, NEXT are advising their
customers to use the safe place collection process.

Signage

A signage poster is available on Couriers Online to display on the dashboard of your vehicle should you choose to.
We’ve ordered a printed supply of these signs to support couriers who are unable to print it themselves, the supply
should arrive in depots towards the end of next week, the depot will ensure these are made available to sub depots
and solus couriers.

Easter period
During the Easter period the network will be closed on Sunday 12 April and Monday 13 April. We continue to see
significant growth in the volumes of parcels please ensure a cover or substitute is available, we are expecting to
process volume of 1.36 million on Tuesday 14 April.

Client discounts

Details of the clients currently offering discounts are included within this pack, please review this information whilst
the offers remain available.

Thank you for all your hard work and please of course ensure that you observe social distancing at all times to stay
safe. Please remember that all previous communications and advice is available below within this document.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

10/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 09.04.20

Please continue to follow the government guidance in order to keep yourselves and others safe.

We’re continuing to focus across all areas of the business to ensure we keep everybody safe during these challenging
times.

Collections

We have already notified clients that couriers will not collect items from customers who are self-isolating.

For those customers who are not self-isolating, we continue to encourage all customers via website and online
channels to leave items in a safe place for you to collect.

Our customer notifications will shortly change to further support our contact free collections, the notification will
remind the customer to place the collection in a safe place, or where no safe is available to ensure the collection is
placed on the doorstep and that they step back / return inside to ensure you can pick it up and leave a calling card
safely.

Supplies

Wipes, sanitiser and non-latex gloves are available in sub depots for couriers to use. Couriers are of course still free
to use their own gloves if they choose.

We’re continuing to carry out sub depot audits to ensure sub depots remain a safe place to operate and that stock of
supplies continue to be sourced and replenished at each site.

Solus couriers will shortly have access to non-latex gloves via the delivery from the radial drivers.

Social Distancing and sub depot processes

Familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots. Everyone has a
responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure they comply with the government guidance on social
distancing.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to the processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to the
sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than sorting
them prior to putting them in your vehicle.
• Ensure all authorised returns (green cards) are prepared before entering the sub-depot, using your own pen, and
Cellotape. Do not share these items with other couriers/sub-depot staff

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier 09/04/20

Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 08.04.20

Over yesterday and today, Martijn has shared some detail on the clear steps being taken to ensure that we maintain
a safe working environment, keep everybody safe and enable our respective businesses to navigate this incredibly
challenging time. A summary of our guidance and practices in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) was also included
as part of that email.

Within sub depots

To ensure sub depots remain a safe place to operate we will continue to carry out sub depot audits. Remember,
there are a number of measures in place, including no cage to cage scanning, specific time slots for you to be at the
sub depot, and clear floor markings so we can keep everyone safe.

We are asking sub depot controllers to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub depot at any one
time, therefore please do not enter the sub depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller or their staff.
Remain in your vehicle until the controller is ready to proceed with your slot.

If you are feeling unwell and showing any COVID-19 symptoms, please do not attend the sub depot, and advise your
field manager immediately. Details for the Coronavirus Impact Fund which we have put in place for couriers are
available on Couriers Online.

Familiarise yourself with social distancing details and ensure the requirements are met at sub depots. Everyone has a
responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure they comply with the government guidance on social
distancing.

Please read the detail that was communicated on 30/03/20 within this pack regarding the removal of customer
signature and the change to writing the name and HTC instead of the name and COVID-19, effective from 31/03/20.

For deliveries where there is no safe place OR a signature has been manifested then place the parcel on the doorstep,
knock on the customer’s door and take 2 steps backwards away from the door:

• If the customer or a member of their household answers the door, ask their name and inform them that you are
not asking them to sign for the parcel.
• Please select ‘Household’, enter the name given and then write “HTC” in the signature box.
• If no one answers the door then pick the parcel back up and attempt again as normal. A courier should not leave
the parcel on the doorstep
• If the parcel is no longer required then pick the parcel back up and select “no Longer Required” on the HHT and
follow the normal process
• The above method can also be followed if the customer volunteers to take/sign for a delivery which would
otherwise have been delivered to a safe place

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must clearly
capture the parcel in that safe place.

Please see the below details of clients currently offering discounts for couriers.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

08/04/20
 FGH / Discount – 30%

Visit www.freemans.com
Use promo code E4FP at the checkout
Expires 30 April

The Hut Group – My Protein / Discount – 40%

Visit:https://s1.thcdn.com/ecrm/redirection/redirect.html?domain=www.myprotein.com&path=/nutrition/bestse
llers-en-gb.list&partnerref=Email_Exclusive_1
Use code MYPHERMES – get 40% off everything.
Expires 19 April

Pentland Brands – Berghaus - Discount – 50%

50% off everything for all keyworkers. You need to DM them on social media (Instagram or Facebook) showing
proof you provide services for Hermes and they will send you a 50% off code.
Expires 17 April

08/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 06.04.20

Please continue to follow the government guidance in order to keep yourselves and others safe.

We’re continuing to work with local police forces for the instances where you told your field manager you’d been
stopped by the police. We can also advise that The College of Policing and National Police Chiefs Council have
produced guidance on the Covid-19 Emergency Legislation and that it has been circulated to Police Forces.

You are entitled to continue to travel for the purposes of carrying out your delivery and collection services.
Remember that the Key worker letter and the sign are available on COL, the sign can be printed out and displayed on
the dashboard of your vehicle should you choose to. This is again to assist if you are stopped by the Police.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to the processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one
time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to
the sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than
sorting them prior to putting them in your vehicle.
• Ensure all authorised returns (green cards) are prepared before entering the sub-depot, using your own pen, and
Cellotape. Do not share these items with other couriers/sub-depot staff

This week we hope to be able to share the details of our clients offering exclusive discounts for couriers.

Many thanks for all you hard work during these challenging times. You are providing a vital service to your customers.
Stay safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

06/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 02.04.20

MOT information

The government have confirmed that your vehicle MOT expiry date will be extended by 6 months if it’s due on or
after 30 March 2020 - but you must keep your vehicle safe to drive. The following link tells you what happens if your
vehicle MOT expiry date is on or after this date.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-from-30-march-2020

Supporting safe deliveries

We continue to support millions of people at home during this period of lockdown, protecting the vulnerable and
easing the pressure on our public services. To further reduce the interactions for deliveries we’re encouraging clients
and customers to use the MyPlaces functionality that was introduced to the Hermes App at the beginning of the
year. The MyPlaces communication is still available on Couriers Online to support you in understanding how the
preferences via the App will display on your device.

Thank you for all your hard work and please of course ensure that you observe social distancing at all times to stay
safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

02/04/20
Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 01.04.20

Process in sub-depots

Last week we communicated to you the processes for collecting your items in sub-depots to enable us to ensure social-
distancing. From the start of this week you will have seen your sub-depot putting those processes in place along with
the physical changes to the sub-depot such as line markings on the floor etc.

It is vitally important for everyone’s safety that everyone using sub-depots adheres to those processes. As a reminder,
they are:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one
time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot.
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to
the sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than
sorting them prior to putting them in your vehicle.
• Ensure all authorised returns (green cards) are prepared before entering the sub-depot, using your own pen, and
Cellotape. Do not share these items with other couriers/sub-depot staff

We are committed to ensuring that sub-depots remain a safe place to operate in and in light of this, we will be
increasing sub-depot audits significantly for the duration of the outbreak.

Press interest

We have been contacted by a number of couriers who have reported that they have been contacted by members of
the press and are unsure of what to do.

If you are contacted by the press please ensure that you refer them to goherm.es/press and our internal team will
then pick this up. This is important as we have had instances recently of the press publishing photos of parcels which
show both customer and client details.

SE+ and revised Lifestyle contracts

SE+ remains open and we would encourage couriers who may be interested to revisit the materials that we have
produced previously. However in view of Coronavirus we are making some changes to how couriers sign up in order
to ensure social distancing. Couriers should still email courieroptions@hermes-europe.co.uk but rather than initiate
a face to face meeting with their Field Manager, this will instead prompt us to send you an electronic SE+ contract
for you to sign. You will need to sign that contract in order to opt in to SE+.

We have also taken the decision to postpone the rollout of the revised Lifestyle contracts in light of the outbreak.
This is to ensure that both you and our Field Team are able to focus completely on ensuring each other’s safety and
also that we continue to provide our essential and vital service to customers at this time.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier 01/04/20

Coronavirus: Update for Couriers 31.3.20

We have taken on board the feedback that we have received regarding the number of communications that you are
receiving from us on Coronavirus. Whilst it is of course a challenging time, during which communication is essential,
it is also important that you do not feel bombarded. On that basis, going forward we will aim to capture everything
related to Coronavirus in to a single communication which we will endeavour to upload to COL between 12 – 3pm
each weekday.

Collections

We have already notified clients that couriers will not collect items from customers who are self-isolating.

For those customers who are not self-isolating, we are encouraging all customers via website and online channels to
leave items in a safe place for you to collect.

Key worker letter and signage

A letter is available for you to download from COL. This letter should assist you with securing childcare for your child
and also if you are stopped by the Police in the current lockdown.

We have also now uploaded a sign on to COL for you to print out and display on the dashboard of your vehicle
should you choose to. This is again to assist if you are stopped by the Police.

The current guidance is clear that you are able to continue to providing services as you cannot perform your role
from home.

If you are stopped by the Police and told that you cannot continue with providing services then please obtain the
date, time, location and either the police officer’s number (on their shoulder) or their vehicle registration to pass to
your field manager. We can then follow up with the local Police force.

Coming up

We have been contacted by a number of our clients offering exclusive discounts for couriers. We hope to be able to
reveal details of these over the course of this week and next.

Thank you once again for all your hard work and please of course ensure that you observe social distancing at all
times to stay safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

31/03/20
IMPORTANT – UPDATED – PLEASE READ: Coronavirus: Keeping everybody safe during the delivery process

UPDATED TO CHANGE TO COMMUNICATE REMOVAL OF CUSTOMER SIGNATURES AND TO CHANGE “COVID-19” TO

“HTC”.

The safety of both our customers and couriers is paramount, particularly in challenging times such as these.

Our current processes for couriers delivering to customers already ensures that customers can divert their parcel to a
safe place if they do not wish for the delivery to be made in person. Couriers should also deliver to a safe place where
one is available and no signature is required.

For deliveries where there is no safe place OR a signature has been manifested then place the parcel on the doorstep,
knock on the customer’s door and take 2 steps backwards away from the door:

• If the customer or a member of their household answers the door, ask their name and inform them that you are
not asking them to sign for the parcel.

• Please select ‘Household’, enter the name given and then write “HTC” in the signature box.

• If no one answers the door then pick the parcel back up and attempt again as normal. A courier should not leave
the parcel on the doorstep

• If the parcel is no longer required then pick the parcel back up and select “no Longer Required” on the HHT and
follow the normal process

• The above method can also be followed if the customer volunteers to take/sign for a delivery which would
otherwise have been delivered to a safe place

Please note that with effect from Tuesday (31 March), the ability for a courier to obtain a signature under the
“Customer” option on the HHT will be removed. Couriers should instead follow the above process.

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must clearly
capture the parcel in that safe place.

In addition to the temporary process above, please remember to ensure that you observe social distancing at all times.

This means staying at least 2m apart from others when collecting parcel and when delivering.

Please also follow processes put in place by sub-depots to help everyone observe this requirement.

Many thanks for all you hard work during these challenging times. You are providing a vital service to your customers.
Stay safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

30/03/20
Coronavirus: Government announcement on support for self-employed:

You may have seen the government’s announcement yesterday on the support available to help self-employed
individuals cope with the financial hardship caused by losing their livelihoods due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will be administered by HMRC, who will contact those who qualify directly.
The government expects the scheme to be up and running by June.

I know this is a difficult time for you. Hermes is doing all it can to keep things moving and ensure people get the parcels
they need to help them follow government guidelines and stay at home, and you are a key part of this.

Parcel volumes are currently steady, and, in some areas, volumes are up. You will probably have noticed a change in
what you are delivering. We have, understandably, seen volumes decline for fashion retailers and in a couple of cases
such as Next, you will notice that the parcel volume will temporarily stop as they made the difficult decision to close
their warehouses. However, we have seen an increase for those who sell more essential items such as, non-perishable
food, over the counter medicine, contact lenses and cleaning and hygiene items. We have also seen Hermes Send/C2C
volumes increase, as people keep in touch with family, especially older relatives, by sending care packages and gifts.

The government recognised the importance of the role you play when it announced delivery services as critical to
responding to the Covid-19 challenge and designated you ‘key worker’ status.

We also recognise the key role you perform. The deliveries you make are supporting millions of people at home during
this period of lockdown, protecting the vulnerable and easing the pressure on our public services.

We do not foresee that there will be a significant drop in parcel volumes as we have a diverse national and international
client base, so your services are still very much needed – perhaps more than ever as we work through these
unprecedented challenges together. We have reduced any contact you need to have with people with our new social
distancing rules which we all have a responsibility to follow: from collecting parcels at a sub-depot, to delivering them
to people’s homes and we understand that the new processes are working well and keeping you and customers safe.

We will, of course, keep you updated about any changes in the network and please contact your Field Manager if you
have any questions or concerns.

Please keep yourself updated via COL with the latest news. We are doing all that is possible to ensure parcel volumes
remain as they are, so you do not suffer financial hardship during this difficult time and that you continue to prosper
when it is over.

Thank you for all your continued services, and for all you are doing for your local community.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

27/03/20
Coronavirus update: Social Distancing

Until further notice we will be providing you with regular updates on Coronavirus and steps that you can take to keep
both you, your fellow couriers and your customers safe. Today’s update focuses on social distancing.

Social Distancing

Everyone has a responsibility to themselves and to each other to ensure that they comply with the government
guidance on social distancing. For couriers this applies when you are in and around the sub-depot and whilst you
are carrying out deliveries and collections. You are performing a key role during this difficult time and it is vital that
everyone is seen to be doing this in compliance with social distancing requirements.

To ensure social distancing requirements are met at sub-depots, you need to:

• Remain in your car until your timeslot

• When your timeslot commences, do not enter the sub-depot until permitted to do so by the Sub-Depot Controller
or their staff. We are asking them to only permit a certain number of couriers into their sub-Depot at any one
time
• Keep to your designated area once in the sub-depot. By Saturday (28 March) these will be clearly indicated by
tape/paint
• Remain 2m apart from others in the sub-depot at all times when collecting parcels. Sub-depots will be using
contactless cage to cage handover and you will be shown how this works in your particular sub-depot
• Be as quick as you can collecting your parcels and placing them in your vehicle to allow other couriers access to
the sub-depot. This means scanning your parcels directly into your vehicle and then sorting them, rather than
sorting them prior to putting them in your vehicle.
• Ensure all authorised returns (green cards) are prepared before entering the sub-depot, using your own pen, and
Cellotape. Do not share these items with other couriers/sub-depot staff

As a reminder there is no longer any requirement for you to scan cage to cage. We have made clear to Sub-Depot
Controllers that they are required to ensure regularly used surfaces are cleaned often and that they also clean cages.

For solus couriers, social distancing may mean your driver maintains a bigger distance than normal from you.

To ensure social distancing whilst carrying out deliveries, please follow the guidance issued previously on deliveries.

For more information on social distancing please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-

guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-
protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Thanks as always for your hard work during this difficult time and for following the above to ensure that we all stay
safe.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier

26/03/20
Coronavirus: courier update

We wanted to update couriers following the government announcement yesterday evening.

First however I want to thank you for all of the effort that you have put in since the start of the Coronavirus outbreak
to ensure that collections and deliveries continue.

As key workers, your work is vitally important to the Coronavirus response. You ensure that thousands of vitally
important products, such as soap and hand sanitiser, are delivered everyday, often to the more vulnerable in society
who are unable to make their own trip to the shops in this current climate. As well as this, the collection service that
you provide means that people can continue to send care packages, often to those same vulnerable people, even
during the current lockdown.

Travel to/from work

The government’s announcement set out that people would only be permitted to leave their house in a small number
of circumstances. One of these was for “Travelling to and from work, but only where work absolutely cannot be done
from home”.

As couriers cannot provide their services from home, you are still permitted to carry out your work in the normal way.
This is particularly important because of your key worker status.

A signed letter on Hermes letterhead is available for you to download to support both your Key Worker status and
your ability to continue to travel to/from work.

Sub-depots
The government’s announcement also reiterated the importance of social distancing, even when working. To ensure
that you are able to comply with this when collecting your parcels, we are working quickly with all sub-depots to ensure
that their arrangements allows couriers to keep 2 metres apart when collecting parcels.

As a result, over the course of this week you may see new guidance put in place by your Sub-Depot Controller about
the number of couriers who can access the sub-depot at any one time and also extended opening hours to help achieve
this.

We know that you will want to follow this guidance in order to keep yourselves and others safe. We want to stress to
all couriers that you can assist with this by keeping time in the sub-depot to a minimum and ensuring that you remain
in any designated area.

In addition, we have also taken steps to remove practices which make compliance with social distancing requirements
more difficult to achieve. One of these is that with immediate effect, we have temporarily suspended the requirement
for couriers to carry out cage to cage scans. 100% receipt scanning is still required.

As well as the above, we have ordered a stock of latex and non-latex gloves to come into every sub-depot for couriers
to use. Couriers are of course are still free to use their own gloves if they choose.

For solus couriers, safe distancing may mean your driver maintains a bigger distance than normal between you and
them.

Collections
We know that the majority of collections will be collected from a safe place and so will not involve any contact with
the customer. However to ensure that both customers and couriers are clear on how to carry out an “in person”
collection safely, we will be issuing further guidance by tomorrow on both Couriers’ Online and to customers. We also
just want to remind you of the revised process for deliveries, to ensure no requirement to obtain a physical signature
and to maintain safe distance

I want to end by reiterating my thanks and encouraging you all to stay safe, both whilst delivering and at home.

Conor Ormsby

Head of Courier
24/3/20
Coronavirus courier update

We know that the current situation regarding Coronavirus is a concern for everyone. We are continuing to follow the
guidance issued by government and we expect that couriers will also want to follow the guidance. As a reminder the
most up to date guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-list-
of-guidance

To ensure that our sites remain as clean as possible, our cleaning contractors are regularly carrying out higher
intensity cleaning within our sites, and sub depot controllers are aware of the expectations and when to contact the
Depot General Manager if this is required.

School closures

As you will be aware, schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are closing from today (Friday 20
March 2020) to help control the spread of the disease.

However, following our successful lobbying, the government has confirmed that the postal services and delivery
sector, which Hermes is a part of, has a key role to play in relation to Coronavirus.

Under Hermes’ Business Continuity Plan, couriers have been identified as performing a business-critical service in
ensuring that parcels are delivered to customers.

This means that couriers will still be able send their children to school following the general closure today. For those
couriers who wish to do this you should contact the school. If couriers require proof of their business-critical service,
then they should use this document in the first instance.

Before doing this, please bear in mind the government’s guidance that:

1. If it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be.

2. If a child needs specialist support, is vulnerable or has a parent who is a critical worker, then educational
provision will be available for them.
3. Parents should not rely for childcare upon those who are advised to be in the stringent social distancing category
such as grandparents, friends, or family members with underlying conditions.
4. Parents should also do everything they can to ensure children are not mixing socially in a way which can continue
to spread the virus. They should observe the same social distancing principles as adults.
5. Residential special schools, boarding schools and special settings continue to care for children wherever possible.

In order to reduce the burden on schools, we want to remind couriers that there is nothing to prevent couriers from
bringing their children with them whilst they deliver. Our only requirement is that children remain inside the vehicle
when at the sub-depot. We are also looking at available opportunities within sub depot sites to make it easier for
couriers to deliver around any childcare commitments. This includes potentially extended opening hours and
introducing late afternoon collection slots. You will of course be provided with more information on any
development either via Couriers Online or your Field Manager.

Please remember that all previous communications and advice is available below within this document.

20/03/20
Coronavirus: Keeping everybody safe during the delivery process

The safety of both our customers and couriers is paramount, particularly in challenging times such as these.

Our current processes for couriers delivering to customers already ensures that customers can divert their parcel to a
safe place if they do not wish for the delivery to be made in person.

For those deliveries where the customer has not selected a diversion to a safe place, we have made some temporary
changes to the signature process to ensure that contact between couriers and customers is minimised. These
temporary changes will also be shown on our website and reiterated within our call centre. Please note that these
changes are temporary – we will issue a further communication to notify you when that temporary process is at
and end:

• If customer has already diverted to a safe place, ensure that that diversion is followed even if the customer is
in the property. There is no need to knock on the customer’s door however a calling card should be left

• If customer has not selected diversion to a safe place but there is a safe place available then deliver to that
safe place following the safe place process on the HHT. To inform the customer that the parcel has been
delivered, provide them with a calling card

• If there is no safe place available OR a signature has been manifested then place the parcel on the doorstep,
knock on the customer’s door and take 2 steps backwards away from the door:

o If the customer or a member of their household answers the door, ask the customers name, inform
the customer that you are not asking them to sign for the parcel and that you will complete this for
them. Please select ‘Household’, enter the name given and then write “COVID-19” in the signature
box
o If the customer does not answer the door then pick the parcel back up and attempt again as normal.
A courier should not leave the parcel on the doorstep
o If the customer no longer wants the parcel then pick the parcel back up and select “no Longer
Required” on the HHT and follow the normal process
o The above method can also be followed if the customer volunteers to take/sign for a delivery which
would otherwise have been delivered to a safe place

For all parcels being delivered to a safe place, a safe place photo must be taken. As a reminder that photo must clearly
capture the parcel in that safe place.

In addition to the temporary process above, please be mindful of the following precautionary steps:
• Equip yourself with sanitiser gel and wipes to ensure they are to hand should you need to use them. We’re
pleased to confirm that this week wipes and sanitiser are to be available in sub depots
• Consider your interactions with others during your daily routines, e.g. limiting handshakes / personal displays
of affection / avoiding close contact with people who are unwell
• Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• Use wipes to clean regularly touched items such as; hand held terminal devices / mobile phones / handles /
steering wheel
• Do not pass your device to the customer to obtain a signature, the above temporary process is in place and if
a customer does sign they should use their own stylus

16/03/20
Coronavirus: Update to self-isolation advice for those returning from Italy

As some of you may have seen, the government has updated its guidance on self-isolation for those retuning from
Italy.

The revised guidance is that anyone who has returned from anywhere in Italy since yesterday must self-isolate for 14
days.

The full guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

Please contact your Field Manager immediately if this affects you and your ability to provide services.

We will be sending out further communications this week regarding the Coronavirus Impact Fund which we have
committed to putting in place for couriers.

10/3/20
Coronavirus update

Further to the previous communications regarding the risk of coronavirus (set out at pages 2 and 3), we want to
keep you informed and remind you to continue to follow the guidance issued by government on what should be
done to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Continuing to follow the guidance and by taking relevant
precautionary steps all work towards limiting the spread.

In addition to NHS guidance we ask couriers to be mindful of other precautionary steps;

• Equip yourself with sanitiser gel and wipes to ensure they are to hand should you need to use them.
• Consider your interactions with others during your daily routines, e.g. limiting handshakes / personal
displays of affection / avoiding close contact with people who are unwell.
• Wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
• Use wipes to clean regularly touched items such as; hand held terminal devices / mobile phones / handles /
steering wheel.
• When obtaining customer signatures for POD and HSIG parcels please ensure a stylus or suitable item is
used, ensuring that the customer doesn’t sign with their finger.
• In instances where a customer may refuse to interact with you/sign for a POD or HSIG delivery please return
the parcel to the depot by affixing a completed authorised return card.
• The safe place delivery options available within the courier network allow for reduced interactions as items
can be left safe and secure for the customer on their return home.

Links to the government guidance can be found below, please take the time to familiarise yourselves with it. The
guidance will be updated regularly so please also ensure that you check for those updates:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public#lockdown-areas

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

We will continue to follow the guidance issued by government on what should be done to help prevent the spread of
Coronavirus.

06/03/20
Coronavirus update

Further to the previous communication regarding the risk of coronavirus on parcels (set out at page 2), we wanted to
make you aware that both the government and the NHS have issued further guidance on the Coronavirus.

The guidance can be found here and we would ask that all couriers take the time to familiarise themselves with
it. The guidance will be updated regularly so please also ensure that you check for those updates:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public#lockdown-areas

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

As with all viruses, that NHS guidance sets out a number of ways to try and reduce the spread of Coronavirus:

Do
• cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze
• put used tissues in the bin immediately
• wash your hands with soap and water often – use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell

Don't
• touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean

We expect couriers will want to follow the above guidance.

We will continue to follow the guidance issued by government on what should be done to help prevent the spread of
Coronavirus.

28.02.20
Coronavirus – advice from the World Health Organization

We understand that some couriers may have concerns regarding the unknown risks relating to the virus and parcels
from China. Whilst there are still a lot of unknowns regarding the Coronavirus we want to share some information
from the World Health Organization to reassure couriers.

As with any bacteria or virus the advice would be to continue to take relevant precautionary steps to limit the
spread. Further information is available either from the World Health Organization website or from gov.uk

06.02.20