Staying safe during Covid-19

The John Lewis Partnership takes the safety and wellbeing of its Partners, customers and third parties working with us very seriously. In line with our Partnership values, we have completed comprehensive risk assessments for the Partnership’s operations and services. The Partnership follows guidance issued by the Government, the devolved governments in the UK, and Public Health scientific advisors.

The Partnership has completed comprehensive risk assessments of the services we offer to our customers and of our operating procedures, working practices and workplaces across our entire estate. We have identified a range of controls to manage the risk of Covid-19 cross contamination and transmission. Where the risk of Covid-19 cannot be controlled to an acceptable level, the Partnership has suspended these services and work activities. Where services can be offered by an alternative means this has been implemented so that the Partnership can still service our customers.

The following areas of the Partnership have been risk assessed:

  • Retail stores 
  • Logistics and distribution 
  • Head offices and office environments 
  • Services provided in customer premises 
  • Manufacturing 
  • Partnership hotels for Partners and their families 

As a result of the risk assessments, the Partnership has implemented (where reasonably practicable) a range of controls which include: 

  • Where risk of transmission cannot be controlled, services and work activities have been suspended. 
  • We have identified clear controls for providing services to clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable customers in their homes. 
  • We have enhanced cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures in line with official guidance for all our operations. 
  • We have taken all reasonable steps to maintain a 2 metre or 1 metre plus with mitigation for social distance in the workplace. Where social distancing is not always possible, we have put in place measures to manage transmission risk including limiting the number of customers in our stores, one way pedestrian traffic systems where practicable, sneeze screens and barriers. 
  • We have strongly recommended and encouraged our Partners who are public facing to wear face covering and asked the public who come into our shops to wear face coverings.
  • We have increased the level of signage in the workplace and in stores to ensure that social distancing and hygiene standards are observed. 
  • We have provided information, instruction and training to ensure Partners are fully aware of the precautions needed to control transmission. 
  • We are limiting the number of Partners working in offices and where work can be carried out from home this is positively encouraged. 
  • We also monitor the implementation of the controls across the Partnership and compliance is tracked and reported to the Executive Team. 
  • We collect personal data to support test and trace procedures.

The risk assessments are reviewed and updated weekly by the Partnership’s safety department to ensure controls are still relevant and being implemented. It also informs the Partnership’s decision on the relaxation of restrictions and the relaunch of suspended services for our customers whilst still managing the risk of transmission.

The Partnership will continue to review the impact of local restriction and lockdowns across the UK and keep our customers informed of the impact to the services we offer.

Find out more about how our brands are responding to Covid-19