Labatt first corporate partner to roll-out The POST Promise
Jun 11, 2020, 08:00 ET
Support for bars and restaurants a critical part of Canada's economic recovery
TORONTO, June 11, 2020 /CNW/ - Labatt Breweries of Canada is taking a leading role in restoring public confidence during the COVID-19 reopening stages by signing on as a founding corporate partner of the newly launched POST (People Outside Safely Together) Promise. The private sector-led initiative is designed to help Canadians confidently and safely take the first steps back into public spaces and the workplace.
"Restaurants and bars play such a meaningful role in bringing friends and family together and we know how much the industry has been impacted by COVID-19," said Kyle Norrington, President, Labatt Breweries of Canada. "We want to do everything we can to help our friends in the restaurant industry bring that occasion back into the lives of Canadians, safely. The POST Promise will help instill confidence in customers and employees as Canada begins to reopen."
The POST Promise is a declaration that businesses make through highly visible signage throughout their restaurant or bar to uphold five key steps identified to help create a safe workplace for employees and consumers:
- Maintain physical distance.
- Wash and sanitize hands.
- Stay home if unwell and report symptoms.
- Clean and disinfect regularly.
- Practice respiratory etiquette.
Labatt will be dedicating resources and marketing activity to work directly with Restaurants Canada to extend the POST Promise to bars and restaurants from coast to coast.
"Restaurants Canada is proud to be a founding partner of the POST Promise initiative. The health and safety of those that restaurants serve is always mission critical and restoring consumer confidence is key to successfully welcoming the return of diners," said Shanna Munro, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada. "While we've been educating foodservice operators on best reopening practices that they can undertake with our Rapid Recovery Guide, the POST Promise allows establishments to visibly display their commitment to providing a safe environment for guests to enjoy dining out again."
As a partner, Labatt will be committing to the POST Promise, spreading awareness through its communication and marketing efforts, educating employees and providing its sales team with POST Promise toolkits.
"Labatt has been a strong supporter of the POST Promise since inception, and is doing a tremendous job helping us build awareness of this important initiative to help restore consumer confidence across the country," said Laura Hearn, President & Executive Director of The POST Promise. "We applaud Labatt and Restaurants Canada for their commitment to the POST Promise and to the health and safety of their customers and employees."
"Canadians will be looking to businesses to lead by example and help ensure the restaurant experience is as safe and enjoyable as it was before the pandemic," said Charlie Angelakos, Labatt's VP of Legal and Corporate Affairs. "Restaurants play such an important role in our communities and social lives, and by committing to follow a set of common best practices and displaying the POST Promise signage, it will help give consumers the confidence they need to bring that experience back to life."
The partnership with POST extends the support Labatt is currently providing to restaurants and Food Banks Canada through its recent donations of hand sanitizer, in addition to brand initiatives like Stella Artois' Rally for Restaurants campaign, a gift card program that provides local establishments with immediate financial relief.
For more information on how a business can make the POST Promise, visit www.postpromise.com
About Labatt Breweries of Canada
Established by John Kinder Labatt in London, Ontario in 1847, Labatt Breweries is one of Canada's founding businesses and its leading brewer. The company today has more than 3,500 employees, six breweries, four stand-alone craft brewers, a BC distillery and a portfolio of 60 quality beers, including Budweiser, Alexander Keith's, Labatt Blue, Kokanee, Stella Artois and Corona. Brands also include ready-to-drink beverages such as Palm Bay and Mike's Hard Lemonade and NÜTRL VODKA SODA. As part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev family, Labatt is committed to Bringing People Together for a Better World, making a positive contribution through multiple programs that support its communities, promote responsible drinking and protect the environment.
About Restaurants Canada
Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing the potential of Canada's diverse and dynamic foodservice industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada's foodservice sector was a $93 billion industry, directly employing 1.2 million people, providing Canada's number one source of first jobs and serving 22 million customers across the country every day. The industry has since lost more than 800,000 jobs and is on track to lose between $22.6 billion and $44.8 billion in annual sales compared to 2019, due to the impacts of COVID-19.
About The POST Promise
The POST Promise is a private sector-led initiative, in collaboration with various levels of government, designed to help Canadians confidently and safely take the first steps back into public spaces and the workplace. Participating businesses receive important education and training as to how they can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are able to display the POST Promise logo which is a nationally recognized symbol of a business' commitment to doing their part to protect the public's health following COVID-19. A national, not-for-profit organization called the POST Promise Corporation was established in May 2020 to provide governance and ongoing operational and financial management of the POST Promise program. The POST Promise is NOT a "certification" or "approval" from any regulatory body. All businesses are still required to follow the laws and recommended guidelines from their local public health office and government bodies.
SOURCE Labatt Breweries of Canada
For further information: Tamar Nersesian, Sr. Manager, Communications, Labatt, [email protected], 416-318-3989; Marlee Wasser, Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations, T: 416-649-4254, Toll-free: 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254, [email protected]