Our COVID-19 Response
As featured in Qualcomm's 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report
Protecting the Health and Safety of our Employees and Communities
Our employees make Qualcomm’s success possible and their health and safety is our top priority. From the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, our Emergency Operations Team (EOT) implemented a comprehensive response plan covering items such as: hygiene practices, infection-control measures, medical treatment, communication, travel policies, and human resource policies.
As the situation continued to evolve, the response plan has been closely monitored, adjusted and communicated to employees at a global, regional and local level. We required all employees, including consultants, working onsite or visiting Company premises, to complete a Return to Onsite Safety Training to ensure understanding and compliance with the safety measures in place.
Qualcomm moved to a global required work from home policy for employees who are able to perform their job remotely on March 12, 2020. As of the launch of this report, this policy remains in effect except in China where approximately 75 percent of our employees have returned safely onsite.
For employees whose work is both critical to the continuity of business operations and requires onsite presence to perform work duties, Qualcomm took appropriate measures – as recommended by leading public health authorities – to ensure that the work environment was safe and the risk of the virus spreading in our facilities was reduced as much as possible. This included implementing increased cleaning and lab hygiene plans, facilitating self-temperature checking, badge- access requirements and requiring social distancing to ensure we are providing a safe work environment.
We distributed kits to support our employees in staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. We provided protective equipment (PPE) for on site employees and employees working from home. In the US, for example, this included health kits which contain masks, disinfectant wipes, and a touchless key tool. In China, we provided kits prepared to support them in coming back on site.
Additionally, we implemented a number of employee benefit programs and opportunities including additional paid leave for employees with symptoms or who may be high risk, need to care for a family member or assist a child with school. We provided options to take home office equipment and additional IT equipment support.
We also maintain a global Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides resources and assistance to employees and their families dealing with mental or emotional health issues, as well as everyday challenges associated with managing stress, work-life balance and locating quality care for their children or elderly parents and others. The program is provided at no cost to employees, their dependents or household members.
Delivering Critical Connectivity and Support to our Local and Global Communities
To support our global communities, we donated to the following efforts, and we remain committed to providing monetary and in-kind donations as the crisis continues.
- Charities Aid Foundation America, Support for Association of the Italian Red Cross
- Charities Aid Foundation America, Support for the Flexport.org Fund
- Chinese Red Cross Foundation, Emergency Response
- Cal Coast Cares Foundation, San Diego Small Business Relief Fund
- Donations of laptops and other devices to schools and community nonprofits
- Donations to local organizations in communities where our employees live and work
- India Prime Minister COVID-19 Relief Fund
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation, COVID-19 Regional Response Fund
- The San Diego Foundation, COVID-19 Community Response Fund/Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank
- United Nations Foundation, COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO
- Vista Unified School District
Supporting Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
In response to COVID-19, we launched the Qualcomm Small Business Accelerator Program. Designed to help bring small businesses into a mobile-first, remote work environment that will aid in taking them through this crisis and beyond, the Program selected 33 businesses that span healthcare, education, crisis response, arts, environmental services, and other industries, and most identified as women-owned, minority-owned, and/or veteran-owned. More information can be found in the Purposeful Innovation section of this report.
To learn more about Qualcomm’s 2025 goals and ESG performance in 2020, access the full report here
