The machines will arrive in Brazil from July to reinforce the national healthcare network

São Paulo, 15 June 2020.
Santander Brazil and Vivo have taken the unprecedent step of joining forces to import 200 ventilators from China to support Brazil's healthcare network during the covid-19 pandemic. The Vivo-Santander partnership is another example of a solidarity initiative involving companies from different sectors with the common goal of achieving sustainable conduct in the area of social responsibility.

"Shareholders are increasingly aware that solidarity and social responsibility generate value for organisations. Big businesses must step up their work on networks to expand the positive impact of their initiatives in society, even when there is no pandemic", said Sérgio Rial, chairman of Santander Brazil.

"We know that Vivo's role can go beyond keeping everything and everyone connected. That's why we're showing our solidarity with Brazil and are committed to expanding of scope of key initiatives that help the health system and the fight against the pandemic. Corporate awareness of companies' own social responsibility is leading to joint efforts, which are key to overcoming the challenges faced by society a result of covid-19", explained Christian Gebara, chairman of Vivo.

In the last three months, Santander has already implemented initiatives such as donating five million rapid tests and 15 million masks, as well as ventilators and EPI in partnership with the banks Bradesco and Itaú; and launching an extraordinary edition of its "Amigo de Valor" programme to donate R$7 million raised by the bank and its employees to five hospitals on the front line of the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Since the start of the pandemic, Vivo has taken a series of measures to combat the virus. Through the Fundação Telefônica Vivo, the company recently announced a donation of R$16.3 million to initiatives to fight the effects of the novel coronavirus in Brazil, in the areas of health and food safety. Vivo invested R$13 million to buy hospital supplies and equipment and R$3.3 million to provide food for socially-vulnerable families and school meals for children in extreme poverty.