19 I N T E G R A T E D R E P O R T 2 0 2 1 C H A I R P E R S O N ’ S M E S S A G E The year in context After successfully becoming COVID-free in April 2020, Mauritius was affected by a second outbreak of infections in early 2021. This led to a sixweek lockdown in March, deferring yet again the resumption of economic activities and reopening of borders. This not only reversed some of the economic and social progress Mauritius made, but it also cast a shadow on the hopes we had of a recovery in 2021. Consumers, businesses and communities are continuing to face significant economic and social hardships. Unemployment remains elevated and many households, particularly those employed in hospitality and other service industries, are still struggling with lost income and a lower purchasing power. In this context, our Consumer Finance and Leasing activities stood out as beacons of stability in helping businesses meet their cash flow needs and allowing households to maintain financial security. Living our purpose to rebuild together We may be a non-banking financial institution, but our call of duty extends beyond providing financial solutions. We became all the more aware of this when, once the lockdown was lifted, a great number of customers queued up outside our premises— while respecting social distancing measures—to pay their bills and meet their financial obligations. And this despite availing of relief measures like grace periods, payment rescheduling schemes and digital solutions to avoid in-branch visits. To us, this was a strong message: in times of crisis, our very existence depends on their continued loyalty and support and similarly, our customers rely heavily on us to be able to meet their financial needs. In that moment, the interconnectedness between our business and the customers we serve became more apparent than ever: we exist to uplift people’s quality of lives, guard them against uncertainties and offer them a path to building better futures. This purpose continues to guide us as we move forward with a newfound sense of direction and bolder ambitions. Supporting and creating value for our stakeholder groups Cim Finance has been an essential part of the socioeconomic landscape of the island for over thirty years now. We are dedicated to honouring this legacy by ensuring the perennity of our relationship with all our stakeholder groups: this includes being a good employer, supporting our individual and corporate customers, and fulfilling our role as a member of society. Our employees The safety and well-being of our 750 employees remained our top-of-mind concern both during lockdownandpost-lockdown. Knowing that employees were, and still are, grappling with the blurring of worklife boundaries and increased stress, we went a long way in adopting a ‘whole person’ approach centred on meeting their physical and psychological needs. We designed a work environment that is flexible and humane, and that recognises the difficulties they may be facing, like childcare while schools are closed, or the loss of a loved one. To protect them further, we provided transportation to and from work for a number of months to limit their exposure to other commuters on public transportation. In parallel, we rolled out a vaccination awareness campaign to encourage all our employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. To achieve this, we covered the costs associated with receiving the vaccine, including transportation and paid leave. As a result of HR’s efficient coordination, 75% of our employees have been successfully vaccinated. Our customers, network of merchants and small businesses In last year’s report, we announced our new strategic plan based on two areas of growth: customer-centricity and a focus on the retail and SME markets. As a company with a strong domestic footprint, our performance is inextricably linked to the performance of the SME sector—a sector that is the lifeblood of our economy generating over 50% of employment. We reaffirmed our commitment to our network of merchants by continuing to offer them a wide range of support measures, including capital
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