Dentsu Aegis Network has updated travel guidance for employees across the network and closed Dentsu Japan headquarters after two employees were found to have tested positive for coronavirus.
A screenshot from an internal email shared with AgencySpy explained that Dentsu Aegis Network’s updated travel guidance was “triggered by both the continued spread of the virus to new countries and by the fact that two Dentsu employees in Japan have just been confirmed to have been infected.”
The email went on to say that the decisions were made in an attempt to “operate out of an abundance of caution as our foremost priority in ensuring that our people stay healthy and safe.”
A representative for Dentsu Aegis Network confirmed that it has updated its travel guidance and that Dentsu has closed its Japan headquarters, requiring employees to work remotely. Dentsu Aegis Network isn’t the only holding company to take preventative measures around the coronavirus. Omnicom Media Group closed two U.K. facilities out of similar concerns around coronavirus.
Dentsu Aegis Network issued the following statement:
At Dentsu Aegis Network, we are committed to protecting the health and safety of our people, our clients and the communities in which we work. With recent developments of coronavirus, we have taken a number of key measures to protect these groups.
We have put in place ongoing health and safety measures, including travel restrictions and remote working, where appropriate and based on [the] latest local government guidance.
We have a robust business continuity team who are working at [the] global, regional and local level to safeguard our people and react in an expedited way, where required. We are continuously monitoring the situation, particularly regarding high-risk markets, and are adopting all local government recommendations.
We hope all our people, clients and the local communities which we are a part of stay well during this difficult time.