Background information

The Business Association of Leiria Region (Associação Empresarial da Região de Leiria - Nerlei) launched a challenge to the companies operating in the region to contribute to the fight of COVID-19 and produce goggles to be distributed free of cost to all the institutions related to health, civil protection, security services and prison services in the district of Leiria.

Ten companies, mostly from the moulds and plastics sectors, accepted the challenge.

This project, entitled "Por Portugal, todos unidos na região de Leiria", is coordinated by the Polytechnic of Leiria.

Content of measure

A needs assessment in all the institutions related to health, civil protection, security services and prison services in the district of Leiria showed the need of about 6,000 goggles.

By the end of March 2020, 3,300 goggles, produced by ten local companies usually operating in the moulds and plastics sectors, were already distributed among these institutions, free of charge.

The full target of 6,000 goggles was met on 6 April 2020.

The remaining number of 1,300 goggles will be distributed in the residential care homes for the elderly located in the region, by the municipalities.

Once reached the initial target, the Polytechnic of Leiria faces the possibility to widen the production of goggles to other areas of the country, or to an international level.

Some of the companies involved were already contacted by Belgium and the USA, who showed interest in buying their production of goggles.

Use of measure

The needs assessment in the region showed the need of a total of about 6,000 goggles. This target was met and then exceeded.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Employers' organisations Company / Companies Other social actors (e.g. NGOs)	Other

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Agreed (outcome) incl. social partner initiative
Form	Not applicable	Any other form of consultation, institutionalised (as stable working groups or committees) or informal

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Only employers' organisations
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

The Business Association Nerlei took the initiative to contact several local companies. The local Polytechnic is also involved.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 06 April 2020: Covid-19 - Produção de viseiras de Leiria cobiçada por outros países Produção de viseiras de Leiria cobiçada por outros países (www.jn.pt)