What tries to pull us apart, just
brings us closer together

One of the great ironies of the COVID-19 pandemic is how physically far apart we must be, yet how much we’re drawn to be close – to our families, friends and communities.

Alleviating the human impact of this pandemic is one of the most important things we can do as a corporation. But we certainly can’t do it alone. We’re facing a whole new world of challenges alongside our customers. Seismic shifts are happening in markets and supply chains. There are job losses and furloughs. A whole new set of behaviors are needed whether we’re working from home or outside home performing essential roles.

The best way to navigate this new environment is with our customers. Let’s get back to basics - stay close, work together and make an impact. Our customers’ needs are not the same today as they were yesterday, let alone the start of the year. We’re dealing with a rate of change that is unprecedented in our times. This new norm demands real communication with an acute awareness that the clock is ticking. It means listening and responding with agility. We must anticipate where the challenges will come from, rather than where they were. If we don’t, we risk missing opportunities to provide help where it’s needed.

As part of the essential materials industry, Dow makes many vital products used in medical, hygiene and food applications.

We’re doing everything in our power to think differently and turn our customers’ challenges into successful outcomes. Our promise to make working with Dow an Easy, Enjoyable and Effective experience is as relevant now as ever. Let me share few examples of where we’re living up to this promise.

We have transformed our dow.com landing pages to make it easier for our customers to find products that are critical to the pandemic battle.

An emergency quarantine facility in Manila

In a matter of weeks we’ve delivered solutions to intractable challenges presented by the pandemic. Whether partnering with Cygnus Industries in the Philippines to create emergency quarantine facilities or designing easy-to-assemble face shields to help accelerate supply for healthcare workers, there are so many heart-warming examples that my only regret is I can’t share them all.

 

There are innumerable examples of outreach by our employees to customers, including dozens of calls made personally by our CEO, Jim Fitterling. We came together with SC Johnson to help address the dramatic undersupply of hand sanitizers, reinforcing that our customers can depend on us in crisis, as much as they do in normal operations.

As we begin to emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we’re keeping the lessons learned close to heart. As a material science and innovation leader, we have the means to make the world a safer place. With strong customer partnerships, there are no limits. We just have to see the challenges before us and seize the opportunities with passion. Because in business as in life, what tries to pull us apart usually just bonds us closer together.

Dan Futter, Chief Commercial Officer

#DowStrong