Cristina Marinhas
CEO
"Restructuring" was the watchword for Brejinho By VR. In an interview to Global Compact Network Portugal (GCNP), its CEO explains that the pandemic led them to "restructure the whole timing of our project", working "not to save the production of 2020, but to ensure a production of excellence in 2021". At the same time, Maria Borrega (MB) states that, with the closure of borders, the company has chosen to look for "local suppliers" from whom they will continue to buy products after the pandemic "as they provide excellent quality materials".
Brejinho By VR
GCNP: What do you see as the biggest challenges of this pandemic, for your organisation and for SMEs in general?
MB: This pandemic has made us restructure our entire project schedule. The biggest challenge was to be able to combine face-to-face work with teleworking. But everyone has worked hard and we have managed to keep the company running. All the plans for the year 2020 were practically unattainable. It was then that we decided to work not to save the 2020 production, but to guarantee excellent production in 2021.
GCNP: OWhat is your organization doing specifically to respond to the new market challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic? Is there a greater focus on more sought after products in this pandemic phase or on new/different distribution channels?
MB: We used to import lots of materials and with the closing of the borders we were forced to take other measures. We decided to find local suppliers, thus supporting other small/medium enterprises, and maintain the supply of all the materials we need. We made the decision that, even afterwards, we will keep our current suppliers, as they provide excellent quality materials.
GCNP: What do you think should be done, namely by SMEs, for the economy to recover from this crisis and build a more resilient society?
MB: We need to support and invest more in the development of SMEs in general. This crisis has shown that there are many SMEs with excellent products that have reinvented themselves and continued to produce and distribute their products, even with all the difficulties that this crisis has brought us.
GCNP: Do you think the world will be the same after this pandemic?
MB: Nothing will be the same after this pandemic. The times that we have been living through have forced a social distancing to which we were not socially used to or prepared for. It is difficult to go back to what we were. We will all have to adapt to a "New Normality".
