Wywiad z Markiem Piechockim, prezesem firmy odzieżowej LPP

It really happened on the 13th — the 13th of March. All retail outlets, all restaurants were shut down, not only in Poland but in the majority of countries. Unfortunately, this means we were deprived of revenue, while simultaneously we must bear our obligations — to our employees, to our suppliers who produced the collection for us. The biggest challenge today is managing these people in this context, to preserve as many jobs as possible. We are aware that non-operating outlets generate costs on various sides, including the employee side. We already have a law which to some extent helps us, and we will look closely at how to apply it in individual retail stores. This is probably our biggest challenge — to protect as many jobs as possible. There is great awareness that today we are all fighting for health and lives. But we also have the awareness that the whole world — not just Poland — after we deal with this pandemic, will be in a major recession. It is written about in world media that it will be the biggest in history, much bigger than the one in 2008–2009, which was proclaimed the biggest recession since the Great Depression of 1929. Governments are trying to support economies through stimulus, injecting large amounts of money. But it is very important that in this unprecedented situation, we protect as many jobs as possible. We established the Polish Employers' Association of Trade and Services to talk with legislators about how the regulations introduced on March 13th affect our sector. That is why we are uniting. We need to be aware that in the longer term we are talking about a recession. We are preparing for it. In a recession, it is spoken openly that one must ensure one has cash. What does this specifically mean? It means that for us it is already obvious — as CEO and representing our shareholders — that this year we will not be paying dividends. We want to protect this money to not lose liquidity. Our plans involve doing as much as possible to protect the company from the consequences of a major slowdown and to protect these 200,000 jobs in the sector. However, how this will look in detail, none of us knows. We are preparing for the worst. Never in history have all restaurants been closed, all airlines practically not functioning, all shops closed. It is the first time that all of Europe is closed, the United States is closed. Governments are doing everything to minimize the slowdown.

I proceed from the assumption that it is best for everyone to focus on what they do best. That way the help is more effective. Because we have been operating in China for 30 years, we have great knowledge and awareness of how, what, and where to do things. When no one was yet thinking about the coronavirus, it was already a problem at the end of January and in the first days of February. We helped our consumers, our office employees, and our Chinese partners by sending 500,000 masks. Now over a million are coming back from China. Within a few days, by the 5th to the 10th of April, the first 300,000 will arrive. We have already distributed several dozen thousand, and another 700,000 are on the way, arriving around the 20th of April. This is a very large transport of masks that will be appearing in Polish hospitals. We want to distribute as many as possible to as many hospitals as we can. On the other hand, the Polish Employers' Association has rallied, and we are starting production in Poland — both of masks and protective suits. Yesterday the Industrial Development Agency came back to us, and together we are establishing our production capacities to start production already this week. Simultaneously, we are helping the Prime Minister's Office in procuring equipment in China — suits, masks, and various other items. I look at this with great confidence, because not only us — 150 companies in the association, representing Polish entrepreneurs. Companies like Ochnik, Tatuum, Monnari, and others — we have many seamstresses and we will also produce in Poland, whether suits, masks, or gowns urgently needed in hospitals. I am glad that it is not only us. We also work with Mr. Leszek Górecki's foundation. I am glad that many Poles have engaged in this.

There is, in fact, a nice, positive element — and that is that many initiatives have appeared aimed at helping. We want to help each other. We have started being solidary, in partnership, everyone beyond political, cultural, and geographical divisions. By the way, we have also learned to work remotely, to connect through various media that allow us to see on a computer screen a person who is 500 or 1,000 kilometers away and calmly carry out various activities. The best thing is that we can see these initiatives trying to help in this difficult situation — above all, probably in healthcare, which needs help the most in the form of suits, equipment, and other items. There is a lot of social mobilization. Not only us as a company, but many companies, enterprises, and independent individuals — helping by doing someone's shopping or delivering something. This is a general social mobilization. What also makes me glad is that the social awareness of the threat is very great. At least here on the coast, as I observe, everyone is restraining themselves from going out, everyone is sitting at home, working remotely. I think this is very encouraging. I think that we as entrepreneurs from this trade and services sector have also managed to unite in these difficult moments. Despite competing in shopping malls for better locations and competing with merchandise — suddenly, within seven days, we managed to unite. We have the Polish Employers' Association with over 150 companies that directly employ 200,000 people, and including suppliers, it amounts to about a million people. These are the positive elements that sometimes make one think how nice it is that we have active people helping others.

Thank you very much.