Esso donates fuel to the Red Cross and Food Banks

“We greatly appreciate those healthcare professionals who are in the front lines of our fight against the corona pandemic. By donating this fuel, we want to support relief organizations in our community, such as the Red Cross and food banks, in their provision of the extra care that is so urgently needed,” said Erik van Beek, Refinery Manager of the ExxonMobil Rotterdam refinery, where the Esso fuel is sourced.

Currently, the Red Cross is executing the most extensive emergency assistance operation since the North Sea flood of 1953. The Red Cross is providing assistance to fight coronavirus in various places in the Netherlands. This includes distributing personal protective equipment to healthcare institutions and transporting COVID-19 patients to and from hospitals and clinics. Red Cross personnel are travelling many extra kilometres every day to make this aid possible. Esso's donation enables the Red Cross to save money which they can now use to purchase protective materials to protect healthcare workers and volunteers in the fight against COVID-19.

Food banks are facing an increased demand for food packages because of the corona crisis. Their transportation needs have increased significantly to collect goods from companies or to deliver to other food banks to enable the assistance. "Thanks to Esso's donation, the food banks can invest savings on fuel into, for example, the purchase of equipment or packages to store the food safely," says Anco Bonninga, coordinator of Food Bank Spijkenisse and surroundings.

ExxonMobil is working with its business partner EG Group, which owns the selected Esso fuel stations and is supplying the fuel free of charge. "We are happy to help ExxonMobil with its initiative to support emergency responders. Especially now, collaboration is very important to help fight this crisis. We are also grateful for the emergency responders’ efforts," said Laurent Grobet, Country Manager Benelux EG Retail.

ExxonMobil has made up to 100,000 litres of Esso fuel available to relief organizations which need more fuel because of coronavirus. ExxonMobil, together with all its employees, is also supporting the Red Cross with a financial donation.

ExxonMobil is also supporting the fight against coronavirus in other ways. For example, the chemical plants in Rotterdam are producing the raw materials needed for several items of medical protective equipment, such as face masks and vinyl gloves. ExxonMobil Chemical has also substantially increased its worldwide production of isopropyl alcohol, needed for hand disinfectants, and polypropylene, needed for face masks and protective clothing.

Read about the further actions that ExxonMobil has taken to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus on Energy Factor Europe.