Gestures of gratitude

Among the many changes the coronavirus has brought is the sound of people expressing their appreciation for frontline medical staff by applauding, banging pots and pans or singing. This nightly ritual sends an important message of support, and it’s one that companies have echoed since the pandemic began by donating their products to health workers.

French fragrance maker Interparfums is giving 10,000 bottles of perfume to care providers in France. Having already donated masks to hospitals and care homes, the company wanted to give healthcare workers “a moment of olfactory pleasure to remind them of simpler, carefree times”, said Chairman and CEO Philippe Benacin.

In a similar display of generosity, cosmetics brand La Sultane de Saba has distributed 10,000 products including hand cream and shea butter to medical teams battling against the pandemic at Parisian hospitals.

The travel retail division of L’Occitane Group, active in beauty and skincare, has donated over 5,000 hygiene kits to hospitals in the French capital, part of a total company contribution exceeding a million products for healthcare workers in China, Brazil, Japan, Russia and Europe.

Qatar Airways is donating 100,000 tickets to frontline healthcare staff worldwide in recognition of their work during the pandemic. Staff can register online for a promotional code giving them access to up to two economy-class return tickets on the airline’s global network valid until mid-December.

Working with charity partner Fairy Bricks, Lego Group has donated 32,000 sets of its play bricks to the children of National Health Service workers at 28 hospitals across the UK. Globally, Lego is giving over 500,000 sets to children in need.