The Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) has been carefully monitoring the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Over the weekend, the number of COVID-19 cases in Canada jumped to over 300. According to Canada’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Theresa’s Tam, “Our window to flatten the curve of the epidemic is narrow. We need to act now and act together.”
To help minimize the spread of COVID-19, CRIC will be postponing its upcoming Future of Quality Insights Summit and AI and Data Analytics Summit that were to take place at the MaRS Discovery District on May 20 and May 21. We are currently working with our venue and the speakers on a new date.
In recent years the research, analytics and insights industry has moved dramatically toward online data collection and is well positioned to allow business and government to continue to meet their insight needs in the current environment and help them be well prepared with the crisis is over. CRIC is also pleased to see that many of its member companies have already issued statements demonstrating how our industry is proactively reducing the spread of COVID-19.
We encourage our industry to take the following actions to continue to do its part to minimize the spread of COVID-19:
- Move face to face research projects online where possible. Keep in mind that what might have been business-critical last week will likely have changed as a result of the rapid spread of COVID-19.
- Encourage work from home. If employees do not need to be in the office, encourage them to work from home.
- Require all employees who are sick (even a mild cough) to stay home and ensure there are no-financial consequences for sick employees who stay home.
- Move employee/client/supplier meetings online.
- Encourage social distancing measures (stay 1 metre apart, avoid shaking hands, etc.)
- Keep your workplace and research facilities clean and hygienic. Surfaces (e.g. desks and tables) and objects (e.g. telephones, keyboards) need to be wiped.
- Promote regular and thorough handwashing and good respiratory hygiene practices. Place sanitizing hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace and ensure they are refilled regularly.
- Avoid all non-essential travel. Require employees who have traveled to self-isolate for 14 days.
For additional information consult the World Health Organization’s “Getting your workplace ready for COVID-19.”
With the situation rapidly evolving, we encourage you to stay up to date by referring to these reliable sources:
CRIC wishes health and wellness to all its members and their families in these challenging times.
About CRIC
CRIC’s mandate is to develop and approve best practices and standards for market research, analytics and insights; provide effective promotion and advocacy of the industry; serve as a source of information and thought leadership; and be a forum for collective industry action. For more information, visit www.canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca or contact John Tabone at [email protected].
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For more information, contact John Tabone, Chief Administrative Officer:
