What a bloody year!

Thursday 30 December 2020

I've just re-read the newsletter editorial I wrote in December 2019 and couldn't help but laugh at the simplistic, optimistic tone with which I viewed the future.

Jervis' life seemed to be running on wheels - new office, new clients, everything pointed to a bright and promising future.

But then there are phenomena that transcend us and turn us upside down in no time. The pandemic that came from China was one of these phenomena: a real global health, economic, social and political hecatomb. No one was spared!

Fortunately, human beings have an innate instinct for survival and the necessary intelligence to overcome all kinds of obstacles. In fact, if we have good sense and common sense we can learn great lessons from this crisis and prepare a better future for all, but anyway... that is not the subject of this editorial.

The year 2020 at Jervis was similar to that of many other companies:

• In January we had the activity plans closed for all customers and a Travel Fair in preparation, with a new, more modern and appealing format. Everything seemed to be running smoothly.
• In February we started to get worried with the news of the arrival of the coronavirus in Europe but we still naively believed that we could keep all the activities that were planned.
• In March the virus arrived in Portugal and in little more than a week we went into lockdown, postponing the actions that were planned for the second semester, again naively hoping that the good air of summer would bring a return to normality.
• In June we realised that the year was lost and that all we had to do was "manage our survival" until the much desired vaccines appeared.
• In November, news of the approval of the first vaccines and plans to launch them in Europe opened a new window of hope
• This week the vaccination programme began in Portugal and throughout Europe, but even so the climate of uncertainty is great because the return to normality is still difficult to anticipate.

It has been a stressful and sad experience, because we have seen many of our loved ones leave and we have witnessed on a daily basis the despair of thousands of families and businesses that, in a very short time, have been left with nothing.

But, at the same time, it has been comforting to see the spirit of mutual help that has been established at all levels. The pandemic brought us closer together spiritually, forced us to review concepts, redefine priorities and consolidate values. Above all, it was a year in which the best of human nature and the will to succeed prevailed.

At Jervis, we were forced to be more creative and explore areas that had been dormant. We managed to be more together despite being apart. We were able to deploy ourselves whenever we needed to. The team spirit won through.

We leave for 2021 with the feeling of having done our duty and the conviction that we will come out stronger than ever. I know that not everyone shares my optimism, but I know no other way to move forward.

I leave a word of thanks to the customers who believed in us and shared this difficult year with us.

I also extend a word of deep gratitude to our employees who, at all times, rolled up their sleeves and multiplied their efforts so that we would not fail.

Next year we will be here, full of strength and energy. Count on us!

A good year to you all

Rosário Louro

General Manager