Updated: An Open Letter to Booz Allen Hamilton's Stakeholders

June 8, 2020

Since January, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll most of us never imagined. Millions have fallen ill, hundreds of thousands have died, frontline workers are under tremendous strain, and the economic costs have been enormous, affecting families and individuals across the globe. Times like these require us all to think, work, and live differently. At Booz Allen, amid rapid change and unprecedented challenge, we have found purpose in focusing on the art of the possible.

In short, our philosophy is let’s do right by doing all we can—for our people and their families, and for our clients and communities. This, in turn, will preserve the strength and resiliency of our business.

We begin with an understanding that the pandemic and its consequences will be experienced in three phases. The first phase, which encompassed the early months of this calendar year, was crisis response. Our firm moved quickly to mandatory telework and established a Pandemic Relief Fund, by reducing and redirecting non-personnel costs. We committed more than $100 million to increase job security for our people, expand employee benefits, and assist frontline workers, military families, and the most vulnerable.

Those early steps—made possible by our exceptional team and strong financial footing1—alleviated at least some of the stress and anxiety in the early weeks of the crisis. They allowed our people to channel their talent and energy into the needs of our federal and commercial clients, who are facing tremendous challenges of their own.

We are now in the second phase of managing through COVID-19—a transitional phase that will last as long as the virus is a threat, with no vaccines or proven treatments in place. Society and institutions are looking to strike the right balance between public health and economic considerations. For success in Phase II, sustainable models for business operations and critical missions must be put in place while continuing to keep people safe and healthy and protecting those at greatest risk.

Booz Allen’s approach starts with maximizing telework. Close collaboration with clients, who themselves demonstrated tremendous agility and creativity throughout Phase I, proved that telework is effective in more instances than we had imagined. We can, in a sustained way, advance missions and solve problems for clients through remote work, while also doing our part to prevent flare-ups of infection.

In cases where telework is not possible or is less effective, primarily in defense and intelligence missions where specialized facilities and IT systems are needed, we are working with clients to implement comprehensive safe return plans. These plans focus on the health and safety of the total workforce on site—our people, as well as our clients and partners. They leverage as many effective mitigation strategies as possible, such as social distancing, cleaning protocols, protective equipment, travel restrictions, and flexible work shifts.

As with maximizing telework, the objective is to sustain both missions and health. And inside Booz Allen, we are taking additional steps to support sustainability: piloting antibody testing, strengthening our supply chain for critical cleaning materials and protective equipment, scaling contact tracing, and fine-tuning employee benefit programs. We have taken a broad view, in keeping with our “art of the possible” philosophy. We believe these steps will foster stability and success during what will likely be the most complex and challenging phase of this pandemic.

The final phase of our response will arrive when the threat of COVID-19 is behind us, thanks to some combination of vaccines, proven treatments, and immunity. Just as the world was never the same after 9/11, it will not be the same after this crisis.

Here, too, it’s important to envision possibilities: How can health care be improved through telemedicine? How can artificial intelligence speed problem-solving during crises? Where can augmented and virtual reality best improve distance learning? What new secure mobility solutions can enable the expansion of telework? What climate benefits can be gained? And what opportunities can be opened for the next generation of workers?

Answering these questions and many others for a post-pandemic world will be our work and our purpose during Phase III. Our firm, never one to stand still, is already contemplating that future. We aim to take all the challenges and lessons of COVID-19 and, by investing in the right talent and capabilities, empower clients and each other to build a better world. This is Booz Allen’s enduring promise. Thank you for your continued support as we strive to live up to it.

With warm regards and gratitude,

Horacio Rozanski
President & Chief Executive Officer
Booz Allen Hamilton