Tropical Cyclone Winston tore across the Fiji Islands on the 20 February 2016 causing extensive damage. The cyclone was recorded as the most powerful to affect the Southern Hemisphere, with wind gusts of up to 325km/h. Nearly 25,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and approximately 40 percent of Fiji’s population—were significantly impacted.
In the midst of this catastrophic storm, Mindpearl, an award winning outsourcer, who operates an international contact centre in Suva, Fiji, continued servicing fourteen international clients with no interruption to the business. This achievement is not only a positive demonstration of Mindpearl’s Business Continuity Plan, but also emphasises the dedication of their staff who continued to arrive for work even after a state of emergency was declared.
Mindpearl’s CEO, William Pattison had this to say, ‘We are extraordinary proud of our workforce that braved the cyclone and volunteered to work extended hours to ensure coverage was not impacted. This level of dedication, teamwork and camaraderie is rare. It has also been heartening to see how our staff and clients have pulled together on a global level when a number of our own staff were directly affected by the cyclone. Generous donations to our Global Relief Fund started pouring in almost immediately. These collaborative efforts are commendable and a true expression of Mindpearl’s culture and the relationship we have with our clients.’
All donations received were doubled by Mindpearl, in addition to providing temporary accommodation to employees whose homes were completely destroyed. This is what Krishneel Mani, one of the Mindpearl employees affected by the cyclone had to say, ‘I am writing to say thank you to Mindpearl for all of the help and support provided to me and my family. Once again Mindpearl has shown me that they truly care about their employees and that I am valued here.’
