Storm discusses BMM’s Covid-19 approach

Martin Storm, CEO of BMM Testlabs, the gaming testing laboratory and product certification consultancy, recently discussed his leadership team’s approach during the Covid-19 pandemic globally.

“BMM is a values-led culture and ‘care’ is at the heart of our first organisational value,” he said. “We care for our staff, our customers and the world we live in. Our first action in March 2020 for dealing with Covid-19 was to establish a global leadership group we called the ‘Care Committee’.

“Its central focus is the health, safety and well-being of our staff, supported by our commitments to business continuity. The Care Committee communicates with staff on a global and local level about working remotely, health matters and encourages staff to support each other.

“In those early days, it was difficult to know just how hard Covid-19 would hit and how long it would last. Our Care Committee met daily for many months to address issues every day and now continues to meet weekly.”

Storm continued: “Worldwide, we have been very lucky to see only three Covid-19 infections at BMM and none with serious long-term consequences. Importantly, we have returned more than 95 per cent of all Covid-19 furloughed jobs and made many more hires.

“Covid-19 has shown me how perfectly connected we all are in family, community, business and society – connected by not just by obvious interactions and transactions, but also indirectly by a gossamer thread of humanity to those we don’t know so well.

“The trauma of Covid-19 on all aspects of society has shown me that every person and every stakeholder is important, even the indirect ones. At BMM, our care now extends well beyond those obvious direct connections.

“A strange result from this pandemic is when I implemented a hiring freeze at BMM it was followed almost immediately by accelerated business demand and additional hiring. And that demand is continuing to grow during Covid-19.” 

Storm concluded: “We remain deeply concerned for all of our stakeholders at this time, but we are hopeful that vaccines and therapeutics can arrest the march of this pandemic and protect people in all communities going forward.

“By mid 2021, I expect a more optimistic tone leading to greater business activity and employment. BMM is better placed than ever to serve the gaming industry with world-class services in testing, compliance, inspections and technology and, importantly, to provide a unique perspective on how to do it all better, faster and cheaper than ever before.

“Our point of view is different to our competitors and our growth suggests that our message resonates in the industry. Let me take this opportunity to thank our staff, our customers, the regulators and all of our stakeholders in the global gaming industry and wish them all a very happy holiday season.”