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Expack named among ‘Best Workplaces’ in Asia for second consecutive year
Zulficar Ghouse, Executive Director of Expack, receiving the award for ‘Best Workplaces in Asia’ 2020
Proving its continued efforts in fostering an inclusive and welcoming culture where all employees feel empowered and appreciated, Expack Corrugated Cartons Ltd was named among Best Small and Medium Workplaces in Asia for 2020 by Great Place to Work for the second time.
The country’s premier sustainable corrugated packaging solutions provider also ranked in the Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka for the third consecutive year. Despite 2020 being an unprecedented and challenging year, the employees at Expack showed high resilience and emerged stronger together, taking ownership to directly impact and share in its success.
“The company takes great pleasure in being the one and only packaging provider to win such titles in the industry”, says Zulficar Ghouse, Executive Director, Expack Corrugated Cartons.
The consecutive title wins as being one of the Best Workplaces in Sri Lanka as well as in Asia is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our talented and diverse people, he said.
“Their unfaltering energy and enthusiasm makes us who we are and we as leaders thrive to give them the best possible environment to develop their full potential and have a healthy work-life balance. We have an open-door policy and encourage everyone at Expack to walk in and discuss just about anything”, he added.
Expack embraces diversity and inclusivity in all its aspects. Its 300-plus strong workforce is built of different religions, ethnicities, age groups and genders, all working cohesively with a shared purpose.
“The Expack family culture is built on transparency, empathy, open communication, empowerment and constant motivation which speaks for itself being adjudged as the number one corrugated carton manufacturer in Sri Lanka. Building an inclusive culture which empowers everyone is what our leadership strives for and this has made our company a great workplace for all”, he further said.
Expack is the first corrugated carton manufacturer in the country to be awarded WRAP certification. The company is also ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 14001-2015 certified. It places sustainability at the heart of its operations, adopting various company-wide eco-friendly practices and policies and initiates well planned CSR initiatives to give back to the community. Its loyal customer portfolio includes various businesses across a multitude of industry sectors.
The autonomy, empowerment, unity, and togetherness have created great job satisfaction. Strategic intent in terms of the corporate vision, mission, and objectives are clearly communicated among the entire team. This has resulted in a great team spirit, thus winning many accolades and awards at the NCE- Exports Awards, the NCCSL-National Business Excellence Awards, The Lanka Star Awards by Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging, and a CCNI Top 10 award to name a few.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
