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Local clothing firm appeals to expat Lankans to help grow international sales to earn forex for Lanka
A 100% Lankan clothing brand competing with several global companies on e-commerce platforms appeals to the Sri Lankan expatriate community to help grow the company’s international sales volume and bring in much needed foreign currency to Sri Lanka at this crucial hour for the country.
Ranil Willaddarage, CEO and founder of GFlock says, “This is not a charity appeal. This is a win-win transaction for Sri Lankan expatriates across the world that offers value for their hard-earned foreign currency, and the money in turn being used to import essential commodities for their fellow countrymen. As a nation, we have hit rock bottom. The only way to go if we keep on fighting with each other is six feet under. We cannot start attacking each other again, destroy public property, set fire to private assets and fall even further. Everyone has to come together as a nation and overcome this terrible situation.”
When asked to elaborate on his solution to the foreign exchange crisis, he says, “Our company offers a sustainable solution that can help save this country. Most of our Sri Lankan expatriate community purchases their clothing from brands such as Zara, Mango, Myer, Uniqlo, H&M, and Shein. Most of these brands are based in Europe and other developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Sri Lankans living in the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe tend to spend an average amount of $300-$500 as their annual clothing budget on aforementioned foreign brands. My kind request to our Sri Lankan communities abroad is to spend their clothing budget at Gflock, and place orders through our global online store, which is brought to them through the efforts of the creative workforce in Sri Lanka.”
“We know that a fashion company is a business that can earn a lot of revenue. If we take Zara, another brand with a fast fashion business model like ours, their annual revenue is between $ 20-25 billion. H&M also has similar revenue. The Shein brand founded 14 years ago in Nanjing, China, now ships to over 220 countries. With highly competitive prices and their online-only B2C model, Shein’s annual revenue is now at a staggering USD 15 billion. With the arrival of the pandemic, their annual revenue increased exponentially within the course of three years and the $3.5 billion revenue in 2019 grew to a massive $15.7 billion by 2021.”
“Taking inspiration from this and with the help of Sri Lankan expats, within 5-7 years it should be possible for us to reach an annual income of USD 5 billion. The Gflock business model is established in a way that can be scaled up as needed. My team and I have the specialized knowledge, experience and integrity required for that. So I request our Sri Lankans living abroad to think about their home country that is on the verge of collapse when spending their monthly clothing budget and buy from GFlock, a brand founded and run by the creative younger generation in their home country. Apart from that, I appeal to them to be a brand ambassador for this business by promoting the goal of saving our country with at least five more expats and get them to buy clothes from us. If that can be achieved, we will be able to get rid of the oil and gas queues, the shortage of medicines, and the shortage of food and bring the country back to normalcy sooner than we think.”
“1/3 of the profit from our business is spent on providing a monthly essential goods package worth Rs. 8000 to our indirect employees who function as garment workers. Every week we practice gratitude by publishing photos of such acts on our Facebook page and thanking all our customers who contributed toward these worthy causes. Also, we initiated the project of giving away a free plant with every purchase on World Environment Day -2018. Within the course of four years, since its inception, we have managed to create over 30,000 such meaningful bonds that link our brand and customers together with Mother Nature.”
“When the customers realize their purchase contributes to a greater good that goes beyond just a piece of clothing, it gives them a high sense of self-satisfaction, and the next time they make a purchase they do it intending to support a greater good. As owner of GFlock, I am prepared to offer 51% of the business’s shares to the Sri Lankan public in 2025. By implementing this model combined with the expected income, we shall be able to create a strong public movement that can help achieve inclusive prosperity for Sri Lankans.”
Willaddarage said GFlock releases 40-50 new designs every week, categorized under casual wear, work wear, evening wear, menswear, linen and denim for local and international customers through their three retail stores in Sri Lanka and GFlock.com online store, where they ship their products globally.
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
