ICT

Virtusa joins UN Global Compact Initiative

Anjana Samarasinghe

Virtusa announced their membership in the United National UN Global Compact Initiative, in which multinational companies voluntarily commit to ecological and social sustainable globalisation, at an event held last week.

Speaking at the event Director MAS Corporate Branding and Strategic Ravi Fernando said “As Sri Lankan companies we need to create value for all our stakeholders and we need to be aware of the global trends for the business sustainability. We need to focus on the economic sustainability, which consist of innovation and the corporate governance”.

Executive Vice President and Managing Director Asia Keith Modder handing over Virtusa Sustainability Report to the Director MAS Corporate Branding and Strategic Ravi Fernando at the event. Picture by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

“Businesses must adopt business ethics and Lankan companies have to start positioning what good they do globally to compete in global arena”, he said.

Today few local companies have membership in the UN Global Compact initiative. MAS and Hayleys are some of these local companies.

These initiatives help local companies to further the implementation of new principles in the fields of the human rights, working conditions, practices and environmental protection worldwide.

General Manager Sri Lanka Advanced Technology Centre Virtusa Madu Ratnayake said “Today local companies are aware of sustainable CSR. We see that many local companies now focused on the environment a lot. However local companies need to have strategy focus business vision for their sustainable CSR projects.

Virtusa has embarked on several CSR initiatives on IT education, digitalising villages and environment. IT education plays a vital role and there is lack of awareness among parents on local BPO and IT sector.

Industry needs to educate people on this sector where it has immense job and business opportunities. We need to absorb more people to the industry from all around the country. At Virtusa 51 percent of our employees are from out of Colombo.

Today we see most parents trying to send their children for the set of traditional professions such as doctors, lawyers and accountants,” he said.

Executive Vice President and Managing Director Asia Keith Modder said “In the IT sector we need to take constructive and careful measures for using resources.

In Asia the disposable income of middle class consumers rising and there will be more demand for products and services. We need to make more focused efforts for using limited resources”, he said.

Construction Chamber promotes use of IT in Project Management

The competitive position of relevant stakeholders of the construction industry depends on their ability to provide a quality service on time at competitive price levels which would require efficiency at all levels of Project Management. With ever increasing opportunities existing in overseas markets, especially in the Gulf, and the need for the industry to aggressively embrace an export culture over the next decade, increased efficiency and competitiveness of firms is the key to survival and growth in today's global market environment.

The use of information technology applications in the construction industry is not a new phenomenon but should be widely adopted by all industry stakeholders who are keen on competing for business opportunities, not only in overseas markets but domestically as well.

All avenues that could provide a particular business entity with a competitive edge should be explored and the use of information technology applications is a tried and proven means to this end.

It is in view of the above that the Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka is hosting an Interactive Workshop on "Information Technology for Effective Project Management" today at Hotel Galadari, Colombo.

The workshop will be conducted in a simulated environment where participants will be given hands on exposure on the use of application software to manage various elements of construction projects.

This workshop comes at a critical time when the demand for construction is volatile which further emphasises the need to utilise all available tools and mechanisms to be efficient and competitive to secure business opportunities, not to mention the increased sophistication of stakeholder needs, short lead times, rising cost of construction, shortage of labour, increased regulations and environmental concerns among others, faced by the Industry.

Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Moratuwa Prof. Chitra Weddikkara will deliver the keynote address followed by a lecture on "Effective Project Management - Use of IT" by Head of the Department of Building Economics, University of Moratuwa Dr. R. Rameezdeen and a presentation by Chief Engineer, Department of Buildings Jayachandran on how to control project costs.

IT Specialists will be on hand to demonstrate the use of selected IT applications in relation to project management coupled with simulation exercises to give participants a better understanding.

Career/Open Day at SLIIT

The Career / Open Day of Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) was held on September 19 at SLIIT Malabe Campus for the second consecutive year successfully.

Students who are contemplating on making IT their chosen career were able to get to know the subject in the right perspective when they attended the career day. Visitors to the Career Fair were able to get an in-depth understanding of the degree pathways available at SLIIT.

Chairman of SLIIT Professor Sam Karunaratna was optimistic about how the open day would influence and inspire IT oriented students. “Projects presented by our students set a benchmark and offer companies an opportunity to absorb exemplary IT professionals”, he said.

Manager Business Development SLIIT, Shalinka Jayatilleke Managing Director CEO SLIIT Professor Lalith Gamage and Chairman SLIIT Professor Sam Karunaratna at the open day.

“Our degree programmes help to bridge the digital divide and promote innovation by producing world-class intellectuals in the field of Information and Communication Technology who contribute to national progress”, said Chief Executive Officer of SLIIT, Professor Lalith Gamage.

The Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Fund conferred full scholarships on 25 students at the event.

SLIIT enhanced the occasion by awarding 100 students with performance based scholarships.

The open day, also provided an opportunity for the institute’s top students to showcase their creative and technological abilities for all the corporate companies engaged in providing IT related services.

IFS, Virtusa Corporation, Dialog Broadband, hSenid Software International, Edirisinghe Trust Investments, Euro Centre were among those whose presence had an impact on career-seekers. SLIIT operates two fully fledged campuses in Malabe and Kollupitiya and two centres in Kandy and Matara.

SLIIT is a higher education institute in the country equipped with a business incubator established to assist and promote IT enterprises, innovators and IT start-up companies by providing access to business and technical expertise, financial resources, international industry contracts, communication facilities, training in IT, business advice and business plan development and marketing. SLIIT students have the opportunity to engage in research and development projects undertaken by partner companies.

Toroid signs Microsoft Enterprise Agreement

Toroid International (Pvt) Limited has entered into an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft Sri Lanka, which enables the transformer manufacturing multinational to deploy the latest in Microsoft technologies within the organisation.

Mid Market Sales Manager, Microsoft Sri Lanka Sharada Kirinde, SMS&P Lead, Microsoft Sri Lanka Pubudu Basnayake, Vice President, South East Asia, Microsoft Operations Chris Atkinson, Managing Director, Toroid International Bo Lindberg, CEO, ZILLIONe Technologies T. Suresh and Assistant IT Manager - System Administration and Networks, Toroid International Thilak S. Ranamuka at the signing of the agreement.

The agreement brings along with it Microsoft expertise that will help Toroid to optimise its IT infrastructure ensuring faster return on investments and empowering it with better risk management capabilities.

Before taking the step to invite Microsoft to partner its growth plans into the future, the management at Toroid realised there was a need to consolidate the company’s IT systems and processes to enhance its performance.

Thus, this strategic partnership provides Toroid access to the latest Microsoft software, thus ensuring the company stays a step ahead in the global competitive arena.

Toroid International becomes the second organisation in the Katunayake EPZ (Export Processing Zone) to sign an Enterprise Agreement directly with Microsoft Sri Lanka. The EPZ counts some of the best known global brands’ manufacturing facilities from all spheres of industry.

The very fact that an EPZ company should opt for the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement above all others reflects Microsoft’s adaptability and ability to grow with exponential business demands that Toroid is forecasting.

The agreement is specifically targeted at large scale business entities, companies having 250 or more desktops, a sphere in which Microsoft has earned the reputation for offering the best value.