ADVERTORIAL

Standard Chartered first financial institution to care for kids

Chief Executive Officer Standard Chartered Bank, Clive Haswell declared open the “Kid Kare Centre” in Longdon Place, Colombo 07, amidst extremely happy parents and excited little children.

The crŠche style learning center was made available to all the Bank’s staff members who wished to have a convenient solution to their child care needs. This exclusive kids crŠche for the children of Standard Chartered Bank staff, has become a first for Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka and also a first among the financial institutes in this country.

The Centre provides children with an array of facilities including a playroom, sleeping room and activities hall.

Parents have the added benefit of knowing that their children are in extremely safe and experienced hands. Shanthi Wijesinghe, the Chief Coordinating Officer of the Competence Centre for Early Childhood Development (CCECD), will be running this service for the Bank.

“I was extremely pleased to be asked to manage this for Standard Chartered Bank as we cannot stress enough how important it is today to make sure your child gets the best care and attention whilst their parents work, “ said Shanthi.

The “Kid Kare Center” is an extension of the Bank’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) programme.

D&I is about creating an environment where employees from all walks of life, irrespective of gender, nationality, or physical abilities, can balance work and their personal lives thus enabling them to harness their full potential.

Standard Chartered Bank views D&I not merely as the ‘right thing to do’ and a socially responsible initiative but a business imperative which gives them a competitive advantage.

Some of the other D&I initiatives implemented by the Bank this year included Paternity Leave for staff, enabling all branches to be accessible to physically disabled customers and staff, hiring of employees with physical disabilities, celebrating International Women’s Day and observing all religious ceremonies.

Earlier this year Standard Chartered Bank also opened its doors to all the children of staff members inviting them to be part of a Learning and Exploration Day at the Bank. Senior Managers of the Bank, including the CEO took time off their busy schedules to show the children the basic operations of a bank including a visit to the famous Bank Vault.

The Kids at Work program was another D&I initiative.

Over two million tons of Ital cement sold locally

The Italcementi Group, one of the largest private cement producers in the world; in fact the fifth largest, completed ten years of operations in Sri Lanka, having sold over two million tons of cement during this period.

The Italcementi Group commenced operations in Sri Lanka in April 1998 as a BOI company with the objective of introducing advanced concepts for cement imports via a Floating Cement Silo Vessel (FCSV) for the handling, storage, packing and distribution of its cement.

The Company known locally as International Cement Traders (Pvt) Ltd. (ICT) markets its own brands of cement, available both in bulk as well as in 50 kilo bags which conform to international and national standards, namely Singha and Italcementi both of which have fast gained popularity amongst local consumers.

Managing Director of ICT, Colin Nelson, said they were proud of their achievement and looked forward to selling the next million ton in record time.

“In fact Singha cement has been awarded the ISO 9000 certification as well” said Nelson.

Along with their 10th anniversary celebrations, ICT also took the opportunity to felicitate 3 members of staff who had been with the Company since inception, namely Marketing Manager Felix Thomas, Kanchana Bandara of the Accounts Department and R.L. Priyantha in Administration.

“It is heartening to note that in today’s context where movement of staff is high and loyalty hard to come by, ICT has three members of staff amongst its cadre of 100, who have been with the Company through thick and thin” said Nelson, who added that they had been fittingly rewarded.

He also said that the following year would see a total of a further 15 members of staff who would have completed ten years service.

He said that ICT would be installing a new state of the art packing plant by the end of October at a cost of Rs 50 million. This will enable us to better fulfill the increasing demands of our current customers as well as our ever increasing customer base”.

ICT currently operates and maintains a land based terminal at Peliyagoda equipped with the necessary technology to receive its stores and handle both Bulk as well as Bagged cement in the most efficient manner. A total of 109 employees and a strong dealer network complement ICT’s local operations.

 New Chairman of Public Utilities Commission

Dr. Jayatissa de Costa

Dr. Jayatissa de Costa assumed duties as the Chairman of Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka recently. This is a commission set up by Act No. 35 of 2002 to regulate certain utilities industries such as Electricity, Petroleum and Water service.

Dr. de Costa was appointed at the very inception of this Commission as a member in the field of law, the remaining members from the fields of engineering and business management. His original appointment was as an ordinary member and later he was made the deputy chairman.

A Doctor of Laws for quarter century, he was a lecturer and examiner of Law in universities and law schools both at home and abroad for a long time. He is the author of the large number of law books published in this country.

He is the lawyer who has trained the largest number of interns, apprentices and juniors in Sri Lanka.

 CIM launches Introductory Marketing Certificate

Students can now begin their career with CIM after the Ordinary Level examinations.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing Sri Lanka Region launched the CIM Introductory Certificate in Marketing programme at the media conference held on 25th September 2008 at the Galle Face Hotel. The CIM Sri Lanka Region is amongst the first few CIM Regions launch this programme globally.

The programme consists of two modules; 'What Is Marketing?' - a computer based assessment and 'Understanding Customer Relationships', an assignment based assessment; designed to provide an introduction to the marketing function and familiarise students with the basic principles of marketing.

Chairman, CIM Sri Lanka Region, Shiraz Latiff, said: "In Sri Lanka, professional institutes play a major role in filling the vacuum created by the low intake of students to the university system.

The lack of opportunity for youth to obtain a recognised and employable qualification has lead to unrest and unemployability amongst youth in Sri Lanka.

“Today, more than 500,000 sit the Ordinary Level Examinations and only 250,000 progress to the Advanced Level. Out of that, only 20,000 get entrance to a national university." Head of Education of The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Sri Lanka Region Ajith Medis, stated that a large number of students will make use of this opportunity.