NCE launches 25th anniversary Annual Export Awards application

The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE), which is the only private sector chamber exclusively serving Sri Lankan exporters, proudly launched the revised application of the 25th anniversary Annual Export Awards ceremony, which will be held on 29 September at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Colombo. 

The new NCE President Ramal Jasinghe in his address at the AGM stated that he would provide leadership to the Annual Export Awards, particularly as the forthcoming event marks 25 years of an unbroken, consistent, and dynamic awards scheme which is probably unique in the country. 

Recognising and rewarding 

exporters’ achievements

NCE Secretary General Shiham Marikar in his introductory address stated that the NCE Awards Ceremony to recognise and reward the achievements of Sri Lankan exporters in international markets was is the most-looked-forward-to event in the Sri Lankan business calendar. He added that since its inception in 1996 this annual event has been conducted without a break, and had seen an increase in the number of applications received from exporters each year to be an award winner. 

He further stated that during the early stages of the awards scheme, awards were presented to successful exporters who excelled in export performance. Later other criteria for selection of award winners were included to meet national and international requirements related to sustainability, ethical practices, environmental protection, value addition, innovation, technological improvements, and branding, by introducing special awards for these areas. 

Further the modern concept of the triple bottom line encompassing Profit, People, and the Planet had been introduced to measure the overall success of export enterprises for sustainability. Along with this measure the awards trophy was also redesigned incorporating these concepts. He went on to state that the application form of the awards scheme itself has become a living document, since an export enterprise which applies for an award has to fulfil many requirements related to its operations, which gives the opportunity to improve weak areas of the enterprise to conform to international standards. 

Further, winners of export awards benefit not only by being considered as the best performing successful exporters, but also by differentiating themselves from others, giving them an advantage when competing in the international market place. 

Marikar proudly stated that the chamber would be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the event, and that one of the main innovative aspects that has been introduced to the scheme this year is the ‘Outreach Program’ to recognise the achievements of provincial enterprises in the field of exports, especially in the SME category, who may or may not be direct exporters but service providers to exporters by being part of the ‘Export Value Chain’. 

He added that provincial participants would receive special awards to motivate them, and that the chamber would work with the regional chambers of industry and commerce to achieve this objective. He welcomed representative of regional chambers who were present on invitation to symbolically receive the application for distribution to their respective members. In this regard their assistance was sought to identify their member companies who could apply and compete for an award. 

Marikar concluded by stating that he along with officials of the NCE planned to visit the respective regional chambers during the next month to meet with their members, and convince them of the importance of applying for an export award to enable their enterprises to be benchmarked related to their current status, and also be recognised by winning an award. 

Saaraketha success

Prasanna Hettiarachchi, Chairman of Saaraketha Holdings Ltd., which won a prestigious NCE Export Award last year for the first time, addressed the distinguished gathering on the benefits his company has derived by winning an award. Saaraketha is an indigenous small company in the field of agriculture which has introduced modern technology to the inland farming community through re-introduction of ancient agro forestic crafts.

Hettiarachchi stated that the Cinderella story of Saaraketha shows how the chamber has been instrumental in propelling a small enterprise to the heights it has reached today by transforming its image to be seen in better light by an exacting international audience. He stated that it is a challenge to succeed in international markets especially when you are a small company in a developing country, since the huge investments and strong infrastructures of large exporters were a luxury beyond it. 

In this context Saaraketha with humble beginnings had a simple vision to bring back sustainable agricultural practices to be a healthy society. For this purpose Saaraketha had used ingenious indigenous secrets which had been far ahead of the latest scientific techniques that had been lost during the industrial revolution, in favour of modern conveniences. 

To achieve this objective, Saaraketha had re-introduced ancient agro forestic crafts to a bountiful organic harvest, seeking global standards of compliance, certifications, and accreditations to project an impression that would open the doors to develop the business further. Today Saaraketha is an internationally-recognised certified exporter that empowers the local farming communities by transfer of knowledge, and entrepreneurship, facilitating access to technology to bring dignity to the vocation of farming, thereby improving the nations quality of life, with products and solutions that help people achieve a sustainable lifestyle. 

Hettiarachchi concluded his presentation by stating that the vital role played by the chamber in providing Saaraketha with recognition through the awards scheme was the reason being able to hold the head high with confidence, creating the opportunity for the enterprise to network with the big companies in the rest of the world, and added that his enterprise was able to drive its passion forward with the support of the chamber. He wished the same joy, pride, and exhilaration that is felt through its success to other similar enterprises who would want to achieve their objectives in partnership with the Chamber. 

Role of women entrepreneurs to uplift economy

Triad Ltd. Joint Director and Creative Head Waruni Amunugama, who is a very successful entrepreneur in her own right and who was invited to address women entrepreneurs to inspire them to be effective partners in the export effort of the country, spoke passionately regarding the role women entrepreneurs should play to uplift the economy of the country. 

She stated that women entrepreneurs, especially those who have built their enterprises painstakingly from small beginnings, should not hesitate to come forward to showcase their achievements, and especially their brands, to be recognised and rewarded. In this context she emphasised the value of benchmarking their enterprises, and competing for export awards to savour their own successes and also to inspire others to follow suit. 

She stated that some women who have developed their enterprises to a very successful level sometimes do not see the necessity to take part in competitions such as the Annual Export Awards. She added that in this regard it is all the more important that they do so for the sake of their own employees, if not for any other reason, since recognition of the achievements of the enterprise would serve as a huge motivational factor for the employees, who would then feel that they are part and parcel of the success of their enterprise.

She cited the example of Ramya Weerakoon, current Vice President of the NCE, who was present at the event, as a shining example of a person who built her enterprise from scratch to what it is today, diversifying into other areas such as horticulture from the garments sector. She expressed the exhilaration and pride women entrepreneurs such as herself felt on the day Weerakoon was recognised and rewarded as the ‘Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’ some years ago. 

She also cited the example of Lakmini Wijesundera, who built her enterprise in the field of Information Technology which is a man’s field and who was recognised as the ‘Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’ by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry last year and also as the ‘Most Outstanding Woman Exporter’ at the Annual Export Awards of the NCE last year. 

She urged women entrepreneurs who play such an important role in the socio economic development of the country by engaging in business activities in addition to their family responsibilities, as housewives and mothers, to come forward to be recognised and rewarded to inspire others.