April 26, 2024
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1min

Sysco LABS has extended its successful engineer fast-track program ‘Project Summit’ to universities across Sri Lanka. The program was conceived two years ago as its in-house career acceleration program to equip engineers with the skills and knowledge they need to become architects faster.

To kick off the program’s external launch, Project Summit was introduced to students from the University of Colombo School of Computing, University of Moratuwa – Faculty of Information Technology and Informatics Institute of Technology.

Selected students from the 2nd year and above from these institutions will have the opportunity to be mentored by senior technical resources from Sysco LABS for the duration of the 6-month program designed to increase their knowledge and readiness for employment in the tech industry.

 



 


March 28, 2024
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2min

Sysco LABS recently concluded its inaugural Tribal Karting Tournament held at the SpeedBay Circuit – Colombo Port City.

The event showcased 8 tribes battling it out on the track for 3 exhilarating rounds of racing, culminating in a thrilling finale where the Florida Falcons emerged as undisputed champions, with the Texas Tigers and Ohio Orcas securing their positions as runners-up.

 



 

Menusha Munasinghe and Pabasari Jayasundera were named the fastest drivers of the day, demonstrating exceptional speed and precision on the track.

The tournament was organized by the Sysco LABS Ministry of Fun, a colleague-led social club that fosters the pursuit of hobbies and passions, building camaraderie and engagement.

 



 


March 28, 2024
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1min

Monday, March xxx 2024, Colombo – Sysco LABS recently successfully completed the 11th and 12th phases of its flagship community project ‘Share a Meal, Share a Moment’, distributing over 600 essential ration packs to communities in the Kalutara district. Since its inception in 2020, the ‘Share a Meal, Share a Moment’ initiative has touched the lives of over 45,000 people in underprivileged communities.

Phases 11 and 12 was significant for Sysco LABS as the team was joined by leaders from Sysco Corporation, USA. Notably, Lise Monahan, VP of Technology for US & Canada Food Services, OCIDO, and Head of GICs and Charles Tango, VP, Chief Information & Security Officer participated in the donation drive to demonstrate their support for the initiative.

 




 


March 21, 2024
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1min

Tuesday, 19th March 2024 – Sysco LABS’ internal trainer pool was officially launched recently with the aim of harnessing internal talent for greater knowledge sharing. The initiative strengthens the organization’s peer learning culture which is designed to accelerate professional growth.

The inaugural batch of internal trainers comprises 19 dedicated Sysco LABS colleagues from various divisions who volunteered to participate. Colleagues experienced an extensive program which equipped them with the necessary skills to excel in their training roles, fostering a culture of colleague-centric learning.

 



 


February 27, 2024
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2min

Sysco LABS has partnered with AHRP, AIESEC, and Global Learning Lab for ‘Project GLO’ – Guiding Leadership and Outreach. The program aims to inspire leaders at all levels by mobilizing youth change agents to drive impactful development across Sri Lanka. Project GLO is a localized version of the ‘Leadership Academy’ initiative by Global Learning Lab – an organization which operates with the ethos of ‘learning for all’.

GLO aims to nurture youth into citizen leaders, empowering them to envision themselves as catalysts for change. The program equips them with tangible leadership skills and encourages them to implement their ideas for positive impact within communities. Five Sysco LABS colleagues were part of the initial 26 participants, which also included representatives from other partner companies such as Brandix, Fortude, IFS, and JKH. The program included a 4-day youth leadership program and youth-led sustainable development projects as key components.

 



 

Speaking about the program and the impact of leadership, Rehan Anthonis – Director, People Operations at Sysco LABS, said: “As an organization dedicated to training, coaching, and development, we understand the impact of strong leadership on individuals, companies, and communities. Project GLO recognizes the value that learning, leadership, and collaboration can have on development and exemplifies our commitment to extending this influence beyond our organization. I’ve been privileged throughout my career to witness the profound effect of effective leadership on success. By empowering our colleagues through Project GLO, we aim to ignite positive change in the communities around us.”

 



 


February 19, 2024
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1min

Sysco LABS officially unveiled ‘Mentor Mash’, its inaugural mentorship program for colleagues, reinforcing the company’s dedication to nurture talent and foster professional growth. The initiative, unveiled on January 31st, marks a significant milestone in Sysco LABS’ talent development strategy, ensuring greater sharing of experiences and knowledge between mentors and mentees.

 



 


January 29, 2024
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3min

Sysco LABS, the Global In-House Centre for Sysco, partnered with the Association of HR Professionals (AHRP) Sri Lanka to host the 2nd Annual ‘Immersion Program’, an immersive experience for selected students conducted by leading companies in Sri Lanka. The program provided industry exposure, networking, valuable HR insights for future careers, a practical understanding of theoretical concepts, and a firsthand experience of various corporate cultures through extensive industry visits.

 



 

Students from the Universities of Sri Jayawardenepura, Colombo, Kelaniya, and Peradeniya spent two days at Sysco LABS, immersing themselves in the world of technology and exploring people practices specific to the IT industry. The program covered various HR and corporate culture topics, including HR expectations, company culture, career paths, etiquette, and more. With engaging activities like an escape room and exposure into areas like resource management, data analytics, and VR testing, the program also offered insights into talent acquisition and technical interviews in the IT industry, as well as sessions on social media, professional branding, and HR business expectations.

Speaking about the Immersion Program, Rehan Anthonis, Director of People Operations at Sysco LABS, said: “The IT industry is one of the leading sectors globally and is emerging as an important economic contributor in Sri Lanka. Sysco LABS is passionate about capacity building, and inspiring young leaders.  The Immersion Program is an opportunity for students to gain exposure to the inner workings and people management processes of the IT sector. We were pleased with the highly favorable responses from student participants, with more than 80% expressing that they found the program both insightful and educational. We are also looking forward to extending this partnership with AHRP into the future, participating in all immersion programs organized by the body this year as well.”

Brandix and John Keells Holdings were the other organizations in partnership with AHRP for the ‘Immersion Program’, providing participants with important exposure to the workings of different industries. In addition to the in-depth sessions that students were taken through, Sysco LABS also organized special activities to teach them important lessons on collaboration and synergy. It’s a reflection of Sysco LABS’ commitment to holistic and mindful development of talent.


January 16, 2024
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1min

Tuesday, January 16th, 2024, Colombo – Marking a significant milestone, Sysco LABS announced the successful conclusion of the 10th phase of their flagship sustainability project, ‘Share a meal, Share a moment’, spreading warmth and sustenance to communities in the Lunawa and Balagala Road areas.

 



 

The ‘Share a Meal, Share a Moment’ community initiative is inspired by Sysco’s purpose of ‘Connecting the world to share food and care for one another’. Over its 10 phases, the program has positively influenced the lives of more than 43,000 beneficiaries, providing them with over 26,000 meals and 4,000 essential ration hampers.


November 27, 2023
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3min

 



 

 

Company awarded as the leader in ICT sector export revenue for the past two years

 Sysco LABS was honoured with the prestigious Best Exporter Award in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector at the Presidential Export Awards for both 2021/22 and 2022/23. This achievement recognizes Sysco LABS as the foremost contributor to export revenue within the ICT sector, affirming its position as the premier technology corporate in Sri Lanka.

Sysco LABS is the Global In-House Center (GIC) for Sysco, the global leader in foodservice and occupies the 56th position on the Fortune 500. Sysco has 330 plus distribution facilities worldwide and a network of 72,000 staff serving approximately 725,000 customer locations. Sysco LABS is the global In-house center for Sysco: a dedicated innovation and tech engineering hub, leveraging Sri Lankan ingenuity to power the technology that drives Sysco’s global operations.

Commenting on the win, Rasika Karunatilake, Managing Director of Sysco LABS said, “Receiving the Best Exporter award in the ICT sector for the past two years at the Presidential Export Awards is a tremendous honour. It is a matter of immense pride to our entire team at Sysco LABS to be contributing to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and being recognized as the key contributor. This achievement is a testament to the world-class tech engineering talent and ingenuity in Sri Lanka, and our commitment to expand, innovate and deliver value to Sysco – the global leader in foodservice.”

“As we celebrate this accolade, it’s crucial to acknowledge the immense value that the tech industry brings to Sri Lanka. Technology is inevitably the future, and fostering an environment that enables the growth of this industry and the presence of global giants like Sysco will provide more opportunities for Sri Lankan talent to excel on a global stage,” he added.

Organised by the Export Development Board (EDB), the 25th Annual Presidential Export Awards was held on November 23, 2023 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), under the patronage and presence of President Ranil Wickramasinghe.

 


 

 


November 20, 2023
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3min

 



 

 

Colombo, 20th November 2023: Rehan Anthonis, Director of People Operations at Sysco LABS, the Global In-House Centre for Sysco, the world’s largest foodservice company, was invited to share his insights at the prestigious Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) India’s Annual Conference & Expo 2023.

The SHRM India Annual Conference & Expo, a premier global event for HR professionals, gathered over 2,000 attendees and featured several expert panels discussing contemporary topics of interest in the people and culture space. Rehan Anthonis was invited to be a part of the panel discussion which explored the theme of ‘Driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Data.’  and was one of only two Sri Lankan representatives chosen to speak at this event.

With over 18 years of experience in the Human Resources and people management space, including talent management, organizational development, and business partnering, Rehan shared his expertise on modern workforce demands and how technology can enable it.

Speaking to attendees about the importance of investing time in understanding their employees, their motivations, and drivers, Rehan said, “Initially, we must acknowledge that in certain areas of HR practice, empathy takes precedence over data. DEI is one such area where we may face data limitations due to the sensitive nature of these issues: employees may not readily share their experiences. In such cases, organizations should invest time in truly understanding their people—delving into their backgrounds, behaviours, and motivations. Open conversations are key to gaining valuable insights. These learnings together with complementary data can guide stronger strategic decision-making. At Sysco LABS, we encourage candid conversations and urge our colleagues to share feedback. Our aim is to make the workplace a safe space where colleagues can be themselves.”

 



 

 



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Lanka Business News is amongst the leading online Business News portals in Sri Lanka, unique for its focus on contemporary business news relevant across multiple industries operating in the country. We present not only the news, but a perspective based on observations and possible implications of a prevailing news item. LBN also provides an insight to the impact of a global economic or industrial development, thus helping stakeholders make informed and calculated decisions.




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