Månad: juni 2023

Publicerat

Student from Sri Lanka who studied in Sweden – interview

”Social entrepreneurship and innovative startups can have an important role to play in solving societal challenges”
We met the scholarship holder Eric Deoul Raj, who, after studying leadership for sustainability for a year in Malmö, reflects on his experiences in Sweden and the changes he strives to achieve in Sri Lanka.

Hi Eric! A year has passed and you will soon graduate from the Leadership for Sustainability program at Malmö University. Looking back, what was the reason you applied to Sweden and SI’s scholarship for global professionals?

  • I have a passion for sustainability, social entrepreneurship and community development. I was part of a variety of value chain and destination mapping projects in Sri Lanka, China, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. The search for innovative solutions for my region led me to Sweden and the SI scholarship. I saw that with the help of it I could improve my organizational skills and establish myself as a ’change agent’ in businesses that focus on social sustainability and storytelling for the climate. I hope that my intentions will lead to better results and thereby give others the best conditions to improve their lives.

Was your idea of Sweden as you imagined?

  • As an advocate for sustainability, it was heartening to see Sweden’s commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, that private individuals and companies actively embrace sustainable methods and take responsibility for minimizing their environmental impact. I was lucky enough to gain practical experience of the circular economy by working for a Swedish startup that fights food waste. By coming into contact with a variety of like-minded people, I have really been exposed to different cultures and ideas. I now have a network that spans borders.

What is your most important lesson? Something you take with you in your work to support sustainable development and improve Sri Lanka?

  • The most empowering thing that happened to me recently was the knowledge I gained through my Master’s program. Malmö University helped me gain knowledge about sustainable project management and design at the intersection between social innovations and entrepreneurship. I got a grip on my own ability to face complex issues and come up with design solutions for them.
  • In order to challenge the status quo, it is of the utmost importance to involve several different stakeholders and facilitate knowledge sharing, resource gathering and collective problem solving. The startup community at Scania gave me the opportunity to make connections with co-founders and industry experts from different parts of the world who all strive to change their communities.

Where do you hope to be in 10 years?

  • I believe that there is great potential for social entrepreneurship and innovation in startups and that they will play a decisive role in addressing societal challenges and creating a more sustainable and fair world. To that end, I want to use my personal story of change in the world to achieve small disruptions that can in turn contribute to large-scale change. My goal is to create measurable social and environmental change by creating a common platform and network that will connect social entrepreneurs, investors and mentors, enabling learning and collaboration on a global scale.

Text in Swedish

“Socialt entreprenörskap och innovativa startups kan ha en viktig roll att spela för att lösa samhällsutmaningar”
Publicerat

THREE QUICK ONES – MAGNUS LOODBERG

3 quick questions to Tailor Store’s CEO Magnus Loodberg about tailor-made garments developed and sewn in Sri Lanka. Magnus founded Tailor Store when he was 23 years old after an IT internship in Sri Lanka. He had no background in clothing but understood the potential of offering made-to-measure garments online. The biggest markets today are the US, Switzerland, Germany, France, UK, Australia and the Nordics.

Why Sri Lanka?
During my internship, I had made friends on the island that I trusted. They introduced me to more people. I was always treated very well. Everyone was engaged and wanted to learn. 20 years later, we have 500 employees in Sri Lanka and two factories in a subsidiary.

How do you work on the management of the business?
We have an all-Lankan management team. Loyalty and the desire to contribute to a better country permeate the management culture. We have weekly meetings and travel regularly to Sri Lanka. The production process has evolved a lot since the beginning but always based on the basic idea of offering a perfect individual fit at a reasonable price. Today, the production process is highly automated. Every member of the production team has a tablet at their working station with information about the individual garment to be sewn.

What advice would you give to anyone planning a manufacturing operation in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lankans are friendly and accommodating. Therefore, initially find a reliable person who speaks the language. This person can act as your sounding board. At the same time, establishment takes time. Therefore, be patient but make demands and work with deadlines. We did everything from scratch. First, we bought land and then we built the two factories. It proved to work very well mainly due to that we found the right person from the start.

Publicerat

THREE QUICK ONES – KERSTIN THULIN

3 quick ones to Kerstin Thulin new board member of SSLBC. She has a long international career in leading positions within IT, telecom, and shipping. Kerstin has worked in Sri Lanka, Oman, India, and several African countries.  

What is your relationship with Sri Lanka?

I first came to Sri Lanka in 1983 when I had the opportunity to adopt one of my daughters. It was an overwhelming experience during the burning civil war. In 1996, I was asked to help set up the telecom company Suntel in Sri Lanka with responsibility for HR, organization and culture. It was an intense two years where I got to meet a competent and language-savvy workforce. Many years later, I was asked to sit on the board of the Sri Lankan Children’s Association (SLBV), supporting vulnerable children and young people to make a difference in their lives and futures.

What are your driving forces?

Basically, I am a curious and stubborn entrepreneur. I have a curiosity for people and cultures – not only corporate culture. I want to help build value-driven organizations, which has been a common thread throughout my career. When I started my career, the HR function was relatively obscure, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. A lot has happened since then. I have sat on several management teams of international telecom companies with responsibility for HR and Organization. Modern organizations need to value culture and organizational issues as business critical. There is no alternative.

What do you want to contribute to the work of the board?

I hope to contribute with my many years of experience within IT and telecom. Sri Lanka has a growing high-end IT sector. Too few in the Swedish business community are aware of this. I want to help raise awareness, both of the sector specifically and of Sri Lanka in general. I also hope to share my experience of developing corporate cultures and value-driven organizations with our members in various ways.

What is your relationship with Sri Lanka?

I first came to Sri Lanka in 1983 when I had the opportunity to adopt one of my daughters. It was an overwhelming experience during the burning civil war. In 1996, I was asked to help set up the telecom company Suntel in Sri Lanka with responsibility for HR, organization and culture. It was an intense two years where I got to meet a competent and language-savvy workforce. Many years later, I was asked to sit on the board of the Sri Lankan Children’s Association (SLBV), supporting vulnerable children and young people to make a difference in their lives and futures.

What are your driving forces?

Basically, I am a curious and stubborn entrepreneur. I have a curiosity for people and cultures – not only corporate culture. I want to help build value-driven organizations, which has been a common thread throughout my career. When I started my career, the HR function was relatively obscure, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. A lot has happened since then. I have sat on several management teams of international telecom companies with responsibility for HR and Organization. Modern organizations need to value culture and organizational issues as business critical. There is no alternative.

What do you want to contribute to the work of the board?

I hope to contribute with my many years of experience within IT and telecom. Sri Lanka has a growing high-end IT sector. Too few in the Swedish business community are aware of this. I want to help raise awareness, both of the sector specifically and of Sri Lanka in general. I also hope to share my experience of developing corporate cultures and value-driven organizations with our members in various ways.