NIPSEA GROUP Issue 04 April 2023Welcome Note Here at NIPSEA Group, we strive to make every employee feel welcomed, loved, and valued. Without you, we will not be where we are today. As such, we dedicate the fourth edition of our newsletter towards fostering a sense of Diversity and Inclusivity (D&I) for all. To begin the newsletter, Yaw Seng Heng, head of the Malaysia group, will share his thoughts on embracing D&I to enrich our communities and make us a better organisation. We will also feature significant events including the Global Marketing Conference in Türkiye, the LFG Excellence Awards 2022, and other exciting announcements to recognise achievements at NIPSEA. In a fast-paced world, it can be easy to get caught up in our day-to-day work and miss out on important events happening at NIPSEA locally and globally. Hence, we will spotlight our NIPSEA teams and employees from different markets that are championing D&I and uplifting local communities. Our commitment to D&I encompasses employee engagement and cultivating an inclusive company culture that recognises every valuable employee in the workplace. In this newsletter, you will get to hear what NIPSEA leaders and employees have to say about current and future initiatives by NIPSEA. With that, the newsletter team wishes you an enjoyable read and we look forward to sharing more exciting updates with you. Yaw Seng Heng Group Managing Director Nippon Paint Malaysia Group At NIPSEA Group, diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords. They are crucial elements of our business strategy, and we are committed to fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusivity from within. We firmly believe that a diverse workforce and an inclusive environment not only bring together unique perspectives and experiences, but also enable us to provide innovative solutions to our stakeholders. In creating a workplace that is more diverse and inclusive, we strive to ensure that our employees have the best possible experience during every stage of their employment with us. As a long-term strategy for Malaysia Group, our HR team leads the Positive Experience (+EX) initiative, which covers the entire employee life cycle from recruitment to separation. Diversity and inclusion are critical components of a successful and sustainable business across NIPSEA Group. By prioritising these values, we attract and retain top talents, foster innovation, and drive business growth. We believe that diverse perspectives and experiences enhance our ability to serve stakeholders. I am proud of the progress we have made so far, and I am excited about the future. On that note, I hope we will all strive towards building a diverse and inclusive culture in NIPSEA Group. FOREWORD TRUE SUCCESS LIES IN EMBRACING OUR INDIVIDUALITY AND DIVERSITY, AND LEVERAGING THEM TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALSGLOBAL MARKETING CONFERENCE (GMC) 2022 IN TÜRKIYE Launched in 2016, the NIPSEA Lean for Growth (LFG) Excellence Awards is an annual competition dedicated to recognising and celebrating entities that demonstrate outstanding contributions towards the growth and expansion of the business. It also encourages teams to proactively think and innovate new methods to solve current market challenges. The competition recognises two project categories: GROWTH Impact, for commercial excellence, and LEAN Impact, for operational excellence. In addition to the award, the top 10 entries are given the opportunity to present their projects to the Group CEO and Committee. We are immensely proud of our 2022 winners, who continue to inspire us daily and embody the LFG V.I.T.A.L.S core values surrounding the traits of teamwork, agility, and a focus on Lean principles. The LFG culture is what drives our organisation’s strategy towards innovating excellent products and fulfilling customer needs. Gennosuke Obata, the President of Nippon Paint Holdings in 1924, revived the company from significant management crises, earning him the title of "Pioneer of Reform" of the Nippon Paint Holdings Group. In 2018, the Gennosuke Obata Fellowship Fund was established by Nippon Paint to provide talented young designers access to world-class design education at Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD). This year's recipient is Petch Peewsook from Bangkok, Thailand, pursuing his Master in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University GSD. He expresses gratitude to Nippon Paint for supporting his dream to be the next generation of design leaders. In light of the recent tragedies in Türkiye, we would like to honour those who have shown remarkable strength, resilience, and commitment to our organisation and to each other. Your dedication and unwavering spirit have been an inspiration to us all, and we are deeply grateful for your contributions. The ingenuity and hard work of our marketing teams play an indispensable role in driving NIPSEA's success, without which our achievements would not have been possible. We thank you for staying strong and for continuing to make a positive impact on NIPSEA’s growth. On 21-23 September 2022, we hosted the Global Marketing Conference 2022 in Türkiye by Betek Boya, where we celebrated NIPSEA marketing teams as an essential component in our business operations. LFG EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022 GENNOSUKE OBATA FELLOWSHIP FUND “I want to express my sincere gratitude to Nippon Paint for supporting my dream to be the next generation of design leaders today”Ushering in the New Year with a heart-warming celebration At Nippon Paint Singapore, the recent Lunar New Year was celebrated in a festive gathering that brought together team members of all levels and departments. From delicious food and drinks to traditional decorations and activities, the team enjoyed each other's company while reflecting on the importance of community, connection, and shared experiences. Nippon Paint Vietnam celebrated T ế t Nguyên Đ án, the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture, by hosting a New Year party filled with games, activities, and an exciting lucky draw. The Production Team also performed a breathtaking dance that wowed the crowd. We are grateful for the relationships we have built within our team, and we look forward to working together towards our shared goals in the year ahead. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS ACROSS NIPSEA Females who paint for a change and defy stereotypes The Nippon Nisa initiative by Nippon Paint Pakistan is committed to empowering women by providing professional training to female house painters, challenging gender stereotypes and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. At Nippon Nisa sessions, trainees have the opportunity to develop their skills within a supportive community, share techniques, and celebrate each other’s progress. These women have broken through barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry, setting an inspiring example for others to follow. Training programs like Nippon Nisa help women develop their skills and gain valuable experience, creating new opportunities for them in the industry. Nippon Paint is proud to support this initiative and is committed to promoting gender equality and diversity in the workplace.Colouring the community with care Recently, Nippon Paint Coatings Philippines organised a team-building activity where the team spent a day painting walls for a local volunteer project using our very own Nippon Paint products. This session allowed them to work together to form bonds and do something good for the community. Seeing the positive impact of their work is not only a great reminder of the importance of coming together to support others, but also to feel connected and inspired to do more for the community. Rowing together for success 40 employees from Malaysia Group's Technical Service Department - Industrial Used, Auto-Refinish/OEM, and Technical Team participated in an exciting team building event at Port Dickson, Malaysia that featured a range of tasks and activities to challenge and enhance employees’ teamwork skills. Throughout the day, team members from different backgrounds and departments came together to overcome obstacles, celebrate successes, and share their unique strengths. As a result, bonds were strengthened, and a strong sense of camaraderie was built. This event was a great way to improve teamwork and synergy in the workplace, as employees left feeling energised and ready to take on new challenges. Extending a warm welcome to the Vital Technical team Vital Technical, widely known as V-Tech, has been a leading player in the Malaysian market for Sealants, Adhesives, and Fillers (SAF) since its inception in 2002. In early 2021, Nippon Paint Malaysia acquired a majority stake in V-Tech. V-Tech is now well-positioned to further dominate the SAF market by leveraging their expertise and resources to drive innovation and growth. In addition to their day-to-day operations, the V-Tech team regularly conducts insightful market visits and enjoys participating in team sports. Market visit to Abdelhi Mahmoud The Vital Technical team embarked on a market visit to Abdelhi Mahmoud in Sudan, where they conducted a thorough market survey and gathered market intelligence. Through this visit, they were able to gain valuable insights into the local market, identify potential customers and competitors, and explore new opportunities for growth and expansion. At NIPSEA, we place equal importance on strong work ethics and the ability to unwind and recharge together as a team. Team Betek Boya recently organised a team-building session where employees and leaders were encouraged to participate in a friendly yet competitive game of backgammon. As they chatted, laughed, strategized, and played, they also formed powerful connections that can be hard to come by at the workplace – connections which are critical for building trust, encouraging collaboration, and fostering a sense of community within NIPSEA. Rolling towards stronger connections: Betek Boya enjoys a game of backgammonAt NIPSEA Group, we are proud to share our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) policies that align with the unique operational and cultural context of each country we operate in. Our focus is to create a D&I framework that supports all important touchpoints in an employee’s lifecycle, from recruitment to development and offboarding. As the HR leader of Nippon Paint Malaysia, I am proud to share our efforts to include more women in leadership by creating equal employment opportunities, and blurring the generational gap in the workplace. We actively refine our policies and develop initiatives that contribute towards the goal of consolidating the strengths of our diverse workforce. Looking back from when I first joined the company, we have made significant strides in creating a more inclusive work culture. We’re empowering the younger generation as they start their careers with our company by letting them bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to drive the business forward. In 2015, we launched our leadership program where almost half of the participants were women who showed great performance and potential. Through our continuous leadership development program, I am proud to say that today, 40% of our managers are women. Today, we are proud to be a multi-talented, multi-cultural team of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise working together towards our goals at NIPSEA. Moving forward, we will continue to create a level playing field for all employees, and nurture a diverse workforce that embraces everyone’s differences. Jason Ho Malaysia Group HR General Manager HEAR FROM MALAYSIA GROUP HR GENERAL MANAGER, JASON HOEMBRACING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: HEAR FROM OUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES At NIPSEA Group, the importance of leaders taking the lead in creating inclusive work environments is emphasised, as employees look up to their leaders as role models, and inclusion ultimately leads to the success of the company. The company's corporate culture supports and encourages employees to work together regardless of their positions, which showcases support towards D&I. This practice is also carried out across NIPSEA markets globally, encouraging the exchange of ideas across markets and cultures for business development and personal growth. Cemre Ceren Yalcin (Türkiye) In today’s diverse and inclusive workplace, it’s important that organisations are increasingly taking steps to ensure that all employees feel respected. At Betek Boya (Türkiye), we have implemented several steps to ensure specific cultural or religious needs are met, leading to a more welcoming and inclusive workplace for all. The benefits of having a diverse and inclusive organisation are enhanced employee engagement, a sense of belonging, increased innovation, deeper trust and commitment, and higher employee retention levels. Ali Erisi (Türkiye) Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are essential for creating an inclusive work environment at NIPSEA Group, where employees feel a sense of belonging and support. Leaders play a critical role in creating an inclusive work environment that aligns with the company's values and provides a sense of belonging for employees. For females who aim to make a difference in their organisation, it is important to remain open-minded, listen, learn, and embrace challenges. Nell Hsu (Taiwan)Next >