NCE Export Awards, journey of stardom

The Annual Export Awards ceremony, organized by the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka serves to recognize and reward Sri Lankan Exporters of products and services and also service providers to exporters, on their performance in the international market.

The Chamber is celebrating the Pearl Anniversary of the Exports Awards this year, completing 30 years of success, under the chosen theme “Recognizing, Inspiring and Strengthening” – a 30 years of unbroken commitment to Sri Lankan Exporters on December 2, 2022 at Hotel Shangri-La, Colombo. This year too Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (Lake House) is the Print Media sponsor.

This prestigious event has achieved national significance over the years since its inception in 1992 and reached the stardom of its journey ever since, in view of its integrity, professionalism, transparency and high standards.

Sri Lankan Exporters have proven their resilience beyond all limits by performing remarkably well in international markets amidst numerous challenges. It was agreed without any debate that Exporters are the saving grace of our nation at this time of adversity.

The National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka has made it our duty to strengthen, support, inspire and celebrate those exporters who are playing a pivotal role for the benefit of the country.

At the beginning, the Founder President of the NCE, late Patrick Amarasinghe had stepped in on behalf of Exporters to recognize and reward them on their achievements to fill a void that had existed at that time.

The event had a humble beginning with the conferment of only a few Awards to achievers among Sri Lankan Exporters in the international market place, to motivate them in their journey to achieve excellence.

During this time, late Dr. Saman Kelegama, a well-known Economist and an Academic who was the former Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies, played a pivotal role by advising and guiding the Chamber in organizing the event and also to attract publicity it required and participation of relevant stakeholders in the field of Exports to showcase their achievements, and attract prospective international buyers.

Thereafter late Rasa Weerasingham, the First Executive Director of the Chamber was instrumental in developing the event with continuous improvements, to achieve sustainability, and recognition. The support extended by the Sponsors of the event comprising leading Banks, as well as prominent State and Private Sector Service Providers to the Exports Sector, played a vital role with their generous contributions to ensure the High Standard of the conduct of the event, in view of its importance for the economic development of the Country.

In fact, the main Sponsor, SLTMobitel (Pvt) Ltd, has extended support to the event to the present day.

This event has been conducted over the past 29 years without a disruption maintaining its uninterrupted record of conduct to honor Sri Lankan Exporters even during the heist of the C-19 pandemic, in keeping up with the then prevailing health and safety precautions in the country.

NCE Export Awards has over the years become the most looked forward to event by the Business Community in Sri Lanka. Under normal circumstances, this event is attended by over 750 participants, including the Business Community in Exports, members of the Diplomatic Fraternity, high level State Officials and special invitees including the Political Leaders of the country.

The Chamber is celebrating the Pearl Anniversary of the Exports Awards this year, completing 30 years of success, under the chosen theme “Recognizing, Inspiring and Strengthening” – a 30 years of unbroken commitment to Sri Lankan Exporters.

The Structure of the event reflects the current trends in International Trade. In this respect during the last 3 years, the structure has been confined to 28 Products and Services sectors to give opportunities to many exporters to showcase their success and achievements. Since then each year the Sectors have been further refined, through the inclusion of specific sub sectors under the main Products and Services Sectors to provide opportunities to exporters of specific Products and Services in respect of these sub sectors.

As an added feature NCE confer Special Awards in respect of the overall sectoral awards. These special awards relate to Value Addition, Research and Development, Innovation, Branding as well as Highest Foreign Exchange Earners. Additionally, a special award is also conferred to the best Woman Exporter, the Best SME Exporter, as well as the enterprise which has engaged the skills of Disabled persons in their export activities to the best extent.

The awards this year will be in respect of Export Performance for the year 2021 and adding a special feature, NCE introduced the “NCE CHALLENGE TROPHY” last year under Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large Categories for organizations who perform ethical trading practices.

The structure of the Application Form related to the event is itself an ‘evolving living document’ which incorporates refinements, and improvements included each year to accommodate modern trends in International Trade.

The Chamber has already conducted five online briefings sessions and proposes to conduct few more sessions depending on the demand from the prospective applicants. Applicants are also assisted by the Chamber with any difficulties encounter by them at the time of preparation of their Applications.

The Event is open for participation by Member Exporters of the Chamber as well as Non Member Exporters, and Service providers to Exporters. The main requirement for eligibility is that an Applicant should have been engaged in Export Business as a Registered Exporter for a period of 2 years, proceeding the year of conduct of the Event.

The Application Form is a comprehensive document which captures all important aspects related to Exports in the modern context of International Trade.

The selection of Award Winners is carried out by an independent and professional Panel of Judges competent in the various aspects of exports. The Panel of Judges is assisted by a separate ‘Technical Committee’.

The event confers Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards to achievers of the Standards determined by the Panel of Judges. The ‘Most Outstanding Exporter of the Year’ as well as the ‘Most Outstanding Exporter Runner-up of the Year’ are selected out of the Sectoral Award Winners. Additionally several Special Awards for specific aspects related Exports, stated above, are conferred.

Winning an Award at this Event by an Exporter or a Service Provider to an Exporter is of immense benefit, since it enables the recipient of the Award to gain international exposure, and recognition among prospective overseas buyers to enable the development and expansion of the export business.

The Chamber facilitates this process by providing wide publicity to the Winners of Awards related to their success stories in the field of exports, through the website of the Chamber, the ‘Sri Lanka Exporter’ magazine which is accessible at important Trade Points both overseas and locally online, and through the various events organized by the Chamber, as well as through the electronic and print media.

Of Special significance of focus of the event this year is to provide an opportunity to exporters to convince buyers and consumers in overseas markets of their ability to supply demand without fail, even amidst the ongoing socio-economic calamity in the country.

Award Winners are also provided a; Special Logo’ which they are entitled to incorporate for a period of Three Years from the date of winning an Award, in all their promotional, and marketing material, along with other information, to highlight the winning of an Award.

Past Award Winners have generously endorsed this event, highlighting the fact that it has enabled to benchmark their achievements in the international market place which has provided them exposure among prospective buyers to attract business. They also state that the event has enabled them to motivate their employees by witnessing the end result of their hard work, and commitment to their enterprise which are highlighted through this special event.

They further state that the event has enabled them to aim for, and achieve higher goals year after year, by improving on deficient aspects, which enables them to be increasingly competitive in the international market place