Maliban Biscuit has embarked on yet another corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. The Company is hosting factory visits for school children. This programme has been implemented with the objective of providing practical knowledge on the manufacturing process of Maliban products and operations of the Company, with firsthand experience. As a company who has been in the forefront in providing goodness to the people for over 60 years, Maliban took this bold initiative to educate the school children. This could be seen as a once in a lifetime opportunity for them to see one of the best biscuit production facilities in the country.
Commenting on the venture Bandula Perera, Group General Manager of Operations – Maliban Biscuit Manufactories said, “Earlier we did not accommodate outside visitors to the factory due to the strict hygienic standards that we maintain in the production facility. Yet, we had a vision to give an opportunity to our younger generation to observe the facility. Moreover, we found out that the school curriculum requires students to visit a manufacturing facility to learn about its operations. Hence, the blueprints of the new manufacturing facility were drawn with the necessary facilities to implement this programme. As such, the newly built plant consists of a viewing deck where the children could watch the entire operation of the factory.”
There are two separate programmes conducted, one for children below grade five and one for children of grades five and above. Children under grade five will be guided through out the factory visit with a simple explanation of its manufacturing process, while children above grade five will be educated on the Company’s management structure, division of departments and the responsibilities of each department to educate them on how a company operates.
The programme also aims to educate children on the core values and principles adoptedby Maliban over three generations, while providing an insight into its strengths, competencies and the strict quality standards the Company adheres to when producing Sri Lanka’s most preferred brands of biscuits.
“All employees from the Top Management to the lower grades are dedicated to ensure that this programme is carried out successfully and we have allocated more than 15 team members per programme to make sure that the children are well taken care of during their visit and they are able to gain an interactive and knowledgable learning experience,” added Bandula Perera.