Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday Nov 11, 2025
Tuesday, 11 November 2025 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Hemas Consumer Brands (HCB) was honoured with the prestigious title of “Overall Winner” at the JASTECA Awards 2025. This recognition reaffirms HCB’s position as a national benchmark in operational excellence (lean management), driven by its influential adoption of Japanese 5S and Kaizen practices.
Standing out among a highly competitive field of multinational corporations and local enterprises of all scales, HCB was celebrated for its consistent delivery of best-in-class performance, rooted in a bottom-up performance culture.
Organised by the Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association, the JASTECA Awards have been the pinnacle of operational excellence recognition in Sri Lanka since 1996. They honour organisations that embody Japanese principles of quality, productivity, employee engagement, and corporate social responsibility.
Award winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process, including both onsite and offsite audits conducted by Japanese and Sri Lankan experts. These assessments focus on each organisation’s operational strength and the competitive edge it creates.
Hemas Consumer Brands Managing Director Sabrina Esufally said: “Being named the Overall Winner at JASTECA 2025, among the best organisations in Sri Lanka, is an immense honour—especially as the awards return after a five-year hiatus. This recognition celebrates our operational excellence, achieved through our people’s relentless pursuit of perfection and commitment to eliminating waste. It also reinforces our purpose of enriching lives through products that are not only of the highest quality but are made responsibly, sustainably, and efficiently.”
Hemas Consumer Brands Director – Manufacturing Viraj Jayasooriya: “This recognition is built on a foundation of world-class Japanese management practices. Our lean journey begins with the 5S system, which instils discipline and employee engagement while driving quality, productivity and agility. The strong foundation of 5S is complemented by Kaizen, our philosophy of everyday innovation which empowers every team member to challenge the status quo and continuously raise the bar.”
“Our journey is defined by a bottom-up approach, with relentless efforts to eliminate waste across the value chain and create stakeholder value. Every day, our employees generate 20 to 30 innovative ideas, reflecting a deep sense of ownership and creativity. These ideas not only propel the company forward by better serving its consumers but also enhance the lives of our employees and their families.”
HCB’s achievement at the JASTECA Awards 2025 marks a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s industrial landscape, showcasing the transformative power of lean thinking with employee-driven innovation.
