next Sourcing, a wholly owned subsidiary of the retail clothing and accessory giant next PLC - UK, celebrated its Long Service Awards 2017 at the Park Street Mews Colombo recently.

The management including next Sourcing Associate Director Wilhelm Elias, next Sourcing Technical Director Hugh McConnell and the next staff graced this occasion.

Organised for the sixth consecutive year, the Long Service Awards aims to recognise and reward members of the next team who have dedicated their careers to the organisation while fulfilling their ambitions in an exciting, challenging and highly-rewarding industry. During the event, a total of 41 team members were recognised for completing service periods of five, 10, 15 and 20 years with the company with cash awards and plaques given away to all of them. While the event serves to highlight the passions, skills and talents of the award recipients, it also inspires the rest of the staff to follow in the winners’ footsteps and achieve success in their next careers.

next Sourcing Associate Director Wilhelm Elias, Paying tribute to the outstanding team members of the organisation said: “Our people are our strength. We are a team of young, dynamic and energetic individuals constantly evolving and adopting to the growing demands of our buyers and this is why we are successful. We have been fortunate over the past 23 years to have employed the finest in the industry and we applaud every single one of them for their dedication 
and commitment.”

Senior Merchandising Manager Fiaz Ozeer who has dedicated 20 years to the next Sourcing stated: “The long service award ceremony is an opportunity for company to reminisce about the organisation’s history and founding. It is an opportunity to present newer employees with the legends and stories that have made the company what it is today. 23 years ago, we commenced an impossible dream. Today, we are the template for other sourcing offices. We take pride in our operations across the region, while Sri Lanka has been the stepping of this organisation.”

next Sourcing HR Manager Mihiri Ranasinghe elaborating further said: “We believe in an open culture, rewarding and recognising the most important asset in our organisation – our people, our unsung heroes. It is a rare honour to be the pioneers who helped the organisation take its first baby steps, until it is now marching confidently into the future.  Because our team is embedded within our company values, we have reasons to be proud. The award ceremony was organised to recognise longstanding service excellence among the 
‘next’ family.”

next Sourcing Sri Lanka produces next-branded children’s and women’s garments, as well as women’s lingerie and menswear. Over twenty years’ experience gives the company an edge over the global competition and an opportunity to create greater value for their stakeholders. Exclusive, coordinated collections of stylish, cost-effective garments are distributed through the next retail network, which consists of more than 500 stores in the UK alone and nearly 200 franchise stores in more than 40 countries. next Sourcing maintains eleven offices across ten countries worldwide, including Leicester, London, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, North India, South India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Shanghai.