Fauji Fertilizer Company to participate in UNGC summit

FFC's head of CSR Brig Arshad Mahmood SI (M) (Retd) met with the UNGC (Pakistan Chapter) Executive Director Mr. Fasihul Karim Siddiqui and discussed mutual collaborations to take the sustainable development agenda 2030 implementation forward in Pakistan. The meeting was also focused on FFC's leadership role towards sustainable business practices that have been widely recognized both; at national as well as international level.

Fauji Fertilizer Company will be participating in UNGC summit to be held in New York on 24^th September 2018. An International summit is convened each year to take the International Development Agenda forward.

The Global Compact Office is working under the aegis of United Nations General Assembly as an organization that "promotes responsible business practices and UN values among the global business community and the UN System" since 1999.

Master Tiles and Ceramics Gujranwala becomes ACCA Approved Employer

ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) awarded Master Tiles and Ceramic, Gujranwala with Gold Approved Employer status in recognition

n of their commitment towards training and development of ACCA trainees and members.

ACCA is the world’s leading professional accountancy body and Master Tiles and Ceramic Gujranwala is the trendsetting leader in the wall and floor tiles in Pakistan and their vision 2022 is to become the largest and top ranking ceramic company of the world.

ACCA’s Approved Employer status marks out the company as one that provides the highest level of support and assistance for the ACCA members and students it employs and makes it easier for them to recruit the best people - and keep them.

Speaking at the occasion Mr. Sajjeed Aslam, Head of ACCA Pakistan expressed that, “We are extremely delighted to have Master Tiles and Ceramic Gujranwala as an ACCA approved employer and with this linkage, we aim to provide quality talent to the Master Tiles management.”

CFO Mr. Ahsan was presented the approved employer certificate by ACCA and he highlighted that 'Gaining global accreditation for Professional Development shows the commitment that Master Tiles has in developing its staff. Master Tiles looks forward to further developing this relationship with ACCA in creating the next generation of finance professionals across Pakistan.'

Attendees from Master Tiles and Ceramic Gujranwala included their CEO Mehmood Iqbal as well as other senior officials.  The certificate distribution was followed by a C –level engagement where the head of organizations (Mehmood Iqbal and Sajjad Aslam) exchanged views regarding Master Tiles’ Learning and Development infrastructure and their focus on developing their human capital.

PepsiCo Foundation announces $100,000 grant to World Food Programme for school-going girls in KPK

Ahead of the start of the academic school year, the PepsiCo Foundation has announced a USD 100,000 grant to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP; the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide).This contribution to the WFP will help deliver 400,000 nourishing meals to underserved adolescent female students in the newly-merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The grant was awarded as a result of Ready, Step, Move…Give!, a step-challenge program created by Healthy Living, PepsiCo’s employee well-being program, and the PepsiCo Foundation, to encourage employees to get moving and focus on their well-being while giving back to help feed children in need. The newly-merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province consist of areas where there are low levels of female literacy; most girls of high school age are not in school. This collaboration between the PepsiCo Foundation and WFP will encourage girls to continue their study to secondary level, and help keep them in school.

“In many parts of Pakistan, children go to school hungry, unprepared to learn and unable to focus.  We are honored to partner with the United Nations World Food Programme to help keep adolescent girls in school,” said Furqan Ahmed Syed, Vice President and General Manager, PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan. “We know the critical role that nutrition plays in a student’s overall performance and we are proud of the passion that PepsiCo employees brought to Ready, Step, Move…Give!to improve their own wellbeing and  help female students succeed by providing a healthy addition to their school day.”

Ready, Step, Move…Give! is part of PepsiCo’s Performance with Purpose initiative, a set of goals focused on delivering sustainable long-term growth while leaving a positive imprint on society and the environment. By 2025, PepsiCo has committed to provide access to at least 3 billion servings of nutritious foods and beverages, to underserved consumers and communities, through a variety of channels, and through programs supported by the PepsiCo Foundation. PepsiCo is making steady progress on this goal, and as of 2017, over half a billion servings have been made available.

FFC announces half yearly results for 2018

Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) has announced half yearly results for the year 2018.

The company earned Rs 43.27 billion as sales revenue more than 43% higher than last year owing to higher offtake. FFC’s net profit recorded an improvement of around 24% to Rs 4.72 billion translating in an earnings per share of Rs 3.71 for the half year ended June 30th, 2018. The Board of Directors has also announced second interim dividend of Rs 1.40 per share with an aggregate distribution of Rs 3.15 per share for the first six months of 2018.

StormFiber’s Triple Play Services Now Available in Hyderabad.

StormFiber strikes twice in a week, launching its services in Hyderabad after Multan, bringing its tally of cities to six. The announcement was made at an event hosted in the city, making its Triple Play (Internet, TV and Phone) services available in Hyderabad. StormFiber is already an established market leader in four major Pakistani cities, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Peshawar. Launching their Fiber To The Home (FTTH) services in Hyderabad after Multan represents a key milestone in Storm Fiber’s strategic expansion throughout Pakistan. In the first phase of its foray into Hyderabad, StormFiber will coverQasimabad, Latifabad, Defence, Civil Lines, Muslim society, GOR colony with plans to expand in other major areas of the city.  The second largest city of Sindh, Hyderabad is a historical city home to a suite of businesses and a burgeoning middle class, representing a rich demand for reliable internet thatonly a gigabit network such as StormFiber can deliver. 

Ultra-fast and stable broadband service is an important catalyst for economic development in the modern era. To further these national interests, StormFiber aims to deliver consistent internet services on FTTH infrastructure, along with HD television and crystal-clear voice services. Access to one of Pakistan’s most robust fiber optic networks will help put Hyderabad on the map at par with global metropolitan cities.

Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Tauha Hussain Ali, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro pointed out that: “In terms of the future, an optical fiber based fixed-line broadband is an opportunity since it offers hundreds of megabits per second of data speeds and will ultimately allow StormFiber to offer smart home solutions besides also creating value for small merchants.”

Speaking at the event, Mr. Fawad Yousuf Laher, Managing Director, StormFiber said: “StormFiber has created a reliable platform for high speed internet services which will delight its users and empower them for swift multi-tasking and high-performance in their professional and social endeavors. The idea is to create an enabling environment for the citizens of our country, ultimately contributing to the economic development of our nation”

Industry insiders claim that StormFiber’s FTTH services have been well-received during its soft launch in the city. The company seems focused on its ambitious plan to bring fiber broadband and triple play service to large sections of Pakistan’s population including difficult to reach areas of the country that possess the ability to develop unencumbered in the digital space. The company has deployed its fiber technology backbones throughout the country and has plans to provide high-speed services in the following additional cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sialkot, and Quetta among others.

ACCA wins bid to develop public sector finance professionals in Pakistan

Global professional body ‘honoured’ to be part of a critical programme to develop

public financial management in Pakistan

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is delighted to announce it’s been awarded a high-level project to develop a Professional Accreditation Programme in Public Financial Management (PFM) for Pakistan, working with the World Bank and the Auditor General’s office.

To formalise and prepare for the project ACCA signed MoUs with the partner authorities - the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Auditor General’s office. This capacity building project is funded by the Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) managed by the World Bank.

ACCA was selected for this project due to its expertise in capacity building work, with a proven track record of strengthening the accountancy profession globally. This extensive experience includes collaborating with Professional Accountancy Organisations (PAOs) and development agencies, employers, governments, regulators and other global partners to help build a stronger accountancy profession – with a focus on developing tailored local solutions that meet global standards and benchmarks.

Stephen Heathcote, executive director – markets at ACCA says: ‘Given the pace of change and size of expenditure in the public sector in Pakistan, it’s critical that professionals working in the sector are equipped with the right skills to deal with the challenges ahead. And our qualifications are designed to do just that – to build the accountancy skills and knowledge of those working in the public sector, so that there’s effective management and stewardship of public funds. ACCA’s twenty-year history, local infrastructure and on-going commitment to students, members, government and community in Pakistan makes us uniquely positioned to support this important national initiative.’

               

Arif Mirza, head of policy MESA, adds: ‘In Pakistan, recent changes mean that federal and provincial governments have responsibility for significantly increased resources. Because of this, a step change is needed in the skills in the public sector for public financial management. Effective budgeting and improving transparency is a must, especially as the government’s Vision 2025 aims to improve economic and social indicators of the country by significantly increasing government’s development budget over the next decade. We’re honoured to be part of this critical development in the professionalisation of public financial management in Pakistan.’

ACCA currently has the largest public sector footprint globally of all the accountancy bodies with approximately 64,000 ACCA members and students working in the public sector around the world.

Intermediate students- how does ACCA help you tick off items on your career bucket list?

It’s true that many of us have written a bucket list of things we want to achieve in our lives, from jumping out of an aeroplane to seeing the Seven Wonders of the World to writing a novel.

But a career bucket list?

This is a great way to get down on paper your core ambitions, the big-ticket goals you have for your career. And each goal you achieve will improve your CV too.

So, while this isn’t a definitive list - yours could be very different - here are some ideas to help you think about YOUR career bucket list and how the ACCA qualification can help you achieve what you aspire for:

Work in another country

Working overseas can be deeply rewarding on both a professional and personal level. And fortunately for ACCA students and members, the world is your oyster, because the qualification is globally recognised!

Learn a language

If you work in a different country, you may well end up learning a new language as part of your job. Learning a language not only opens doors to richer cultural experiences, but new opportunities in other countries too. Learning Mandarin, for example, is highly valued given the size and gradual openness of the Chinese market. With the CPEC developments here in Pakistan, this could give you a serious edge in terms of employment.

Be an entrepreneur

This is becoming a very popular and rewarding career path. With all the potential for new technology to disrupt every sector and every part of daily life, if you have an idea and some business acumen you can quickly become a successful entrepreneur.The financial knowledge and skills you pick up in your accountancy study can be a great springboard for starting your own business.

Master a new skill

Studying ACCA is mastering a new set of skills – technical and professional. But being an accountant means you never truly stop learning. Given the levels of responsibility that accountants handle, including the financial stewardship of companies, you’re obligated to maintain a high level of continuous professional development (CPD). And more than this, you should also seek to learn complementary skills that can help your career progress down interesting avenues, for example, project management, data analysis, forensic accounting, business partnering.

Or this could mean a completely ‘new skill’, a passion project away from work, like furniture design, horse-riding, knitting, diving… it’s your life, you decide.

A good work-life balance

This may not seem like a ‘bucket list’ candidate, but considering how difficult some people find striking the right balance, it’s worthy of something to aspire too. After all, a good balance often means being more productive, working better, while also maintaining an all-important full family and social life.

Make your parents and family proud

Become an ACCA member, be happy in your work, achieve even a few goals on this list and there’s no doubt your family will be proud.

An inspirational leader

This is not an easy one, but it is so valuable. ACCA’s news module Strategic Business Leader is designed to progressively broaden and deepen the knowledge, skills and professional values demonstrated by the student on their way through the qualification.You will likely progress in your career to managing teams of various sizes and if you can maintain a happy, productive team, then you’ll be inspiring and teaching the next generation of professionals just by doing your job.

So what are you waiting for – it is time to begin your ACCA journey!