As a ‘No. 1’ paint brand in Japan, Sri Lanka and the Asia-Pacific, as well as the fourth largest in the world, Nippon Paint is one of the fastest growing paint businesses, consolidating its position through international expansion to fulfil its ultimate ambition to become a global giant, which is evident in its new tagline – ‘Inspired by You.’ Nippon Paint has unfailingly delivered its brand promise over 140 years, pioneering Japanese technology that has become synonymous with quality and innovation. Over its decade of operations in Sri Lanka, Nippon has become a leading paint brand that consumers trust.

Q: How has your organisation evolved to gain respect?

A: Nippon Paint has gained respect through its industry best quality, innovation and solutions for customer ‘pain points.’ The brand delivers the same quality standards in all its global markets, which spans Australia and New Zealand, most of Asia, Europe and the US.

In Sri Lanka and elsewhere, Japanese technology is respected for its innovation, consistent quality and value for money features. Nippon Paint has evolved beyond the business of colour to offering protection.

Q: What are the key attributes that command respect?

A: The key attribute of Nippon Paint is its longevity. It is not an easy feat for any brand to survive and thrive over 140 years. This achievement reflects the respect and confidence in our brand. The fact that the company spread its wings across the world is an endorsement of its values.

Nippon Paint is also deeply engaged with its external stakeholders – customers and the communities in which it operates – through its contribution to society and the environment. The organisation is a leading patron of arts, sports, culture and the environment, empowering local talent by providing a platform for them to shine.

Nippon Paint runs an academy where painters, engineers and architects can access eight to 12 weeks training free of charge to keep them updated on the technical aspects of paints and empower up-scaling their businesses. Over 1,000 children of painters are gifted school supplies at the beginning of each school year.

Q: What importance should businesses place on continuous innovation as a means of garnering respect?

A: For Nippon Paint to sustain its market leading position in so many global markets implies that it has been innovating to differentiate itself and evolve. Historically, enterprises that failed to innovate fell behind.

Over time, we have pioneered a range of environmentally-friendly products in keeping with environmental sustainability to protect the environment and our customers. We have also diversified into ‘paint adjacencies’ – offering all the tools necessary for application of paints under one roof, making the process simpler for customers.

Nippon Paint is constantly introducing new products that offer solutions for the pain points of customers while educating them and other stakeholders on optimal application of paint, through training, informative leaflets and so on.

Q: How does respect within the workplace nurture admiration for organisations to become employers of choice?

A: We place great emphasis on integrity and are governed by this value. Nippon Paint was awarded the ‘Great Place To Work’ certification this year, as well as in 2022, which reflects the commitment to our internal stakeholders – our valued employees.

The Nippon Paint Group also conducts an independent employee survey and we have scored 93 percent. We believe a happy and engaged workforce makes the best brand ambassadors as they talk about us with respect and admiration.

Q: How important are stakeholder perceptions?

A: Stakeholder perceptions are important because in most cases, they are opinion leaders; and if they respect us, they will speak positively about our brand. We proactively solicit feedback from stakeholders while engaging with them to enhance their knowledge and support them to upscale their businesses. When stakeholders trust a brand, they establish a strong emotional connection with it, and this earns loyalty and respect for our organisation.

In Sri Lanka, Nippon Paint has grown to command a 40 to 45 percent share of the paint market within a period of 10 years by maintaining consistent and ethical operations, backed by product innovation and value for money. Its successful journey reflects the respect that the entity commands in the market.

QUICK-FIRE ROUND

Three priorities for Sri Lankan corporates today
Seek opportunity amidst adversity while managing risk
Ensure financial discipline
Increase productivity and efficiency

Three most vital professional values for business leaders
Transparency and integrity
Strategic and innovative thinking
Strong leadership skills to inspire your team

Telephone: 4600400 | Email: info@nipponpaint.com.lk | Website: info@nipponpaint.com.lk