Happy New Year - Bycobyco.com.pk/files/BYCO BLEND 15-16.pdfCommunication with media, staff, their families, customers, regulatory authorities, elected representatives and financial

Imagined. Realized

It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell

them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do

Happy NewYear

By Ozair Muhammad

Steve Jobs

Winters 15/16

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOWAND MANAGE YOUR RISKS

Risk management is an art of surviving in the fast changing world around us. The oil and gas industry is facing multitude of risks

ranging from supply distortions, volatile commodity prices, inadequate Infrastructure, to health, safety and environment that has a high potential to seriously impact the business operations.

Business processes are designed to achieve certain objectives that lead to the ultimate achievement of the Company’s vision and mission. Along the path to achieving those objectives lie certain challenges or we call the Underlying Risks. So the first step is to identify those risks.For instance if the products are sold on credit then there is a high risk that the Counter parties may not pay on time and gets defaulted thus disrupting the cash flow of the Company ultimately hurting the business objectives of generating revenues for the stakeholders. Similarly if process units are not operated according to the defined operating standards and parameters

then there is a high risk of incidents, equipment damages and injuries or even loss of human life thus severely impacting business operations and loss of revenue.

The B.P’s Gulf of Mexico Macondo Well incident is a grim reminder to the industry as a faile drisk management process in which the integrity and reliability of Blow Out Preventers and the associated alternate controls were not ensured according to the defined parameters. As a result, there was a huge fire to the Deep Water Horizon rig that resulted in a number of casualties, destruction of the rig and a huge spillage to the coastal areas bringing hefty fines

and penalties by regulators and claims to the tune of billions of dollars.

A fire occurred at the Tosco Avon Refinery in Martinez, California, U.S. Workers tried to replace a piping attached to a 150-foot-tall crude

“If process units are not operated according to the defined operating

standards and parameters then there is a high risk of incidents, equipment damages

and injuries or even loss of human life thus severely impacting the Business operations

and loss of revenue”

Continued Inside

BAD TO THE BONELOOKING AFTER YOUR VITAMIN D RESERVES

DEFENSIVE DRIVING WORKSHOP

KARACHI’S 1st STREET STORE

KALLAR KAHAR SHOOT:

TRAVEL LIGHTTRAVEL HAPPY

PREPARING FOR AN EVENTUALITY

ED’s NOTEWHAT’S INSIDEWhen trouble knocks, you had better be at the

door to answer it. This is the basic mantra of Crises Communications, a specialized area in the field of Corporate Communications and Reputation Management which is designed to guard the reputation and honor of an individual or an organization, particularly when it is facing a challenging situation.

Crisis Communication needs practical strategic PR strategies for reputation management for the survival of companies.

Continued

Globally, the developed nations and major forward looking corporations especially among Fortune 500 have placed Communications and Reputation Management at the strategy table, keeping in view the future challenges of perception management. It is important to understand that corporate reputation has magnanimous impact on stakeholder loyalty and customer lifetime value in the commercial world as well as in political arena.

According to the “Murphy’s Law” whatever can go wrong, will go wrong (or, whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way). It is imperative that all CEO and senior executives should keep a copy of Murphy’s Law prominently displayed on their desk to remind them to be ready to face its consequences. {1}

The effects of Murphy’s Law are not simply an error or situation which has to be positioned rightly. It can have major impacts such as financial damages, business loss and motivational implications which take years to redress.

Every issue or crisis has to be handled in a different way but there is one common factor and that is the need for communication. Communication with media, staff, their families, customers, regulatory authorities, elected representatives and financial intuitions etc. is crucial.

In today’s environment where we have 24/7 media and on top of it, social media platforms have given communications a third dimension, information travels with the speed of light. Managing corporate communication has become not only challenging but crucial for corporations in order to sustain the brand image as well as maintain the positive perception.

Every day organizations run the risk of being effected. The fact that we live in an age of transparency means that no company or organization is immune to the threat of a possible crisis. Companies have become glass house in which nothing remains hidden. Everything is expected to be visible and mentioned.{2}

How an organization communicates when hit by crisis can often make or break it. We have an example of how an upcoming media empire fell just due to a single news story, as the company did not have crisis communication management mechanism to handle it. Or we can say they never expected it, an invaluable lesson in the history of Corporate Reputation Management and the Crisis Communication.

Companies have to create an image of openness, this is what stakeholders appreciate and trust the most. Perhaps, speed, transparency and efficiency are concepts that form the foundation of effective crisis communication policy.

Recently, your Corporate Communications’ department undertook an extensive exercise to put together numerous critical scenarios of Crisis Communications and assembled best possible responses to the expected scenarios and situations. The need for this exercise was magnified when mischievous rumor mongering, originating from detractors, had the online media buzzing about Byco’s refining capacity.

Thankfully, as a result of preparation that had been initiated by the Corporate Communi-cations’ team, the issues where handled professionally and instead of the world relying on hearsay, as has been often observed in cyberworld, immediately our official stance became the official voice of reason. Soon after, one could hear the sigh of relief followed by kudos from one and all. Of course there continued to be the odd detractor, but the fact that the mob mentality had been taken care of effectively, reflected positively on robust Crises Communications principles which are in place within the company.

A cornerstone or a vital principle of the Crises Communications mantra is that there ought to be only one speaking voice; a single point of contact for the general public and the media alike

Manage Your Risks ...

In continuation

fractionator while the process unit was in operation. The piping, which had developed a pinhole leak, contained flammable naphtha liquid that was not successfully drained or isolated during the thirteen-day period before the removal work began. During the removal of the piping, naphtha was released onto the hot fractionator tower where it ignited. Four workers were killed and one sustained serious injuries. The U.S.Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) initiated an incident investigation. The CSB examined the following safety issues in the Tosco case:

1. Control of hazardous non-routine maintenance

2. Management oversight and accountability

3. Management of change

4. Corrosion control program

In refineries and chemical plants, key temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and other data are typically measured using a distributed control system (DCS). This system tracks and records data reported to the system via instrumentation in the plant and can visibly display important variables to control room operators. Operators also can manually record data from field instrumentation that does not report to the DCS. The DCS is a highly critical system for the operation of plant just like the dashboard of the car and there is a high risk if the operator is unqualified to understand the key indicators or if the operating manual is not understood properly resulting in the severe risks of fire and

equipment damage.

In summary, the more you are aware about your key risks ab-initio, the better you are able to plan, perform and handle it and the better you will be able to achieve the desired business results and adding value to the assigned objectives.Then how to manage the risks would be a nice question. So the answer is to follow your work area Guide Books, SOPs, PHAs, HAZOP and the relevant international standards such as API, OHSAS, NFPAs etc. that will give you a clear understanding and guidance to achieve the sustainable operations and still if you are not hundred percent sure about running the process you are tasked to do then consult your seniors for guidance as they are more experienced and have been to the processes multiple times and know the relevant risks.

Since all the risks can’t be eliminated or transferred, the left over are residual risks. The best way in the Industry term used is “ALARP --“As Low as Reasonable Practicable”

Lastly the one thing which is my take in all the fire incidents I have read and quoted is:

“The cost of negligence and mistakes in some areas can be absolutely grave and fatal and may sink the whole ship you are sailing”.

{1} Peter 2008. {2} Roger, Willem, Tony, Odile, Peter. 2008.

The writer is Head of Corporate Strategy, BycoSources: Refinery Fire Incident Tosco

The writer is CFO, Byco Oil Pakistan Limited

who can then be contacted for any clarification or information. This way transparency of communication is ensured, eliminating the possibility of conflicting messages being shared externally.

Recently we’ve been able to streamline various procedures and messages of the Crises Communications policy with the involvement of the representatives of all functions of the group companies.

It is to be remembered crisis are not planned. However, their responses can be preempted and that’s what Communications are all about; being

prepared for the eventuality.

Managing reputation in the era where communication travels with the speed of light and cost of dissemination is almost free, corporations have to take their internal and external communications very seriously. Yours Sincerely,Imran GhaznaviHead of Communication & Corporate/Government Relations

Anybody in the supervisory position must possess the quality of reasoning and calm judgment. Possession of relevant and critical

information is an essential prerequisite of the supervisory position. However, once taking a decision it is the duty of the supervisor to explain merits of his decision in a manner that it is widely understood by his team.

The ability to decide is dependent on the ability to think. It is therefore vital for the supervisor to be good thinker too. Where the supervisor lacks this ability, he must collect and surround himself with those who would do so, that is, think. In present day and time supervisors often donot have the luxury of unlimited time to think, deliberate and then move. Supervisor must take the decision in quick time. To make a decision in quick time the supervisor must possess a massive reservoir of thought from where he draws upon his own alternatives to conclude upon matter of significance. To possess a reservoir of thoughts, the supervisor should not allow his mind to be a thoroughfare for all thoughts. A supervisor must not lose sight of the fact that it is his own conviction that compels him to take the direction which he has chosen for himself and for his entire team.

To rush into action without proper debate is to invite trouble. All feasible alternatives must be fairly evaluated by the supervisor, prior to conclu-sion. Not to seek good advice and counsel by the supervisor is plain and simple arrogance. For a decision to be good, it must be preceded by healthy debate.

HABITUAL INDECISIONIS THE WORST HABIT TO POSSESS By Asad Azhar Siddiqui

A decision by consensus does not in any way absolve the supervisor of his reasonability for the decision made. By the same token the dissent-ing minority, if any, are not winner either. Only an incompetent supervi-sor would go on to blame his team and subordinates when things go wrong. Another issue is the excessive fear to decide that will in turn lead to a failed decision. It is a characteristic of a competent supervisor that he can bring crucial issues to the front and make decisions about them. The pursuit of consensus in decision making could be a source of major impediment in decision-making by the supervisor. Therefore, good and effective supervisor should decide against the tide, but remain extreme-ly cognizant that the responsibility of outcome remains with him. The weak supervisor unfortunately would always be force to decide between alternatives he has not chosen.

The ability to come to a conclusion and take a decision is draws upon the trait of boldness in a supervisor. Boldness must be visible in the supervisor’s behavior. In fact, it is the prerequisite for decision-making abilities of the supervisor. Habitual indecision is the worst habit a supervisor possesses. It is actually a hope of the supervisor that any issue or problem will either be resolved by itself or will fade with time. Only that sometimes it does. But mostly it rises like a tidal wave and lashes violently on the shores of any organization.

WRITE RIGHT COMMUNICATION IN THE BUSINESS WORLD By Arshi Ahmad-Aziz

It is true that in today’s business world, communicating with each other is of paramount importance. This may include communicating with the

customer, the potential customer, a vendor, the colleague, manager or direct report. Indeed, it is estimated that on average we spend 83% of our day communicating, 58% of this in face-to-face meetings.

Never in the history of mankind have we communicated with each other as much. This may take the form of meetings, of telephonic conversa-tions, of emails and even mobile messaging. Of course technology has played a huge part in this process, as access to people is no longer the dilemma it was twenty years ago. As it is a fact that we write much more than we as human beings ever have, therefore we read much more than we ever have. So therefore any writing (including this article you are reading) is competing for your attention with all the other pieces of writing you feel you need to read.

Gone, I feel are the days when we came into the office, said salaam! to everyone we met, and enquired about their health and whether they had a good evening last night. Gone also are the days when on entering the office, staff would look in their ‘in-tray’ for letters and memos, and picking up a letter opener get to work. Now we enter the office, push the on button to the PC or laptop, and the day commences with a fall of emails, with the associated ‘pings’ of the machine.

Therein lies the issue, that as we communicate more than ever, to be both effective and efficient in the processes we employ becomes a matter of concern in organizations, and therefore a matter of concern for people - staff - in those organizations.

It is true that a principle of writing is that of conciseness, of ensuring that the writing is not wordy. This can sometimes be a dilemma. On the one hand we need to ensure that the message is complete (often detailed), and that it enhances our relationship with the reader; on the other we need to be concise. This dilemma is easily solved when attention is given to planning the writing.

Anything in life is better executed when we have planned before what we want to achieve. This is true for communication and particularly true for writing; as unlike face-to-face communication, we do not generally have

the opportunity to clarify meaning and intent as we go along.

The first step in the writing planning process, indeed in any communica-tion situation is clarity regarding objective, followed closely by under-standing who your reader or audience are. This clarity will then do a great deal to form the content of the communication. Through understanding and planning for both of these, we can begin to get a feel for whether we need to write in an elaborative fashion, in detail, or whether a short note will suffice. For example, if I am writing to someone I have not met before then a longer message may be necessary, as there will be an element of introducing myself, an explanation of why I am writing, and what I require of the reader. On the other hand, a response to a note simply acknowl-edging that I have received the email may be as short as: “got it – thanks!”

Therefore, writing requires thought before we start pounding the key board.

One of the commonly cited issues in writing for us seems to be that as English is not our first language our thoughts during the planning process often come to us in what is commonly referred to as our ‘mother tongue’. When speaking, we often mix our languages, whether those are English and Urdu or whether they include a mix of another provincial language or a local dialect. In writing this is not possible, as all our written business communication tends to be in English.

There is the commonly voiced wisdom of ‘well think in English then’ – often easier said than done. This brings us to the third step in planning to write, that being to gather your thoughts and think about key word and phrases you may want to use. If we think in a language other than English, then as no one sees this outline of your writing, it makes perfect sense to do this multi-lingual, in a mix of languages, as the thoughts emerge. This prevents the breaking of your train of thought as you think, and thereby saves much time and frustration.

There is much else that can be shared about how to write better. However, I will finish with my last point. That is a personal plea to make your writing more conversational, not bureaucratic and stuffy. Talk to the reader, so that they can hear your thoughts through your words. When you are conversational, you are friendly. The fear of course is that you might be too friendly, but remember that in the business communication scenario this friendliness relates to tone not content. I have never received a letter or email that I could term too friendly in tone.

So lastly, I will add that writing requires great effort. Take the time to do it right. Write right and you will reap rewards. Good luck!

Arshi is a training consultant in Pakistan. She has worked with over 140 organisations, and has trained over 28,500 people, with an

emphasis on communication and leadership. She has had nine books and over 300 articles published. Her most recent publication being

From KESC to KE – A Company Reborn. She is currently writing a book on Pakistan’s stamps.

She can be contacted [email protected] Institute of Training & Consultancy (facebook)

By Mirza Humayun Baig

One important piece of safety on the road is defensive driving. Drivers cannot control what other people on the road are going to

do, so it’s important that they be ready for any eventuality.

Defensive driving involves being aware of potential issues and taking actions to avoid them before they occur, not merely reacting to hazards as they come along.

Recently, the OSR and the EHSS department conducted a safety training on the Defensive Driving for Corporate office and Contractor’s drivers. It was conducted at the Core Skill & Support Development Centre. In all 12 drivers participated in this informative session. A detailed presentation with material in Urdu was delivered to all participants. The presentation included:

• Safety on Road

• Driving Safety Rules

• Seat Belts Save Lives

• Why Accidents Occur

• Keep a Safe Distance

• How to Avoid Accident

• Overtaking Procedure

• Accident Avoidance Sequence

• Seven Conditions Which Affect Driving

• Major Causes of Accidents

• Vehicle Operating Hazards

• Parking Hazards

• Accident Reporting

At the end of session certificates were awarded to the participants.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING WORKSHOP

Recently the Byco Lubricants team, led by the Head of Lubricants, Mr. Aamir Millwala, visited locations upcountry. The purpose of

the visit was to expand the growing Byco Lubricants business. That they did successfully by adding new distributors in the high street channel giving Byco an extended coverage of Byco automotive lubricants sales in Lahore, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Toba Tek Singh and Bahawalpur region.

In addition to the market visits, activities and interactive consumer and mechanic engagement sessions were held in which gifts ranging from motorcycles to coolers and electronic goods were handed over to the consumers and mechanics from the distributors end.

Head of the Central Region lubes team, Sakhawat Sheikh proudly announced developing a distribution network of 24 distributors in North and Central region within a short span of 6 months.

Not to be left behind, the South High Street team also reinforced the distribution network by bringing on board 5 new distributors in the last 3 months in Sukkur, Hyderabad, Moro and surrounding areas. Byco automotive lubricants have made strong inroads mainly through local initiatives in consumer engagements and customer conversions and mechanics gatherings through initiatives taken by our distributors and

HIGH STREET LUBRICANTSAN EXPANDING NETWORK!

The writer is Manager OSR, EHSS Byco Terminals Pakistan Limited

By Saarah Arif

The writer is Junior Officer-Market Development-PMB

supported by our Byco sales team.

This is the beginning and the race for further geographic coverage across Pakistan by our Sales team goes on!

He can be contacted at [email protected]

Keeping your bones healthy is as important as keeping the other parts of the body healthy and functioning. Bones are not only responsible

for the structure to support the body but also act as protection to all the vital organs like the eyes, brain, spinal cord, heart, lungs, liver, etc. It also acts as a storage facility to essential minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Having bones that are not healthy cause them to become weak and therefore more susceptible to injuries by either becoming deformed or ultimately breaking (fractures).

Bones are continuously being broken down and replaced (recycled) in our body. As the body grows older the rate of replacement and the quality of the new bone gets affected as with any other system of the body and the turnover decreases significantly. The signs can be as obvious as bony aches and pains, fractures after trivial injuries or maybe as subtle as gradual loss of height. An important point to note is that the maximum bone mass is achieved by 30 years of age and how the body manages the bone turnover then and later on in life is largely dependent on this “bone bank”.

Factors than can affect bone health can be divided into two categories to keep it simple to understand and act on.

1: Factors that are not in one’s control: Age, Gender, Ethnicity and genetic factors. Increasing age predisposes to poor bone health because the bones become thinner and weaker. Females are more predisposed due to lesser bone mass and size as compared to males and

certain hormone imbalances after a certain age. Asian females are also more predisposed as compared to their counterpart African and Hispanic population. Genetic factors like the family history of poor bone health can also contribute.

2: Factors that ARE in one’s control: Diet, eating disorders, body weight, physical activity, medicines, hormone levels, smoking, and alcohol.

Having a balanced and healthy diet keeps you and your bones in good health. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D are specially needed to maintain healthy bones. An important fact is that Vitamin D is necessary for the calcium to be absorbed to be put to good use by the body. People with eating disorders (anorexia/bulimia), gastric bypass surgery and diseases of the intestine, stomach and also kidneys can cause inadequate absorption of calcium and other important minerals. A low body weight (Body Mass Index – BMI of less than 19) will predispose to weaker bones. Physical activity “loads” your bones and make then stronger just like muscles. A sedentary lifestyle or not being active enough for long periods of time will weaken your bones. Regular exercises or walking at least are recommended. Certain medicines are known to cause weakness of the bones if used for long time frames. The

most common are steroids, some medications to treat epilepsy (fits) and antidepressants, some anti-cancer medications, certain type of antacids, etc. People on these medications should ask their doctors about this particular side effect and take appropriate measures.

Disorders involving thyroid hormones, low estrogen levels (especially menopause) and low testosterone levels also cause bone loss. Smoking directly affects the quality of the bone structure along with the more known serious health risks and also delays fracture healing. Excess alcohol consumption also weakens the bones.

Good dietary sources of calcium are dairy products, green leafy vegetables, legumes/beans, bread, calcium fortified orange juice, shrimps, certain fish, nuts and almonds, and calcium fortified soymilk and products. The general recommendation of calcium intake is 1200 mg/day and Vitamin D intake is 800 IU/day. This should be verified after discus-sion with your doctor and before starting any type of supplements.

Having and maintaining healthy bones is not very difficult in general and the easier ways to getting it done is by healthy eating, active and healthy lifestyle, being aware of risk actors and the signs of any problems. And most importantly avoid falling down. The diagnostic test to check for bone strength and to diagnose diseases like osteoporosis is a “Bone Density Test” (BMD / Dexa Scan), which is painless and safe. Discuss with your doctor whether you need it or not.

The writer is Asst. Professor and Consultant, Spine & Orthopedic Surgeon. He practices at A.O. Clinic (Institute

for Trauma & Orthopedics), Nazimabad, Atia General Hospital &Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital, Malir, Medicare

Clinics, Shaheed-e-Millat Rd.

BAD TO THE BONELOOKING AFTER YOUR VITAMIN D RESERVESBy Dr. Syed Akmal Sultan

“An important point to note is that the maximum bone mass is achieved by 30 years of age and how the body manages the bone

turnover then and later on in life is largely dependent on this

“bone bank””

KARACHI’S 1st STREET STORE HELPING THE POOR MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS

The writer is was a Volunteer at the Street Store. She is a Junior Officer-Market Development PMB

By Saarah Arif

Not everyone is born a philanthropist. And though we provide innumerable donations only few of us decide to spread happiness

with our own hands. That is what was achieved at the first “Street Store” to open in Karachi.

Concept behind Street Store is giving free retail experience to the home-less/needy people where they can choose items of their own choice. The store, albeit a temporary one, comprises of household items, clothes, bags, shoes & utensils etc.

This novel idea initiated in South Africa in January 2014. In just two years the idea spread all over the world, in established economies like Germany, Canada, the U.K. and even the U.S. to growing places like the Philippines and to Pakistan as well. This model can be replicated by anyone with just online registration and few instructions after which store number is assigned. And that is how the 349thStreetStore came to Karachi.

With utmost dedication and enthusiasm a team of volunteers led by the determined Ms. Maliha Adil, a Barrister and an Assistant Manager in Legal department of the Commercial Division encouraged donors from various walks of life; the entire idea gelled together in perfection.

The volunteers themselves were from different age brackets starting from one who is in his teens to a 60-year-old lady. All worked passionately towards one aim,spreading happiness. People from different cities generously donated more than a 1000 items such as clothes, utensils, bags, shoes, purses and toys. A face-painting stall for the less privileged kids delighted the young hearts. Families were given coupons along with unique time slots so that there is no mob or hassle.

Volunteers helped, properly guiding shoppers in selecting items most beneficial to them. Each family could take 10-15 items of their choice. The most beautiful moment throughout this entire event was to see volunteers holding bags of all shoppers so that they could shop comfortably. This over

whelming gesture was enough to sum up how brilliantly the idea of the Street Store was plotted. The core rationale of this model was to give them same dignity as normal regular shoppers’ who pay.

We being socially aware literate generation need to come up with such welfare ideas and serve our underprivileged segment of our own country.

The journey has just begun, we have miles to go. A big clap and shout out to The Street Store team for perfectly implementing every bit of the activity starting from organizing, planning, managing and finally accomplishing the challenge efficiently and effectively.

Kudos!

#LIFEATBYCO

In order to highlight the culture at Byco, we have started the hash tag

#lifeatbyco. We encourage you, our colleagues, to share the moment,

the happenings that occur from 9 till 6 at our workplace and we’ll put it

online for you.

Byco has a vibrant online presence on Facebook, Twitter & Google+.

Please like the page and share the memories with your colleagues.

https://www.facebook.com/Byco-424694180921213/

https://twitter.com/Byco_Pakistan

https://plus.google.com/u/0/107605460647397857593/posts

on top of a very steep mountain. It is safe to say that while some of us were exhilarated, others were terrified. Nonetheless, we managed to face our fears and fight off any sleep deprivation from the previous night (thanks in large part to a good supply of coffee) and met the film crew on top of one of the peaks.With everyone in place, the Director shouted ‘ACTION’ and the cameras started rolling. After a few takes, we success-fully captured the first shot for the Intelu TVC, of a moving eighteen-wheeler. Overjoyed by the success of the first shoot, we celebrated as we headed to the location of our second shoot.

At 10am our second destination was the main market place of the town. Not as serene as the natural beauty, it had the essentials of the TVC; marketplace, people going about their daily business etc. As expected, this shoot proved to be challenging compared to the previous as every time a shot was taken, curious onlookers flooded to the set. After countless retakes and hours of tolerating the bustling marketplace, the director gave a thumbs up- we had finally obtained the shots we needed! We were relieved but the day was not over just yet. Exhausted, we entered our vehicles and rushed to the next location for our third and final shoot of the day.

On our way to the third location around 2pm, we could not help but notice the long, twisting roads engulfed in emerald greenery. Fortunate-ly, this was our stop; the third shoot was to take place in this stunning location. It was undoubtedly, the best location we had witnessed since our arrival. The TVC gave us the opportunity to capture Pakistan’s natural beauty.

Staying focused on the purpose of our visit, the film crew set up the equipment and began shooting. Time flew by as we lost ourselves in

By Hussain Shafiq

Our tiresome flight was decending through the hazy clouds of Lahore. Once on ground we were on our way to the location of

our first shoot in Kallar Kahar.

The projects were the inaugural TVCs of the Byco lubricants; Intellu & Byker. Already the largest oil refinery in Pakistan, Byco’s lubricants business is now gearing up to make its mark in the market. And part of the strategy was to make two cutting edge TVCs for the masses.

Kallar Kahar is a small stop-over destination located between the Lahore and Islamabad Motorway. Upon our arrival, we were blown away by the breathtaking scenery that had put us in a trance. The endless greenery, towering mountains, meandering roads and the enchanting salt-lake left us all mesmerized for a while as we took a moment to appreciate the view. Soon enough, we settled in our guest rooms, met the ever-so-friendly film crew and unanimously, agreed to call it a night since we needed all our energy for the Intelu shoot scheduled at 5am the next day.

DAY 1 - INTELU SHOOT:

After a very well-deserved sleep, we managed to wake up and arrive at the destination for our first shoot. At KallarKahar the shoot took place

KALLAR KAHAR SHOOT: A CLOSE-UP

The writer is Creative Group Head, Pirana Advertising

both the beauty of the location as well as the shoot itself. At 6pm, the director yelled ‘Pack up!’ and we knew it was time for us to leave; the Intelu shoot had been completed. Although we were thrilled about completing the shoot, we couldn’t wait to return to our guest rooms and get some serious rest before the early morning adventure waiting for us the following day.

DAY 2 – BYKER OUTDOOR SHOOT:

We set our alarm clocks to 4am so that we don’t miss the action of our next shoot; the Byker shoot. As any director would tell you, the early morning sunlight is critical during any filming. This was relatively a simpler shoot in comparison to the Intelu shoot, since it required only one actor and one bike. We left the guestroom at 5am sharp and were greeted by the crew on set over a few cups of much needed coffee and chips as we got ready for the Byker shoot to begin.

The Byker shoot took place in different locations, including lakes, fields, roads and highways. Everything seemed to be going according to plan when suddenly the tire of the bike got punctured, an unwelcome break. Immediately, with the crew stranded without the bike, the bike was hauled, zigzagged down the mountain road, to a nearby repair shop to have the problem fixed. An hour later, we were back on the road determined to complete the shoot. At around 5pm, the Byker shoot came to an end and we immediately left the set and started our journey to Lahore for the next shoot. Despite being fatigued, the joy of completing the shoot along with post-shoot discussions and the outstanding scenery, helped our three-hour journey to Lahore breeze by. By 9pm, we had checked-in at our hotel and went straight to bed after dinner for some sleep.

DAY 3 – BYKER INDOOR SHOOT:

Finally, the last day of the shoot had arrived. Thankfully, after two days of early morning shoots, this indoor shoot was planned at around 12pm. This gave us enough time to catch up on sleep after which we spoiled ourselves with some pure Lahori-style breakfast.

Unlike the other Byker shoot, this one was situated indoors at the famous Bari Studios. After a quick meet & greet with the film crew, the shoot began almost instantaneously. We had the privilege of having some delicious Lahori lassi to accompany our lunch and sadly; this was when it started hitting us that this adventurous shoot was coming to an end. After taking numerous shots, the director announced, ‘paaaaack-uppp’ in his loudest voice, for one last time. It was a bittersweet moment for us and the film crew as we said our final goodbyes and thanked each other for the everlasting memories. Delighted with our work and with one night to spare, we decided to have a little adventure of our own and explore Lahore and its various offerings; particularly its famous, traditional food. For us foodies, Lahore was the place to be!

On our way back to Karachi, we exchanged stories about all the memories we made during our 3-day adventure. Kallar Kahar is without a question a hidden gem of the nation and for us first-timers, the entire experience will always be an unforgettable part of our lives.

ENCOURAGING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRITBy Shyma Raza Baig

The writer is Assistant Manager – Volunteer Management, Injaz Pakistan

She can be contacted at [email protected]

We at Injaz Pakistan are excited by the abundant opportunities the Pakistani youth can benefit from. The rate of high unemployment

itself provides an opportunity to inspire the youth to make informed choices about their future.

Injaz Pakistan helps students understand the importance of entrepre-neurship, managing money and preparing for a career. We give students an advantage by providing real world opportunities and skills not taught in schools.

Since our inception in April 2012, we have impacted more than 14,000 students belonging to private and public institutions alike. Some of the educational institutes that InjazPakistan has had the opportunity to work with inter alia include IBA, IoBM, Dawood Public School, Cedar College, ACCA Pakistan, DHA Suffa University, KASBIT, AmanTech, Beaconhouse, Educators, Education Bay, Iqra University, Federal Urdu University. This has been possible with the help of our volunteers from renowned companies and institutions like Byco, Aman Foundation&K-Electric.

Our internationally designed programs are conducted by corporate volunteers who add value and give life to the sessions by sharing their professional experiences and highlighting ground realities. Our volunteers are passionate and enthusiastic to engage with and inspire the youth to dream big and reach their utmost potential.

Our mission is to plant the seeds of entrepreneurship and promote it among our youth to encourage self-employment and the creation of more jobs.

InjazPakistan helps you answer important life questions;What are you going to be when you grow up? How much education will you need to pull it off? Where are you going to live? What are you going to drive? How much will all of it cost you? What about your credit?

InjazPakistan’s students represent the spirit of experimentation and leadership in the region, which is not only essential in creating jobs and offering entrepreneurial opportunities for our youth, this spirit is at the core of a youth-led economic renaissance.

AN EXERCISE IN CAMARADERIEBy Shomaila Saleem

Team building is an important exercise in any organization. It involves colleagues of all grades, getting together as a group and getting to

know each other away from office. It involves activities like Minute-To-Win-It, Scavenger Hunt, watching a movie, having dinner, bon fire, boating/ crabbing and many more.

But is it really necessary? It is when you consider that though most of us work together, we do tend to work in silos. Often meeting our deadlines from 9 till 6 and then it’s back to home. Away from office, away from the deadlines, it helps in improving communication, ice breaks and helps to get to know each other. In the long run, it helps in learning effective strategies, improving productivity and boosting morale as well as motivation. It also allows each individual the liberty to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. Great teamwork is one of the key factors associated with a company’s success.

However, bear in mind it is something that requires planning. Behind the games there are strategies that in turn drive home message. Though it feels like we are all out to have a nice day, it is all about improving creativity skills and team problem-solving.

Byco’s Commercial Division has been organizing Team Building exercises for its employees, on a regular basis for the past 1 year. Every quarter, colleagues head out for a new adventure within the metropolis that has so far included a boating trip, movies at the cinema and dinners. At the end of each outing, colleagues share their observations on the high-points as well as the low on every excursion. It has helped to develop

an understanding amongst the 32 members of the Division.

Effective team building needs to happen continuously if you want your group to be successful. It needs to be part of the corporate culture.

If you lead a group, aim to incorporate team-building activities into your weekly or monthly routine. This will help everyone address their different issues, and it will give them a chance to have fun, and learn to trust one another – more than just once or twice a year.

ELEVATOR ETIQUETTECOURTESY AND A SMILE1. While waiting to board the elevator, stand away from the doors.

Someone may be exiting at this floor, and you should always let them exit before you attempt to board.

2. Exit quickly when you reach your floor. Get out quickly so that those waiting to board can do so. Don’t worry about letting people off first, because they might be a cue for ‘door hoverers’ (people who are boarding, who crowd you when trying to exit). Simply exit in a quick and orderly fashion. However, do not shove your way out or knock people over in the process.

3. Hold the door if someone is coming in. If someone is coming from outside of the elevator and many want to get in, it’s good elevator etiquette to hold the elevator for them.

4. After boarding the elevator, stand facing the elevator door. It is both impolite and awkward to stand facing others, leaving them no personal space.

5. Don’t hold the door for colleague who has taken a quick ‘side-trip’ such as getting coffee, going to the restroom, etc. Never hold the door more than 15-20 seconds on a crowded elevator.

6. When in the elevator, resist the temptation of indulging in personal and official conversation. This way no secrets get spilled and no colleague gets freaked out due to unnecessary conversation.

7. Give people their space if possible. There is nothing more annoying than a having someone stand six inches from you in an un-crowded

elevator. If the elevator is crowded, give as much space as you can without crowding others and yourself.

8. If you are standing near the buttons, be willing push them for someone who asks if you can. Unless you can clearly push the button yourself, don’t ask someone else. It’s rude unless they’re doorman. But then it’s best to do it yourself if possible.

9. Stay farthest from the door you will be the last person to step out. If you are traveling to ground or top floor, it’s better to stand farthest from the elevator doors after you board the lift. This way you will avoid inconveniencing others.

The writer is Secretary to V.P. Commercial

(Off the web)

The writer is Assistant Manager, Travel Desk, AHR

By Muhammad Adnan Khan

Companies that use face-to-face meetings are more likely to build stronger and longer relationships with clients and prospects, close

new deals, and develop high-performing talent. In this day and age of electronic communications where connections are established using instant messaging and email, this is indeed news to many. And it is here that travel has become a key component of a successful business strategy.

Business travel is a fact of life. Even with the popularity of services like Skype and GoToMeeting, sometimes you just have to be there to seal the deal or get the job done. According to a new business travel study, with all the communication-related technology available to businesses today, traveling to meet a client is really worth it. Industries that increase spending on business travel also increase profits. Surveyed business travelers said that sales conversions almost double when they get to meet with prospects in person. Companies that invest the most on result oriented business travel grow faster than those that cut back, even during the great global recession.

Business travel also helps the economy, creating millions in federal, regional and local taxes. This means finding flights, making hotel reservations and living out of a suitcase for days, weeks or even longer. Having to deal with all this on top of whatever is prompting the travel in the first place – trade shows, sales presentations, training and so forth-can be enormously stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.

There are things you can do for yourself, if you’re the traveler, or for your employees to make business travel less of a hassle, and that can pay off in more ways than one. Being prepared and taking much of the stress away makes for happier, more relaxed employees, which in turn means, they’re more motivated and ready to get the job done and do it well. This becomes a win-win situation all around.

The first thing to do is set your budget. Having an expense account helps. But even then you’ll make a much better impression if you at least try to save the company some money. You should have a firm plan because changes in flights frequently and hotel may increase your budget or force you out of it. Companies have limits and restrictions, so make sure to familiarize yourself with your company’s expense account policy if you haven’t already. Make sure to budget enough for your flight (or whatever

TRAVEL LIGHTTRAVEL HAPPY

“The first thing to do is set your budget. Having an expense account helps. But even then you’ll make a much better impression if you at

least try to save the company some money. You should have a firm plan because changes in

flights frequently and hotel may increase your budget or force you out of it. ”

mode of transportation you’ll use to get there; food and if applicable, taxis to get around. Save all your receipts as much of business travel can be reimbursed after the travel.

The key travel business travel tip is to pack light and only include the minimum you will need in your main luggage and any additional documentation that would be useful for meetings. There are some other issues to keep in mind when traveling. Always check to see if the place you’re booked to stay at, offers Internet access. It’s always good to be connected. Bring an Internet cable – sometimes plugging in directly results in faster connections than WiFi. Rechargeable portable battery

packs can also be a lifesaver when traveling. Although most cell phones have very good standby and talk times now, you will need to make sure it and any other electronic equipment are charged up before you go on your journey.

It used to be that business travel meant staying in a hotel or motel room. If you were only there for a couple of days it wasn’t a big deal. But if you had meetings or business in the area for a few weeks or longer, say to provide or receive training or help launch a new location, hotel living could get old fast. Nowadays there are more options. Some hotels cater exclusively to business travels by offering spacious suites and special rates for extended stays, or you can actually rent an apartment on a weekly or monthly basis. This option can make being away on business feel a little more like being at home, and there are many choices for rent. They are as affordable as a hotel but with more privacy and perks like full kitchens and laundry areas.

Personal traveling out of station or abroad always makes us more creative. A few weeks or months in a foreign country would not necessar-ily transform our lives, but it leaves a positive residue on our minds. The experience of another culture endows the traveler with valuable open-mindedness, making it easier for individuals to realize that a single thing can have multiple meanings. Although it’s an expensive thinking but traveling give us diverse experiences are good for creativity because it influences us to look at the problem points of view.

The writer is Officer HR

The writer is Manager OSR and EHSS Byco Terminals Pakistan Limited

By Mirza Humayun Baig

Protecting the oceanic frontiers of the nation, is a commitment that the Pakistan Navy is committed to very seriously. The danger posed

is not only from aggressors but from environmental hazards. In this aspect, the PN in coordination with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) has started series of annual exercises titled “BARRACU-DA”.

Barracuda aims to help address the issue of environmental hazards, oil spills in particular, with equal security and preparedness against any sort of marine disaster. These exercises were initiated after the catastrophic incident of massive oil spillage in Karachi by the M.T. Tasman Spirit in 2003. In this regards National Marine Disaster Contingency Plan (NMDCP) is prepared to address marine disasters, including pollution from oil, search and rescue and salvage operations at sea. The basic objective is ‘absolute level of preparedness’ against any sort of marine disaster that may occur anywhere at any time.

The execution of NMDCP is ordered by Pakistan Marine Disaster Management Board (PMDMB) headed by Chief of the Naval Staff. Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) is the chairman of the Marine Disaster Response Committee (MDRC) deputed to coordinate the activities related to disaster management with MSA and other entities.

Barracuda VI

This pollution control exercise was rehearsed at KPT outer anchorage area, under the supervision of NDMA and PMSA. Following stakeholders participated in Baracuda VI.

1) Byco Terminals Pakistan Limited

2) KPT

3) Port Qasim Authority

4) PNSC

5) National Institute of Oceanography

6) Commissioner Karachi

7) PEPA

8) OCAC

9) SEPA

10) PSO

11) TOTAL

PREPARING FOR AN EVENTUALITYBARRACUDA VI

By Faryal Anwar Goraya

A workshop titled, Powerful Presentations, arranged by Byco HR, was organized at the Core Skill and Support Development Centre on

November 25, 2015. Facilitated by Ms. Arshi Aziz the session housed around 30 participants from both Head Office and On Site locations.

Day started off with each participant giving 2-minute introductory presentations on themselves to the entire group which evaluated their performance on a number of competencies identified by the trainer.

Number of activities combined with theory enriched the session allowing each participant to build on his presentation skills. One of the many

POWERFULPRESENTATIONS

12) FOTCO

13) PRL

As the owner and the operator of the only SPM in the country, Byco participated as a major stakeholder, along with KPT, PQA and PMSA, who deployed their Tier- 1 equipment during the conduct phase.

BTPL successfully participated in all phases of Baracuda VI exercise and gained applause by all concerned mainly from NDMA and PMSA. In fact, BTPL has been requested to conduct training courses for other stakeholders as well.

activities that took place that day comprised of putting the sequence of steps required for preparing a powerful presentation in order where each group of 5 members had one of the total 7 steps. This activity helped the participants learn how to make effective and impactful presentations.

The day concluded with participants giving constructive feedback on the action plan provided at the beginning of the workshop by the trainer. This became a guideline for them to follow and memorize future assignments at work.

The writer is Management Trainee, AHR

The writer is Senior Officer HR

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: ENSURING TRANSPARENT CONTROLS By Talha Akhtar

By Dur e Shehwar

A training session was arranged on Business Communication and Writing Skills at the Training Centre which housed around 41

participants from the corporate office and site location. It was conducted by Ms. Arshi Ahmad Aziz, who is a reputed training consultant in Pakistan.

The session’s objective was to train the audience for communicating their ideas confidently in the business world and to improve their verbal and non verbal skills.

The session was made exciting by conducting powerful activities and role plays for effective learning and creating enthusiasm.

Human Resource department in collaboration with other departments is keen to take such initiatives frequently which can enhance professional growth of Byco employees and look forward to arranging such sessions in the future which can engage employees towards learning and development.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND WRITING SKILLS

Corporate Governance has become a buzzword in corporate world. The financial scams that led to demise of giants like Enron

in the US and Satyam in India, among the many others, has paved way for greater vigilance and implementation of good governance in order to protect the interests of all stakeholders.

Corporate Governance is defined as a series of structure and process for the direction and control of a company. Corporate Governance structure and practice should protect and enhance accountability and ensure equal financial treatment of shareholders. Its implementation in our part of the world is chiefly important because lot of the organizations operating here are being run and operated by a group of people who are not only serving in Board but are part of management as well hence opening the big question of transparency and accountability.

There are four pillars of Corporate Governance:

1. Accountability

2. Fairness

3. Transparency

4. Responsibility

Accountability calls for ensuring that the management is accountable for its actions to Board and likewise Board is responsible for its actions and decisions to shareholders.

Fairness calls for being equitable towards all shareholders and taking such steps that protects the rights of all shareholders including minority ones.

Transparency calls for providing accurate information and disclosure of all relevant reports and financial statements to all stakeholders.

Responsibility means recognizing the rights of shareholders and create such an environment where shareholders and management work together for the economic benefit of the company and sustaina-bility of its business.

The very purpose of Corporate Governance is to:

• Reduce the vulnerability of company to financial crisis.

• Ensure implementation of effective Internal Control.

• Ensure the Risk Management policy is implemented so that the company continues to operate as ‘going concern’.

• Ensure Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) and Companies Ordinance, 1984 and accounting estimates are based on prudent judgment.

• Ensure Management is performing its due role without compro-mising the interests of shareholders.

In Pakistan the structure of the companies has been such that owners (or promoters) with the help of majority shares, easily elect themselves as members of board and become part of management. As a result, the rights of minority shareholders are badly impacted. Shareholders on the other hand are also not well versed of their rights since they are only concerned with the dividends on their shares.

However, things are changing and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has taken some good steps in recent years to correct missteps. One is that the Chairman of a listed company (the head of Board) has to be an Independent Director and the representation of Executive Directors should not exceed 2/3rd of board members.

Institutes like Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG), ICAP and ICMA are providing training to board members so that they can understand their responsibilities and liabilities and that they truly represent shareholders’ interests in board meetings.

One must be positive that in years to come our board members would truly exhibit board leadership and exercise best practices thus ensuring that the rights of all stakeholders are being safeguarded. Besides, there should be no chance of any financial scam or fraudulent activities harming the goodwill of company and compromising the wealth of its shareholders.

CRICKETMAESTRO Col. (Retd.) Syed Fazle Abbas

The writer is Senior Manager, Administration. He also contributes regularly to TV channels as a Defense Analyst

Editorial Column

Imran GhaznaviEditor-in-Chief

Atifuddin KhanAssistant Editor

Faraz FareedContributing Editor

Contributors

Abbas, Col. (Rtd) Syed Fazle

Akhtar, Talha

Arif, Saarah

Aziz, Arshi Ahmad-

Baig, Mirza Humayun

Baig, Shyma Raza

Goraya, Faryal Anwar

Khan, Muhammad Adnan

Muhammad, Ozair

Patel, Adil

Saleem, Shomaila

Shafiq, Hussain

Shehwar, Dur-e-

Siddiqui, Asad Azhar

Sultan, Dr. Syed Akmal

Many of us love cricket. To the few of you who don’t, there are some fun facts waiting for you below.

Coming back to the game we all adore, most of us love to watch our heroes, belt one 6 after the other or bowl the middle stump clean off the crease. That’s us, couch potatoes. Then there are those like Col. (Retd.) Syed Fazle Abbas, a career military man who not just loves cricket but has been playing it since he was in grade 7. Here are his thoughts in his own words:

I have been an opening batsman since I started playing cricket. At the same time, I also bowl left arm spin. But hitting bowlers to the maximum is what I love doing best. I am thankful to the Almighty that with His help I have been able to attain great heights during my cricketing career. This includes representing the Higher Secondary Board, the Pakistan Universities’ team, the Sindh Under-19 and the Under-25 teams. I made it to the final 25 of the Pakistan national team that embarked on tours of Australia & New Zealand. Toured India with Pakistan Seniors where I played in Dehli’s famous Feroz Shah Kotla stadium and in Jaipur. Even after joining the Army, I continued to be associated with cricket, representing the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Combined Services Team.

All of the above are indeed great achievements for a humble player like me. However, the biggest honour has been having my name recorded just under the name of Clive Lloyd (West Indies) in Wisden, the Bible of cricket. Whilst representing Hyderabad in a game against Bahawalpur, during the early years of my cricketing life, I along with my partner at the crease, Akhtar Hussain scored an unbeaten 285 runs, a record stand for the 4th wicket in first-class cricket ( Criteria for 4th wicket is 250 and above). This is indeed an honour bestowed on few in Pakistan, to have their name recorded in Wisden, for which I am truly grateful to the Almighty.

1. Dancing to Gangnam Style could raise people's pain thresholds.

2. Electric eels curl up to deliver double strength shocks.

3. Puffins are now as endangered as the African elephant.

4. The first item sold online was a CD of Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales album in 1994.

5. Loneliness may suppress the immune system.

6. Sugar-producing bacteria could be used by astronauts to make food in space.

7. Children with pet dogs are less anxious than children without.

8. Pigeons can read mammograms.

9. Bilingual people are twice as likely to recover from a stroke compared with people who speak just one language.

10. Victoria's Secret Bombshell perfume is almost as good at repelling mosquitoes as commercial insect sprays containing Deet.

FUNFACTS