The Buzz Newsletter- Apr 2024

Marcia McPherson

USSEC/CPCL PARTNERSHIP USSEC Soybean Master Program

In February 2024, employees from the Seprod Group of Companies and key CPL customers embarked on an unparalleled educational journey in becoming a master of the integral soybean oil value chain through the Soybean Oil Master Program. This exclusive global program comprehensively addresses aspects of US soybean oil, from its roots and production processes to its arrival at the final consumer, covering the entire value chain with the aim of elevating knowledge to exceptional levels. USSEC is the US Soybean Export Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of soybeans produced in North America through conferences/ seminars, technical assistance, trade missions, among others.

included representatives from Kiss

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) Soybean Master Program is a platform for me to gain knowledge along with hands-on field experience, and informed decisionmaking. It will be a unique opportunity for me to engage with the entire crop journey, from the soil where it grows to the table where it nourishes. I surely will gain valuable insights into soybean production, processing, and utilization and empower me to make informed choices for the future.

Asad Mehboob, Nutritionist, Serge Farms

The USSEC Masters Program was truly an eye-opening experience into the world of soybeans, the “Miracle Crop.” This program has demonstrated the remarkable benefits this crop provides. My sincere gratitude to the USSEC team and by extension Seprod Limited forgperience.

Andrew Walker, Ping’s Manufacturing Ltd.

ANNOUNCEMENT

It was a good opportunity to learn about the soybean process: from the growing of the seed to production and its rich history to the many health benefits associated, especially the fact that it improves heart health.

Sandra Smith, Logistics Manager / Supply Chain Kiss Baking Company (Division of The Jamaica Biscuit Company Ltd)

All 21 participants passed the exams and as a highlight to celebrate their success, they will attend a graduation ceremony to be held in Indiana, USA at the end of May which will be funded by USSEC. Other activities will include visits to farms, a biofuel plant, crushing and refining facilities and Purdue University. Stay Tuned, More to come!

Very informative and worthwhile program! From a corporate point of view, the explanation on the sustainability assurance protocol was very important and interesting for YUM! Looking forward to high oleic soybean oil for usage

Howard Newell, Quality Assurance Manager, Restaurants of Jamaica

USSEC’s commitment to hard work and going above and beyond the call of duty to educate each link of the supply chain on the benefits of US Soybean oil is highly commendable and greatly appreciated.

Jada Troupe, Laboratory Analyst, CPCL

Participants

Baking Company, Pings Manufacturing, Mothers Enterprises Limited, Restaurants of Jamaica Limited, Caribbean Products Company Limited (CPCL), Serge Farms, Seprod Corporate and Serge Dairies Limited.

Seprod’s Performance Management System

We introduce you to Seprod’s People Development Plan. It is our plan to cultivate and develop our Seprod Employees - making you the best version of you and making Seprod the best version of itself. This will be done with the implementation of our Performance Management System (PMS).

Seprod’s performance management system is a tool which will be used to communicate the organization’s strategic goals and the performance standards for each employee. The system will reflect the performance criteria for each employee and the accomplishment of each employee in their role with the company.

As an “Employee Care” function of HR, the nature of PMS will include activities such as:

Joint goal setting

Frequent communication

Continuous progress review

Feedback on the performance of employees

Reward for outstanding achievers

The Expectation of PMS is for it to be the continuous management of our employee’s performance creating an ongoing dialogue and an atmosphere of trust, support and encouragement.  It also will improve the relationship between employees and the organization.

It is our belief that, if an employee is aware that their manager and the business cares about what they are doing and is dedicated to helping them do better and progress their career — they are far more likely to engage with the organization.

The aim is to improve performance, productivity and profitability. This approach puts people first and will allow Seprod to dynamically adjust its growing human resource needs.

OUR PEOPLE

Marcia McPherson

MANAGER - YOUNG STOCK

Marcia has always had a passion for animals.

Growing up in Hillside Crescent, St. Thomas, Marcia raised chickens and pigs. This childhood interest led to her attending agricultural school after which, she applied to Serge Island Farms, and since 2008, she has contributed significantly to its operations. She started as a foreman trainee in September 2008 then became a foreman/ farm supervisor in March 2009 and held that position for 14 years. She was recently promoted to Manager - Young Stock in October 2023.

In her current role, Marcia oversees the care and well-being of nine pregnant cows, seven teenagers, and nine young calves. She has nurtured approximately 2,345 cows from birth. “I’ve been taking care of most of them since they were born, so they are used to me.”

She also finds pleasure in leading a team of 20 employees, which is predominantly male. “It’s fun! As the leader of a predominantly male team of twenty, I enjoy overseeing tasks and delegating responsibilities. I embrace the freedom and responsibility that come with the role.”

Marcia McPherson leads by example and her influence and responsibility are undeniable in ensuring the operations run smoothly.

ON THE GROUND

SAFETY BEGINS HERE!

Fire Warden training with CPCL safety monitors. Training was provided by Firefighters Lecia Oliver and Dwight Tingling from Jamaica Fire Brigade on January 9 and 10, 2024.

JAMAICA GRAIN & CEREALS VISITATION

Fire Warden Training

CPCL Safety Monitor - Oneil Simpson

Fire Fighter - Lecia Oliver

CPCL Safety Monitor

Sixth form Business Management Unit students from St Mary High School visited the Jamaica Grain and Cereals factory on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

St. Mary Business Students JGC Factory Tour

St. Mary Business Students

OUR PEOPLE

Robin BLOOMFIELD

OUTBOUND LOGISTICS MANAGER

Described as a “countryman”, Robin hails from Mandeville, Manchester. He grew up in a small family of which he was the younger of two boys and his parents (quite similar to his own family structure now).

This proud graduate of Manchester High School set his academic and vocational pursuits high which caused him to relocate to Kingston in the late 1980’s. His relocation fostered his self discovery journey of education, love, faith and fulfilling vocation.

Now, Robin tries to live a simple but wholesome and quiet life. He appreciates good discipline, dedication, integrity, a high standard of effort and commitment to whatever is done. The opposite of which really irks him. Although he is not much of a big sports fan, he plays lawn tennis (whenever he gets the opportunity) and enjoys motorsports, specifically “rallying”. Definitely not a foodie, however, a good smoked or jerk pork, oxtail and curry goat will defi nitely spark Robin’s interest.

After the completion of college in 1991, he began an exciting and interesting ca reer journey in multiple industries. Au tomotive Industry, Garment Industry, Food Processing, Telecommunications and now, Logistics.

Through it all, he went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management and subsequently a Master of Science Degree in Logistics

and Supply Chain Management at University of the West Indies, Mona and Mona School of Management Studies, respectively.

Robin’s almost 23 years within the Seprod Group started when Digicel launched in Jamaica delving into the Telecommunications industry at Facey Commodity Telecom as Operations Manager. These experiences facilitated an expanded knowledge base on warehousing, fulfillment assembly and distribution operations and IT operations in Jamaica, the Caribbean and Central America amidst cultural differences and language barriers.

In mid 2016, he transferred from the niche Telecom’s operations to Facey Merchandise and upon Seprod’s acquisition of Facey Commodity Limited, he was integral in the relocation of the Industrial Sales warehousing operation from Marcus Garvey Drive to Felix Fox Boulevard and the design of the 95k warehouse that would facilitate the consolidation of the Facey Merchandise and Industrial Sales operation.

In his current role as Outbound Logistics Manager at the Seprod Distribution Warehouse, Robin Bloomfield is looking back at this incredible journey and though he experienced difficulties he is grateful for the support of his work team, colleagues, friends and family providing the motivation to persevere and push to the limit with prayer. “Thanks be to

His vision and hope for the Seprod Group is a continued consistent trajectory of expansion and vertical integration, a first class conglomerate not just in the region, but a recognized global powerhouse which promotes exceptional values of environmental and social responsibility while delivering exceptional value to its shareholders, partners, employees and customers while playing its part in nation

Seprod Foundation is on a continued mission to develop STEAM Education in Jamaica. Together with national organizers and international initiatives, students have been exposed to opportunities of advanced learning using practical approaches. Between September 23, 2023 and April 19, 2024, over 5000 students have been impacted by our collaborations.

SPANISH IMMERSION DAY

On April 19, 2024, the Seprod Foundation partnered with the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation, the Embassy of Spain, other embassies of Spanish-speaking countries, and the Ministry of Education to execute Spanish Immersion Days in several parishes across the island.

The purpose of the Spanish Immersion Day sessions is to help students sitting CSEC Spanish prepare for their oral examinations as well as be immersed in the culture of countries represented at the event. The initiative reached over 700 students across St. Andrew, Clarendon, St Ann, Portland, Manchester, and St James.

BEBRAS CHALLENGE

- Student in attendance at the Spanish Immersion Day

The BEBRAS Challenge is an online competition that promotes problem-solving skills, informatics, and computer science concepts among students in Grades 1-13.

After the first stage of the competition, which was held online, the students with the highest scores were invited to participate in the challenge finals in person at Halls of Learning from January 5-12, 2024. On February 2, 2024, the students who performed very well were celebrated in an awards ceremony.

FOUNDATION

WORLD ROBOT OLYMPIAD WRO

The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) is an international robotics competition that allows children to showcase their creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills in robotics.

1. WRO LEAGUE TO PANAMA

The Seprod Foundation alongside Halls of Learning hosted the World Robot Olympiad League to Panama competition each weekend from September 23 to October 8, 2023.

The Reach Bolts of Reach Academy placed first in the competition and got the opportunity to represent Jamaica in the international finals in Panama from November 7-9. It was really good to get help with oral prep from teachers who are examiners. I feel like the tips they gave were really beneficial because they would know how the exam was going to be graded.

Reach Academy, St. Hugh Preparatory, Mona Preparatory, Creative Kids Academy, and Mandeville Primary School

2.

WORLD ROBOT OLYMPIAD- ROBO MISSION

RoboMissions is a challenge-based competition where students design, construct, and program an autonomous robot to solve specific challenges based on the competition theme.

The RoboMissions category of the competition took place from March 2-17, 2024. The 2024 WRO theme is “Earth Allies”. This theme has allowed the teams to learn more about how human beings affect nature and how nature can affect us.

The Seprod Foundation wants to congratulate the Robo Swans from St Hugh’s Preparatory School on winning the competition. The team now has the opportunity to represent Jamaica at the International WRO finals in Turkiye (formerly Turkey) in November 2024.

My experience was wonderful even though we didn’t win. I have learned so much from this competition. I have gained knowledge in computers and robotics. I liked the fact that the other competitors’ robots and coding were so advanced. I learned how to code properly, how the competition board was set, and the different types of rules that were set in the competition.

- WRO Competitor

HOUR OF CODE

The Hour of Code is an international initiative organized by Code. org and happens each year during Computer Science Education Week. The Hour of Code focuses on introducing students to computer science through fun activities.

Seprod Foundation is the international partner for the Hour of Code. In 2023, the Foundation partnered with companies across the Seprod and Musson Groups: General Accident, PBS, Musson Jamaica Limited, and Seprod Limited. Five schools were visited while several other schools participated in the Hour of Code independently using printable coding activity worksheets shared with them.

PEP AWARDS

The 2023 Seprod Foundation Annual PEP awards ceremony, was held on November 8th and saw 32 new awardees added to our scholarship programme. Of this cohort, 29 scholarship recipients are children of Seprod employees, of the various subsidiaries, who did exceptionally well in their PEP examinations. Additionally, the Granville Marsh and Byron Thompson Scholarships were awarded.

The Granville Marsh Scholarship Award is awarded to two topperforming students from St. Thomas each year. Established in 2018, this award is given in the name of the late Granville Marsh, the longest-serving Seprod Board member and a Seprod Foundation director. This year, Najive Bogle (formerly of Yallahs Primary and now attending Wolmers’ Boys) and Ky-lee Dyce (formerly of White Horses Primary and now attending Campion College) were the recipients of this award.

The Byron Thompson Award for Academic Achievement is named in honour of Mr. Byron Thompson, the former CEO of Seprod Limited and a current board member of the Seprod Foundation. This award recognizes a student who sat the PEP examination in 2022 and achieved the highest academic average. This year’s award recipient is Daniel Williams, a Grade 8 student of Dinthill Technical High School.

The students were inspired by the words of motivational speaker and public speaking coach, Krystal Tomlinson, who encouraged them to honour their parents/guardians, themselves, and their opportunities.

Your Health &You

ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects approximately 176 million women worldwide. This equates to one in 10 women during their reproductive years (15-49 yrs).

Symptoms vary from woman to woman in intensity.

The most common symptoms are:

• Pelvic pain

• Painful, heavy and irregular periods

• Pain or cramping during sexual intercourse

• Infertility

• Fatigue

• Painful urination and bowel movement during menstruation

• Lower back pain

Treatment options

Unfortunately there is no known cure but treatment can help to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life. It’s usually hormonal or surgery.

60+ W en SCREENED!

During the month of March, our Nurses’ Department organized Pap Smear screenings for our female employees. This was organized with the Family Planning Clinic at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Kingston Jamaica.

Over 60 female employees within the Seprod Group were screened between March 20 and 27, 2024. The nurses within the Seprod Group are ensuring that our women are screened and monitored to maintain a healthy workforce.

We Celebrate You! OUR PEOPLE

We are pleased to highlight the recent achievements of our employees within the Group. Our employees have seized the opportunity to upskill within their job functions.

SHANEK BRAVO Stores ClerkEngineering Department, Serge Dairies Limited

She graduated from Caribbean Maritime University with a Bachelor of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

MIGUEL WILLIAMS HR Assistant, Serge Dairies Limited

He graduated from Moneague College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

ANTHONY FOSTER Loss Prevention Officer, Serge Dairies Limited

He completed a Master of Science - Security Studies, Caribbean Maritime University.

ROBIN BLOOMFIELD Logistics ManagerOutbound Operations (Seprod Distribution Center)

Master of Science, Logistics & Supply Chain Management at Mona School of Business Management

The Right side of the Law Legal Advice from our resident counsel

Within the Seprod Group, Data Protection is a huge deal! Let us think about this for a minute.

The Seprod Group employs over 2000 employees, interfaces with thousands of contractors and customers, and so, personal identifiable information is handled daily. Therefore, the responsibility is ours to ensure that our stakeholders’ information is protected. This quarter, we are looking at Data Protection.

DATA PROTECTION

Data protection mandates practices to safeguard personal identifiable information as outlined by laws like the Data Protection Act of Jamaica. Persons must protect data and disclose the purpose for which data is collected and processed. Compliance involves recognizing and addressing risks, ensuring alignment with legal standards while fostering a culture of privacy and cybersecurity.

Question: What does the Data Protection Act entail?

Answer: The Data Protection Act of Jamaica (2020) mandates the implementation of measures to uphold data security. These measures include pseudonymization and encryption. Compliance involves maintaining confidentiality, integrity, availability, and resilience of processing systems, regularly testing their effectiveness.

Question: What are some of the consequences for noncompliance with the Data Protection Act?

Answer: Non-compliance with the Data Protection Act can result in serious consequences. These include:

1. Monetary penalties: Data controllers like Seprod who contravene the Act can face significant fines of up to five million dollars or higher.

2. Imprisonment: In addition to fines, noncompliance can also lead to imprisonment ranging from two years to up to ten years.

3. Damage to reputation: Non-compliance can harm the reputation of Seprod, leading to a loss of trust among data subjects and potential business partners.

4. Legal proceedings: Individuals impacted by Seprod’s breach of the Act may seek

compensation, potentially leading to legal action against both the company and its employees, especially if they acted beyond their employment scope in breaching the Act.

Question: How can I play my part in ensuring Data protection as an employee of Seprod?

Answer: As an employee, there are several ways you can contribute to data protection such as by:

1. Understanding the basics of data protection: Familiarize yourself with the principles of data protection and the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

2. Following company policies and procedures: Seprod has policies and procedures in place for handling personal data. Make sure you understand these and follow them at all times.

3. Participate in training: Seprod will be providing training on data protection and information security. Take advantage of these opportunities to increase your knowledge and skills.

4. Practice good cyber hygiene: This includes using strong passwords, being cautious about opening email attachments or clicking on links, and being aware of potential phishing attacks.

5. Report any concerns or breaches: If you notice something that doesn’t seem right, such as a potential security vulnerability or a breach of personal data, report it to your supervisor or Seprod’s Data Protection Officer immediately.

6. Minimize data collection and sharing: Only collect and share personal data that is necessary for your job.

7. Securely dispose of personal data: When personal data is no longer needed, make sure it is securely disposed of in accordance with Seprods policies.

Remember, data protection is everyone’s responsibility, and each person in an organization plays a crucial role in ensuring personal data is handled appropriately.