Business

SLID hosts webinar on ‘The Integrity Agenda’

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/15

The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID), in collaboration with its knowledge sharing partner Ernst & Young (EY), held a timely webinar discussion recently on “The Integrity Agenda – the Heightened Role of Boards”.

The session focused on how directors could steer their companies with integrity in the current environment. The panel comprised of Sunil Wijesinha, chairman of United Motors PLC, Watawala Plantations PLC and RIL Property PLC, Murtaza Esufally, chairman of Hemas Hospitals, Hemas Pharmaceuticals, Managing Director of Morison PLC and Non-Executive chairman of the Center for Poverty Analysis with Hiranthi Fonseka, Partner of Ernst & Young as the moderator. The keynote presentation was made by EY’s ASEAN Forensic & Integrity Services Leader Ramesh Moosa. The webinar was an initiative taken by the Institute’s INED Forum and was extended to all SLID members as well as the clients of EY in Sri Lanka.

“In this social media driven world, we know that adverse news travels rapidly. Any event of fraud could severely impact an organization’s reputation and will involve a great deal of cost and effort to recover from such damaging, adverse revelation. An investigative process will negatively impact the morale of the management and employees, and in regulated industries it will attract very close scrutiny by the regulators” said Ramesh Moosa while identifying asset misappropriations, bribery and corruption, and financial statement fraud as common fraud schemes.

He added that the opportunity to commit fraud in current times is heightened by work force reductions and displacements which adversely affected the operation of internal controls and segregation of duties; remote working may expose access controls to cyber compromises and management overrides and workarounds posed higher risks.

“In the current times, the pressure and opportunity to commit fraud are heightened as is its rationalization” he further stated.

Sharing insights from EY’s Global Integrity Report 2020, a global survey which involved about 3600 respondents, Moosa said that 90% of the survey respondents believed that Covid-19 posed a risk to ethical business conduct in their organizations. Commenting on the role of a Board director, he said that Board directors have a role to ensure performance and conformance and that the relationship between these two should be viewed as a symbiotic relationship where conformance supports performance which will enable integrity led organizations to flourish.

“Defining what integrity means to the business and investing in it, leveraging technology and data to automate, detect and monitor risk indicators, transforming the compliance function and programs to be forward-looking and developing a robust crisis response capability that would secure stakeholders’ trust are four action points for Boards” said Moosa.

Responding to the moderator’s request to provide his views on the Integrity Agenda for Sri Lankan companies, panelist Murtaza Esufally said that integrity, credibility and reputation have always been extremely important.

“In Sri Lanka’s quest for development, we need FDIs and technology transfers to Sri Lankan companies through JVs. Companies in Singapore, Hong Kong, Holland, UK and Ireland get the highest FDIs since they have built a culture of integrity and trust in institutions in those countries” he added.

Panelist Sunil Wijesinha said that the majority of Boards in Sri Lanka do give a high priority to the Integrity Agenda and that it varies according to whether or not the company is a public listed company or is in a regulated industry.

“Over the last 10 years we have seen the regulators tightening the regulations. Hence, there is a lot of pressure on Boards to make sure that the integrity of financial reports and business operations are accurate without any fraud. There is a huge responsibility on the Boards and senior management. During the current Covid times, we have to be careful of the pressure to perform which is much more complex due to the incentives that are being given. I always promote the concept of whistle blowing which can bring about great benefits” he added.

He also said that while the private sector has gone to great lengths to introduce regulations and best practices, it is strongly recommended that the public sector follows suit.

Moosa’s presentation was followed by a fruitful Question and Answer session with the participation of the audience. Questions were raised with regard to the practical issues and the panelists responded drawing from their own experiences.

Finally in her closing remarks, the moderator Hiranthi Fonseka observed that whilst integrity and trust are not new to Sri Lankans, the discussion on the Integrity Agenda is actually a wakeup call for Boards to become more vigilant.

All News Advertisement

Business

Climate compliance pressure mounts on Lankan businesses

Published

1 hour ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

Lankan businesses are facing increasing pressure to strengthen climate governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks as climate-related disclosure requirements, investor expectations, and regulatory standards continue to evolve.

Against this backdrop, Genesis – the Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future will host a specialised post-summit technical workshop titled “Climate Action: A Strategic Executive Workshop on Climate Resilience and Business Continuity” on June 12, in Colombo.

The programme is designed as a continuation of discussions initiated at the Sri Lanka Climate Summit 2026 and will bring together sustainability managers, compliance officers, ESG professionals, risk specialists, and corporate decision-makers. It aims to translate climate commitments into practical business strategies.

The workshop will focus on implementation rather than advocacy, examining emerging disclosure frameworks, financing mechanisms, and regulatory pathways shaping corporate climate action in Sri Lanka.

Keynote speaker Dr. Lalanath de Silva, an internationally recognised environmental lawyer and governance expert, will address the evolving legal and compliance landscape influencing climate-related business decisions.

Technical sessions will cover IFRS S2 climate-related disclosures, climate risk governance, green finance opportunities, internal carbon pricing, and access to climate financing. Speakers will include climate risk specialist Rohan Cooray, Shiranee Yasaratne of Biodiversity Sri Lanka, and Suganthi Samarasinghe of UNDP Sri Lanka.

Organisers said climate readiness is increasingly becoming a business necessity rather than a sustainability option, with growing scrutiny from global markets and regulators.

Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required due to limited seating for professionals in sustainability, governance, compliance, and risk management roles.

Business

SPAR Sri Lanka Opens New Outlet in Kurunegala

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

SPAR Sri Lanka has expanded its retail network with the opening of a new outlet in Kurunegala, marking another milestone in the supermarket chain’s growth across the country.

The new store, strategically located to serve the growing population of the North Western Province, offers a wide range of products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, premium meat products, bakery items, household essentials and both local and international brands.

The outlet also features several specialty sections, including a Coconut Corner, Wellness Corner and a dedicated area catering to pet care products.

Speaking at the opening, SPAR Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer Kumar de Silva said the new outlet reflects the company’s commitment to delivering a “glocal” shopping experience by combining international retail standards with local customer preferences.

“Our Kurunegala outlet reflects our dedication to providing customers with the best range, superior quality and exceptional service under one roof,” he said.

The store also offers SPAR’s signature fresh food concepts, including in-store bakery products, ready-to-eat meals and freshly prepared juices aimed at meeting the needs of busy consumers.

The company said customers will benefit from a range of promotional offers, loyalty rewards, weekend deals and seasonal discounts.

SPAR Sri Lanka said the expansion would also contribute to local economic development through employment generation and support for local suppliers, further strengthening the country’s retail sector.

Pic and Text by SK Samaranayake

Business

Royal end title drought with dramatic shootout triumph

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/7

Thilina Walpola

The victorious Royal College Under-20 hockey team pose with the championship trophy after emerging unbeaten champions of the All Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale. Front row (left to right): Ronal Edirimanne, Sulaiman Shihar, Gunitha Dissanayake, Dilsara Prabath, Kumuthulu Goonathilake, Savain Karunasiri, Vidu Wijesinghe, Seth Pathirathne, Pasindu Epa and Hirun Lindula. Back row (left to right): Stefan Anthonypillai, Geesath Bathisa, Haazim Dhailamy, Teacher-in-Charge Uditha Kumara, Coach Damith Panditharatne, Captain Aathif Faleel, Kithmina Rathnayake, Vice Captain Lithum Karunasiri, Nehan Wijayanayake, Yusuf Shihar, Ruvi Perera and Rumal Jayasinghe.

Royal College, Colombo, emerged unbeaten champions of the All-Island Under-20 Hockey Tournament after defeating defending champions St. Thomas’ College, Matale, in a nail-biting sudden-death penalty shootout at the Rajarata University Grounds in Mihintale last week.

The final ended in a 1-1 draw after Royal equalised five minutes from time to cancel out the Matale side’s earlier lead.

With the penalty shootout also ending in a 4-4 deadlock, the match proceeded to sudden death. The Reid Avenue outfit eventually prevailed in the second round of sudden-death penalties to clinch the title.

A brilliant save by goalkeeper Stefan Anthonipillai, who stretched to his right to deny a crucial attempt, and the decisive conversion by Rumal Jayasinghe helped Royal secure the Under-20 championship for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 2014.

Royal’s centre-forward Savain Karunasiri was one of the team’s standout performers throughout the tournament, scoring crucial goals, including strikes in both the semi-final and the final. Anthonipillai was equally impressive, guarding the goal superbly throughout the seven-match campaign.

Royal finished runners-up when the tournament was held in Matale last year.

The Colombo school produced a series of consistent performances despite having to play on an uneven grass surface that was not ideally suited to the fast-paced modern game.

Royal began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Christ Church College, Matale, before defeating arch-rivals St. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, 1-0. They then beat Kingswood College, Kandy, 2-0 and Maris Stella College, Negombo, 2-1 to top their group.

In the quarter-final, coach Damith Panditharatne’s side overcame fancied Dharmadutha College, Badulla, by 2-0.

Royal then edged out St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa, 1-0 in the semi-final, adopting a disciplined defensive approach against the aggressively attacking Puttalam outfit.

In the other semi-final, St. Thomas’ College, Matale defeated Trinity College, Kandy, 3-1. St. Joseph Vaz later beat Trinity 1-0 in the third-place playoff.

Panditharatne’s five-year development programme, with a strong emphasis on fitness, stamina and technical skills, played a key role in Royal’s success. The title marked Royal’s first national Under-20 tournament triumph since winning the National Schools Games in 2017.

A former national player, Air Force striker and Sri Lanka Police coach, Panditharatne has focused on addressing the weaknesses of individual players while building a cohesive unit. The former Christ Church College, Matale player has been coaching Royal since 2022 with the support of the Royal College Hockey Club (RCHC), comprising former Royal hockey players.

For his outstanding performances, Anthonipillai was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament. Royal College was also named the Most Disciplined Team of the Tournament.