The Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently convened its 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, bringing together Council members, office bearers and distinguished stakeholders to review the Council’s activities during the past year and set its direction for the year ahead.

The AGM was attended by Isabelle Martin, High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka and Maldives, together with members of the Council, office bearers and distinguished invitees.

At the AGM, Mohamad Hameez, Managing Director of Spillburg Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, was re-elected as President of the Council for the 2026/2027 term. M. Irshad Razack, Managing Director of Global Academy of Further Education, was re-elected as Senior Vice President, while Pemith Paaris, Associate Vice President of Acentura Inc., was appointed Vice President. Hiran De Silva of the Asian Institute of Business and Science (Pvt) Ltd was re-elected as Treasurer.

The Executive Committee for 2026/2027 was also appointed, comprising representatives from Aitken Spence Travels (Pvt) Ltd, Aspect Trading (Pvt) Ltd, BOV Capital (Pvt) Ltd, ECD Holidays (Pvt) Ltd, Fab Foods (Pvt) Ltd, Hatton National Bank PLC, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd, Marlbo Trading Company, MWAY (Pvt) Ltd, and Ningbo Marketing Company (Pvt) Ltd.

The post-business session featured an address by Isabelle Martin, who emphasised the importance of continued engagement and cooperation between the business communities of Sri Lanka and Canada.

The current tension in the Middle East, which has pushed crude oil prices close to US$100 per barrel, led to a disappointing trading day at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday, market analysts said.

Amid those developments, both indices moved downward. The All Share Price Index declined by 76.23 points, while the S&P SL20 fell by 13.62 points. Turnover stood at Rs 972 million, with five crossings.

These crossings were reported in DIMO (38,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 57 million, traded at Rs 1,498), Access Engineering (700,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 56 million, traded at Rs 80), JKH (1.5 million shares crossed to the tune of Rs 29 million, traded at Rs 19.40), Sierra Cables (650,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 23 million, traded at Rs 35.50), and CDB (650,000 shares crossed to the tune of Rs 23 million, traded at Rs 35).

In the retail market, the top seven companies that mainly contributed to turnover were Access Engineering (Rs 72 million, 904,000 shares traded), Sampath Bank (Rs 51 million, 364,000 shares traded), Royal Ceramics (Rs 44 million, 899,000 shares traded), Overseas Realities (Rs 41 million, 771,000 shares traded), Haycarb (Rs 41 million, 205,000 shares traded), Sarvodaya Developments Finance (Rs 32 million, 776,000 shares traded), and Commercial Bank (Rs 31 million, 151,000 shares traded). During the day, 43 million shares changed hands in 13,152 transactions.

Analysts said a mixed market reaction was noted during the day. However, the manufacturing sector – particularly JKH and Hayleys stocks – performed significantly well. Banking sector counters, especially Sampath Bank, also performed well.

Meanwhile, analysts noted that Lake House Printers & Publishers announced a first and final dividend of Rs 4.00 per share for the financial year 2025/2026, subject to shareholder approval at its Annual General Meeting on September 30, 2026. The XD date has been set for October 1, 2026. Shares of Lake House Printers & Publishers were trading up 5.68% at Rs 679.50.

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka will organize a timely half-day Awareness session on “ESG & Export Competitiveness: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage” on Monday, 14 September 2026, from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. at the National Chamber Auditorium, Colombo 10.

Why is ESG? ESG is no longer simply a corporate responsibility initiative. It is increasingly becoming a business and market access requirement, particularly for exporters. International buyers, investors and financial institutions are placing greater emphasis on environmental, social and governance practices when assessing businesses and their supply chains. For Sri Lankan exporters, particularly those targeting the European Union (EU) market, understanding emerging ESG and sustainability requirements is becoming essential to remain competitive and meet future buyer and supply-chain expectations. The session will help businesses understand what ESG means, why it matters to their business, and how they can be prepared.

What Will Participants Learn? Participants will gain practical insights into: Global ESG expectations and emerging requirements; How ESG can affect exports, market access and competitiveness; ESG expectations of international buyers and supply chains; Implications for financing and investment opportunities; Practical steps to improve ESG readiness; Developing an ESG roadmap for the organization.

Who Should Attend? The programme is particularly relevant for Business Leaders and Executives, Entrepreneurs and SME Owners, Exporters, Compliance and Risk Professionals, ESG and Sustainability Managers, Supply Chain Managers, Investors and Financial Institutions.

Knowledge Partner & Resource Persons: KPMG in Sri Lanka will be the Knowledge Partner for the programme. The session will be conducted by: Ms. Pyumi Sumanasekara

Partner – Sustainability – KPMG in Sri Lanka and Ms. Fahima Mohideen, Senior Manager – GAD – KPMG in Sri Lanka.

This is an opportunity for businesses to gain practical guidance from ESG professionals and understand how ESG can be transformed from a compliance requirement into a competitive advantage.

For registration and inquiries, please contact Nishanthi – 076 255 5707/ 011 4 741 788 or nishanthi@nationalchamber.lk / Nethmi – 0771672598 or nethmi@nationalchamber.lk.

Businesses and exporters are encouraged to register early and take advantage of this timely opportunity to strengthen their ESG readiness and future export competitiveness.