Business
NCPC’s conference and awards ceremony is relevant to the environmental matter at hand
by Sanath Nanayakkare
National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) Sri Lanka will hold its 2nd ‘International Conference at a time a huge number of environmental events draw the world’s attention to saving the planet Earth,
Several international speakers from renowned international organisations in the field, will share their insights at the conference titled, ‘Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy’, which will be held at the Waters Edge on 19th January 2022,
The audience of the forum will mainly comprise key personalities of the Sri Lankan corporate sector where more than 100 senior public sector officials, senior and middle-level managers will also take part.
NCPC Awards 2021 will also be held back-to- back with the 2nd International Conference on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy.
The event is recognised as the pioneer environmental awards programme in Sri Lanka which is reputed for its impartial and comprehensive evaluation process in selecting the winners under different awards categories.
The one-day international conference will have the thematic session in the morning where renowned scholar Dr Rene Van Berkel, Head of UNIDO operations in South Asian Region will make the keynote presentation.
Dr Malini Balakrishnan from The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), India Rajas Badra from Stenum Asia and Dr.Carl Vadenbo, Project Manager from Ecoinvent, will be among other main presenters at the conference.
NCPC was founded by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in 2002, on the request of the government of Sri Lanka.
Gamini Gunasekera, Chairman of NCPC told the media that Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE), as stakeholders will represent the entire industrial export sector at the international conference.
Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that the key strategy adopted by UNIDO and United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) to promote resource efficiency and cleaner production to the developing world was setting up of the National Cleaner production Centres and continuously developing the capacity and technical knowhow of such centres to support national and local governments as well as industries and businesses.
The government of Sri Lanka, particularly the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Environment as the national focal points for UNIDO and UNEP respectively, worked collaboratively to set up one of the centres in Sri Lanka, among the 50 plus centres set up under the Global programme. In this context, this conference and awards ceremony will be highly relevant.”
NCPC also provides many technical services to companies to improve their environmental performance. Those services include cleaner production assessments, energy audits, water audits, chemicals and safety audits, carbon footprint, water footprint etc.
In addition to that, they support industries to develop financial appraisal reports for access of finance for environment-friendly investments.
National Cleaner Production Awards scheme is another tool that NCPC has initiated with the objective of promoting Cleaner Production practices in the country. The body is also working with advanced environmental management tools such as Life Cycle assessment which are new to Sri Lanka.
Under UNIDO-UNEP Global Cleaner Production programme, NCPCs all over the world promote Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production for industries and businesses.
The upcoming event on 19th January 2022 is widely expected to create a positive impact on all stakeholders as they are highly likely to benefit from international knowledge and updates on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy.
Notably, NCPC supports industries to develop financial appraisal reports, empowering them with potential access to finance for green investments.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Eventistry Sports, a trailblazer in innovative sporting events, has unveiled the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL), the nation’s first franchise-based padel tournament, set to debut in June 2025. This groundbreaking league promises to redefine Sri Lanka’s sports landscape by creating a dynamic national platform for athletes while fostering unity among fans, brands, and communities.
The SLPL will showcase six franchise teams, each embodying the spirit of iconic Sri Lankan locales: the Colombo Chargers, Yala Rangers, Hikkaduwa Riders, Ella Hawks, Arugambay Vipers, and Trinco Warriors. These teams will not only ignite regional pride but also unite the country through a shared passion for padel—a fast-paced racquet sport merging tennis and squash, played on enclosed courts.
“The SLPL is more than a league; it’s a movement,” declared Karin Wijeratne, Director of Eventistry Sports. “By blending franchise sports with Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, we’re creating a platform where players gain national recognition, fans rally behind their hometown heroes, and brands engage with communities in meaningful ways.”
The league’s launch on June 21–23, 2025, at Colombo’s Padel House courts (CR&FC) will kick off with three days of high-octane matches, preceded by a star-studded player auction on May 16th at The Vault, Colombo City Centre. Local talent—both professional and intermediate—will be drafted by franchise owners, with international registrations now open to elevate the competition’s global appeal.
Please log in to: www.slpadelleague.com and social media: @SriLankaPadelLeague (Facebook & Instagram) for more information.
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