Business
Satynmag AICPA&CIMA Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2023 launched with a Paper presented on women in the Sri Lankan workplace
Sri Lanka’s sole gender focused awards that measure the status of women in the Sri Lankan workplace, Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2023 edition, jointly presented by Satynmag.com and AICPA&CIMA, was launched formally on 01st March 2023.
The launch was marked with the presentation of a Paper on Good Practices for Women that sheds light on the Status of Women in the Sri Lankan Workplace. The Paper highlights the current level of recognition for women in the Sri Lankan work environment. Information gained through interactions with over 30 companies who employ a considerable female workforce, undertaken throughout the Awards process in 2022, was used to compile the first ever such report on the status of women in the Sri Lankan work place.
The Paper was presented by Prof. Arosha Adikaram, Chair of the Human Resources Department University of Colombo. Prof Adikaram is also the Head of the Panel of Judges of the Satynmag AICPA&CIMA Women Friendly Workplace Awards.
Satynmag AICPA&CIMA Women Friendly Workplace Awards commenced in 2021 and has been successfully recognized as the country’s only awards measuring the wellbeing and progress of women in the work environment. This is a key metric for Sri Lanka in keeping with UN SDG 05 of ensuring gender equality as a country. With over 25 leading companies taking part in the first round, last year saw even a bigger number of companies including multinationals taking part.
In her presentation of the Paper, Prof. Adikaram states that the Awards empower a process of achieving equality and equity which will result in a process of social, economic and business development. Given the fact that IWD 2023 theme is focused on Embracing Equity, this makes the proposition for women in the Sri Lankan workplace even more powerful.
“While women consist of over 52% of the population, we see a drastic decrease in the women participation in the workforce. They face numerous challenges in managing life events such as pregnancy, raising a family and child care; which calls for additional support to be made available when needed, so that the employment gap for women can be addressed,” she adds.
“We were able to gain insights into Good Practices of many organizations that have chosen to extend a high level of support to the women on their teams which is commendable indeed.”
Among the women focused initiatives that were considered exceptional and hailed as innovations, were those encouraging women to take up traditionally male dominated areas such as engineering, domestic violence support mechanism, anti-sexual harassment policies, anti-harassment and bullying policies, zero tolerance policy for harassment, whistle blowing policy, grievance handling, ensuring safe and secure employment, diversity, equality and inclusion policies (DE&I Policy), speak up policy, flexi work policies, code of ethics, human rights policy and back to work support policy.
Additionally, encouraging more women to apply for positions, supporting women to aspire to senior positions, providing adequate maternity leave and flexi hours during early motherhood and creating a supportive and encouraging workplace culture were recognized as measures that assured women employees of support provided at work.
Also associated with the launch were Nayomini R Weerasooriya, Founder Editor of www.satynmag.com, Zahara Ansary, Country Manager, AICPA&CIMA in Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar HR Professional & Beshan Kulapala tech entrepreneur, representing the Board of Judges – 2023 Awards.
Business
SIA warns of 1,000 SME collapses, urges fair policies to protect Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector
By Sanath Nanayakkare
The Solar Industries Association (SIA), representing over 1,000 companies and employing 40,000 workers in Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector, issued a stern warning recently regarding threats to the industry’s survival and the nation’s renewable energy ambitions. The association condemned recent regulatory instability and called for urgent policy reforms to avert economic and social crises.
The SIA categorically rejected the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) claim that rooftop solar installations caused the recent island-wide power outage, calling the accusation “baseless and misleading.”
“Public trust is eroded when accountability is misdirected,” the SIA stated. “We demand an independent, transparent investigation led by experts appointed by the Ministry or the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL). The CEB’s unilateral statements disregard the sector’s contributions and jeopardize Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition,” they said.
“While acknowledging the formation of a tariff determination committee, the SIA criticized its narrow focus on financial parameters, ignoring the sector’s socioeconomic value. Rooftop solar empowers businesses and households with energy independence, reduces grid strain, and supports climate goals. However, proposed volatile tariff structures risk destabilizing over 100,000 installations—primarily owned by middle-class families—and deter future investment,” they noted.
“A rigid, equation-based tariff system is unsustainable,” the association warned. “Sri Lanka needs a stable policy framework to attract long-term investments. For instance, retirees could invest EPF savings into solar projects, securing income while advancing national energy targets. Without urgent action, 1,000 SMEs and 40,000 jobs face collapse, with dire consequences for employment, energy security, and economic stability,” they pointed out.
SIA urged policymakers to establish an independent committee to investigate the power outage fairly, expand the tariff committee’s mandate to include socioeconomic and environmental benefits and implement predictable policies to safeguard SMEs, households, and investor confidence.
“Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads,” the SIA emphasized. “Protecting rooftop solar isn’t just about energy—it’s about livelihoods, economic resilience, and a sustainable future. We urge stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that prioritize both people and progress,: they emphasized.
Starting its promotional work for 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) added another feather into its cap of endorsements, by being recognized as the most innovative Tourism Board promotion in Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) . In parallel to that, several other sub events were held. The OTM was held in Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai—India, from 30th January to 01st February 2025.Before OTM, the Global Village – Global Exchange & Trade Exhibition was held at the Surat International Exhibition & Convention Centre , Sarsana, Surat (Gujarat – India , from 25th to 27th January 2025. This travel fair was organized by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
Sri Lanka participated in both OTM and South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE), held from 19th – 21st Feb 2025, in New Delhi, India . This was an excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka to promote it’s potential as a unique travel destination, especially for the Indian counterparts, as SLTPB has identified India as the number one source market for Sri Lanka, tourism bringing the largest number of tourist arrivals to the destination.
SLT-MOBITEL has entered into a strategic partnership with Rush Lanka Group to provide exclusive SLT-MOBITEL Fibre connectivity solutions to their portfolio of luxury apartment developments in Colombo and the suburbs, enhancing the digital experience of all residents.
The agreement was signed between Imantha Wijekoon, Chief Business Officer of Consumer Business at SLT, and Zaid Ariff, Director of Construction at the Rush Group headquarters. Representatives from both companies also attended the ceremony.
Under the partnership, SLT-MOBITEL will serve as the exclusive digital service provider for five prestigious Rush Lanka developments including Street Rush Residencies and Rush Court 4 in Mt. Lavinia, Rush Tower 2, Rush Metropolis in Dehiwala, and Rush Court 5 in Colombo 14. The collaboration ensures residents will enjoy superior fibre connectivity speeds, enabling seamless digital experiences in modern smart homes. The partnership with the Rush Lanka Group aligns with SLT-MOBITEL’s commitment to offer ultra-fast, reliable connectivity solutions to residential developments. Delivering exclusive fibre connectivity to luxury apartments, SLT-MOBITEL ensures residents have access to world-class digital services that complement the living experience promised by Rush Lanka Group.
Powered by advanced fibre technology, SLT-MOBITEL network will provide the residences with seamless performance across digital activities. The SLT-MOBITEL Fibre backbone ensures lag-free experiences whether tenants are gaming online, attending virtual classes, working remotely, or streaming high-definition entertainment. SLT-MOBITEL Fibre will transform the lifestyles of all apartment users bringing greater convenience and superior quality of life.
Rush Lanka Group, established in 1992, is a property developer specializing in luxury and semi-luxury apartments.
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