Business

Seylan Bank among Top Ten in Sri Lanka’s first ever ‘Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2021’

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/24

Jayantha Amarasinghe, Deputy General Manager, Human Resource and Sharon Fonseka, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Credit at Seylan Bank PLC receiving the ‘Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2021’.

Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, was recently honoured at Sri Lanka’s first ever Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2021 (WFWP), pioneered jointly by the Satyn Magazine and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Sri Lanka. Seylan Bank was named one of the Top Ten Places to Work for Women at the award ceremony that took place on 2nd November, 2021, at the Cinnamon Grand. The bank was assessed based on how supportive and empowering they were to women at work.

The WFWP Awards are widely recognized as strengthening women’s roles in the workplace in Sri Lanka and reinforcing Sri Lanka’s commitment to the United Nations SDG 05, which targets gender equality and opportunity.

“We are really grateful for the opportunity provided by Satyn Magazine and CIMA to showcase our commitment to equality. Seylan Bank has always pushed for equal opportunities and a diverse workforce. We are happy that 46 percent of the employee base at Seylan are women and many board committees within the organization are led by female Directors. 20 percent of the company’s Senior Management and 34 percent of the management team is made up of women. 20 percent of the entire employee cadre at Seylan is managed and led by women. Seylan has been a safe and welcoming environment for women to work, and the company has provided equal opportunities for women to advance in their careers. Seylan is also actively working on ensuring more female representation at the Bank in the future”, stated Amanthi Motha, Chief Manager Human Resources at Seylan Bank PLC.

The pandemic did have an impact on Seylan Bank’s operations, but this has not discouraged the organization from investing in workplace policies and programmes that encourage women’s progress at all levels and in all business sectors. The Bank promotes and supports women in achieving their professional goals. It has encouraged women’s empowerment because it realizes that the variety and talent of its staff provides value to consumers and shareholders. The organization believes in encouraging them to join higher-level teams, ensuring that women are adequately represented in future leadership roles.

“Employee diversity within a company is crucial for human capital stability, which is why we are committed to fostering gender equality and equal opportunities at work. We believe that the future workforce will be equal, and the organization has set ambitious targets to achieve gender equality sooner rather than later. By making this pledge, we will be able to enhance our female employee retention rate, resulting in improved growth and sustainability for the economy as a whole”, added Sharon Fonseka, Assistant General Manager, Corporate Credit at Seylan Bank PLC.

The Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2021 were judged by a distinguished panel of judges including corporate leader Ravi Abeysuriya, FCMA CGMA, ; Manohari Abeysekera FCMA CGMA – Council Member for South Asia, CIMA – UK; Dumindra Ratnayaka, Chairman of Suvaseriya; Prof. Arosha Adikaram, Head of HR Department University of Colombo; Jeevan Thyagarajah, Governor of the Northern Province; Zahara Ansary, FCMA, CGMA, Country Manager – CIMA and Nayomini R Weerasooriya – Founder/Editor of Satyn Magazine

Seylan Bank, the Bank with a Heart, operates with a vision to offer the ultimate banking experience to its valued customers through cutting-edge technology, innovative products, and best-in-class services. The Bank has a growing clientele of SMEs, Retail and Corporate Customers, and has expanded its footprint with 172 branches, 70 Cash Deposit Machines, 86 Cheque Deposit Machines and an ATM network of 216 units across the country. Seylan Bank has been endorsed as a financially stable organization with performance excellence across the board by Fitch Ratings, with the bank’s national long-term rating revised to ‘A’ (lka). The bank was ranked second among public listed companies for transparency in corporate reporting by Transparency Global and is now part of the S&P Dow Jones SL 20 Index. These achievements are a testament to Seylan Bank’s financial stability and unwavering dedication to ensuring excellence across all aspects.

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Business

PM ‘Rings the Bell’ at CSE to champion financial literacy and investor education

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

P.M. Dr.Harini Amarasuriya

As part of World Investor Week (WIW) 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) joined stock exchanges around the world in ringing the market opening bell for financial literacy on 5 October 2026, under the patronage of Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

World Investor Week is an annual global campaign led by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and investor protection. The “Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy” initiative, pioneered by the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE), brings together stock exchanges and other stakeholders worldwide to promote greater financial literacy and encourage individuals to make informed financial decisions.

The ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the CSE and the joint launch by the SEC and the CSE of the Stock Market Game, an online stock market simulation based on the ATrad trading system.

The Stock Market Game enables participants to gain practical experience of how the stock market works, make investment decisions and construct portfolios of listed shares without using real money. The platform is accessible through the websites of the SEC and CSE and is expected to serve as an important practical tool for promoting financial education. It is envisaged that the Stock Market Game will also be used to conduct simulation competitions among universities and the 100 Capital Market Clubs established in schools across the country.

The ceremony also featured the commemorative issuance of a stamp and First Day Cover to mark the 40th anniversary of the CSE. Issued in collaboration with the Department of Posts and the Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka, the commemorative stamp and First Day Cover were presented to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, by the SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara and Ray Abeywardena, Director CSE and Chairman of Central Depository Systems (CDS).

Welcoming the gathering, Rajeeva Bandaranaike, Chief Executive Officer of the CSE, highlighted the importance of obtaining reliable information when making investment decisions.

“We operate in a digital world where a vast amount of information and data is disseminated through social media. While some of this information is factual, some may be inaccurate or misleading. When investing in the stock market, it is essential to make informed and prudent investment decisions. Therefore, investors should obtain information and data from reliable and responsible sources and persons before making investment decisions.”

Addressing the gathering, SEC Chairman Snr. Prof. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara emphasised that the SEC’s role extends beyond regulation to facilitating the further development of the capital market.

“The SEC needs to determine how best to introduce the stock market to Generation Alpha, Generation Beta and generations beyond. When it comes to investors, we need to build confidence in the market, because people will invest only when they have confidence in the market.’’

Business

Rs. 5 million worth of prizes to be given at 8th edition of CSE Masterminds Quiz Competition

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has announced that the eighth edition of the CSE Masterminds Quiz will be held on 9th October 2026, from 3.00 p.m. onwards, at the Main Ballroom, Shangri-La Colombo.

Recognised as Sri Lanka’s premier capital market quiz competition, CSE Masterminds brings together teams from the public and private sectors. Participants will be tested across international business, global markets, current affairs, the Sri Lankan economy and business, the Sri Lankan stock market, and sports and entertainment, before a concluding rapid-fire round.

This year the winning team can win up to Rs. 2,000,000, the runners-up up to Rs. 1,000,000, and the second runners-up Rs. 750,000. Sector awards will also be presented to the highest-performing team from each participating sector. Guest participants will also be able to compete in rounds of Audience questions, and will have the opportunity to participate a raffle draw for three free return tickets provided by Fits Aviation (Pvt) Ltd.

The evening will also include an exclusive after-party with live music provided by the band ‘Doctor’ featuring guest performer Umara Sinhawansa, fine food and beverages, providing an opportunity for networking and celebration. Every participant will receive a premium goodie bag made possible by the support of the event’s sponsorship partners. Collectively, the event will feature over Rs. 5 million worth of prizes, rewards, and giveaways, encompassing championship prizes, sector awards, audience engagement prizes, raffle draw offerings, and goodie bags.

Sponsorship partners include:

Platinum Sponsors: Hatton National Bank PLC and Bartleet Religare Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Gold Sponsors: Ex-Pack Corrugated Cartons PLC, Asha Securities Ltd., and Lanka Securities (Pvt) Ltd.

Silver Sponsors: Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., Capital Trust Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., LOLC Holdings PLC, Arpico Ataraxia Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., IronOne Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., and LankaPay (Pvt) Ltd.

Co-Sponsors: Access Engineering PLC, Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, CryptoGen (Pvt) Ltd., Deloitte Lanka (Private) Limited, Dialog Finance PLC, Efutures (Pvt) Ltd., People’s Leasing & Finance PLC, Senfin Asset Management (Pvt) Ltd., and Softlogic Stockbrokers (Pvt) Ltd.

Business

NCCSL to conduct practical workshop on food labelling and advertising regulations in Sri Lanka

Published

20 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

The National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is organizing a one-day practical workshop on “Food Labelling & Advertising Regulations in Sri Lanka” on Thursday, 8th October 2026 from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. at the National Chamber of Commerce, Colombo 10. The workshop has been organised to provide a practical understanding of the latest regulatory requirements governing the food products labelling and advertising of food products in Sri Lanka, with particular attention to regulatory developments applicable in 2026, compliance requirements, and the potential legal and financial implications of non-compliance.

As food products increasingly compete not only with quality and price but also on packaging, labelling and promotional claims, businesses must ensure the information they communicate to consumers is accurate, transparent and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. Understanding these requirements is therefore essential for businesses seeking to protect their brands, maintain consumer confidence, and minimize regulatory and legal risks.

The practical workshop will go beyond an overview of regulations and focus on how businesses can apply regulatory requirements in their day-to-day operations. Participants will be guided through key areas of food regulatory compliance, including the national food regulatory framework, recent food labelling regulations and key changes, mandatory approvals and prohibitions relating to food labelling, and the litigation process associated with regulatory violations. The programme will also cover several areas of growing importance to the food industry, including the EU EMPCO Directive, food colour coding regulations, regulations relating to food trans-fatty acids and the importance of compliance in the use of food additives. Practical exercises will further enable participants to apply their knowledge to real-world compliance situations and strengthen their ability to identify potential regulatory concerns.

For further information and registration, please contact the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka on 011 4741788 – Nethmi or Udula – 071 403 4775.