Business
Top Sri Lankan companies pledge to increase women’s representation in corporate leadership
International Women’s Day
The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in association with the World Federation of Exchanges, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact Network, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of the Australian Government, UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors (SLID) rang the market opening bell for gender equality, in line with the International Women’s Day 2023, for the eighth consecutive year, with several top Sri Lankan Companies, pledging to increase women representation in corporate leadership.
At the event 14 companies signed onto a commitment to boost female representation at the board level and in management to a minimum of 20% by 2025.
The annual global initiative highlights how greater participation of women in the economy can spur sustainable and inclusive growth, shaping a more equal future.
“The Colombo Stock Exchange joined this initiative in 2016, as one of the initial stock exchanges, and we believe this is the platform to convene business leaders, investors, and other key parties at the national level to highlight the growing business and economic case for gender equality, said CSE Chairman Mr. Dilshan Wirasekera delivering the opening remarks.”
“If we look at the progress that the Exchanges have made, specifically with regard to listed companies, we relatively had success; if we look at the numbers way back in 2018, we had 8% of women representation in our boards and that has increased to 10 % today. We have global statistics that show, women representing management in organizations even at board level have contributed for better financial results,” he added.
“The event today is used as a ‘call to action’ for businesses to advance women’s empowerment and gender equality. We wanted to invite initially the 20 S&P companies today to pledge their commitment towards increasing female representation at the board level and in management to a minimum of 20% by 2025.”
The Global Gender Gap Report of 2022 indicates the share of women hired into leadership roles has seen a steady increase, from over 33 percent in 2016 to nearly 37 percent in 2022. However, amid multiple global crises, sparked initially by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are concerns that women’s workforce participation has dropped, risking further backsliding on gender parity. IFC’s commitment to the initiative is part of its strong focus on gender equality, which includes leveraging relationships with financial institutions to expand access to finance for female entrepreneurs and increase the number of women in leadership roles.
“Better gender balance in business leadership is inextricably linked with achieving sustainable, inclusive growth. We know that making even small inroads in closing the gender gap can yield clear and positive results for businesses especially in financial performance and better decision-making processes,” said Sarah Twigg, Manager, Women in Work Program, IFC. “The commitment of the 13 top Sri Lankan companies is a significant step towards accelerating the progress we have made so far. This is also the time that Sri Lanka needs more women corporate and business leaders to help ensure an inclusive and resilient recovery in the country.”
Ms. Lalita Kapur, Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives sharing her valuable insights on the initiative, stated, “The global ‘Ring the Bell’ event helps raise awareness of the essential contribution women make to our economies – and reinforces the undeniable business case for women’s labour force participation. As Sri Lanka navigates significant economic challenges, it is critical now more than ever, that we find new ways to advance gender equality.”
HNB Finance PLC has been honoured with two prestigious accolades at the CMA Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards 2025, reaffirming the company’s commitment to transparency, good governance, and integrated business performance.
At this year’s ceremony, HNB Finance PLC was awarded Second Runner Up – joint in the category of “Best Integrated Report , Finance and Leasing Sector”, and also received a Merit Award in recognition of its continued efforts to enhance reporting quality and strengthen stakeholder communication.
The CMA Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards, organised annually by the Institute of Certified Management Accountants (CMA) of Sri Lanka, acknowledge organisations that demonstrate superior financial reporting standards aligned with global best practices. Winners are assessed on key criteria such as financial performance and strategic management, corporate governance and compliance, innovation and digital transformation, sustainability practices, and professional excellence.
Chaminda Prabhath, Managing Director/CEO of HNB Finance PLC, commented on the recognition, “These awards reaffirm our commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrated reporting and transparent financial disclosure. At HNB Finance, we remain focused on delivering sustainable long-term value through robust governance frameworks, prudent financial management, and continuous innovation. The acknowledgement by CMA Sri Lanka reflects the disciplined efforts of our teams across the organization and motivates us to further enhance our reporting quality, strengthen ESG integration, and reinforce our stakeholder centric approach.”
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to advancing women’s empowerment and financial inclusion, by partnering with the National Credit Guarantee Institution Limited (NCGIL) as a Participating Shareholder Institution (PSI) in the newly introduced ‘Liya Shakthi’ credit guarantee scheme, designed to support women-led enterprises across Sri Lanka.
The operational launch of the scheme was marked by the handover of the first loan registration at Commercial Bank’s Head Office recently, symbolising a key step in broadening access to finance for women entrepreneurs.
Representing Commercial Bank at the event were Mithila Shyamini, Assistant General Manager – Personal Banking, Malika De Silva, Senior Manager – Development Credit Department, and Chathura Dilshan, Executive Officer of the Department. The National Credit Guarantee Institution was represented by Jude Fernando, Chief Executive Officer, and Eranjana Chandradasa, Manager-Guarantee Administration.
‘Liya Shakthi’ is a credit guarantee product introduced by the NCGIL to facilitate greater access to financing for women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that possess viable business models and sound repayment capacity but lack adequate collateral to secure traditional bank loans. Through NCGIL’s credit guarantee mechanism, Commercial Bank will be able to extend credit to a wider segment of women entrepreneurs, furthering its mission to drive inclusive economic growth.
Business
Prima Group Sri Lanka supports national flood relief efforts with over Rs. 300 Mn in dry rations
Prima Group Sri Lanka has pledged assistance valued at over Rs. 300 million, providing essential Prima food products to support communities affected by the recent floods across the island. This relief initiative is being coordinated through the Ministry of Defence to ensure the timely and effective distribution of aid to impacted families.
As part of this commitment, Prima Group Sri Lanka donated a significant stock of Prima dry rations to the Government of Sri Lanka on 30 November. The consignment will be distributed across multiple severely impacted districts. These supplies will support families facing disruptions to daily life, ensuring they receive assistance as recovery efforts continue.
The handover took place at the Ministry, where the donation was received by the Secretary of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha. Representing Prima Group Sri Lanka, Sajith Gunaratne – General Manager of Ceylon Agro Industries Limited, and Sanjeeva Perera – General Manager of Ceylon Grain Elevators PLC, officially presented the donation.
Prima Group has been standing with the people of Sri Lanka for over 40 years, and this donation reflects its broader commitment to the nation during challenging times. As relief operations continue across the island, the company remains focused on helping families rebuild their lives and supporting the ongoing recovery process in collaboration with the Government Authorities.
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