Sustainability, ESG & Corporate Responsibility
View all(61)📈 Sri Lanka’s Falling Female Labour Participation Highlighted in Care Economy Call
• Labour Participation Deficit: Female labour force participation in Sri Lanka dropped from over 45% in 1990 to ~30% today, reversing decades of economic progress. • Unpaid Care Burden: Department of Census and Statistics data shows 56% of non-participating women cite domestic/care responsibilities (vs. 5% of men). Women carry 86% of all unpaid care work in Sri Lanka, spending 4 extra hours daily on domestic tasks and 1 extra hour on direct care compared to men. • Corporate Sector Impact: Support infrastructure directly improves performance. Workplace interventions by major employers in apparel & textiles, such as MAS Holdings, showed that introducing crèche facilities reduced factory floor absenteeism by ~9%. • Systemic & Cultural Barriers: Infrastructure like daycares and backup care eases immediate pressure, but societal expectations and stigma around institutional care continue to limit women's career trajectories, promotions, and economic independence. • Policy & Action Needed: Aligning with ILO’s 2024 Decent Work and Care Economy framework, experts advocate for a structured care economy—combining public infrastructure, corporate care policies, and flexible arrangements for both men and women.
🌿 Hayleys Plantations Partners with UNDP BIOFIN to Pioneer Ecosystem Financing
Hayleys Plantations has partnered with UNDP BIOFIN to advance Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) mechanisms across its plantation sector landscapes, rewarding long-term investments in water resources, biodiversity, carbon storage, and soil conservation. • Estate-Level Initiatives: • Horana Plantations PLC (Bambarakelly Estate): Focuses on watershed conservation, protecting critical catchments, enhancing biodiversity, and integrating renewable energy. • Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC: - Great Western Estate: Prioritizes watershed conservation to ensure long-term water security. - Wattagoda Estate: Partners with the Pekoe Trail Organisation on Sri Lanka’s first tourism-led PES initiative, linking sustainable tourism with biodiversity restoration. • Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (Halgolla Estate): Developing a replicable PES model centered on regenerative agriculture and landscape restoration. • Strategic Context: • The collaboration establishes scalable, nature-based financing frameworks within commercial landscapes, integrating sustainability into Sri Lanka’s tea and agricultural production to strengthen both ecological resilience and long-term economic value.
Citi Sri Lanka Transforms Mawela Kanishta Vidyalaya in Wadduwa 📈
• Initiative Overview: Citi Sri Lanka partnered with ChildFund Sri Lanka for its flagship annual volunteer program, Citi Global Community Day 2026, targeting infrastructure and environment upgrades at Mawela Kanishta Vidyalaya in Wadduwa. • Key Upgrades & Impact: • Donated a clean water system for students. • Restored classrooms with fresh paint and wall murals. • Repaired sanitary facilities and executed greening initiatives. • Organized a friendly cricket match between volunteers and students to foster community connections. • Corporate Social Responsibility: The initiative supports human capital development by building safe learning environments, aligning with long-term banking & financial services sector CSR commitments to strengthen local communities.
🌸 Siddhalepa Rebuilds Kirivehera Flower Stall Complex in Kataragama
• Project Overview: Siddhalepa Group reconstructed and handed over the flower stall complex along the historic access road to Kataragama Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya. • Heritage & Vision: The initiative honors the legacy of late Founder Dr. Victor Hettigoda, who established the original complex in the 1980s. • Socio-Economic Impact: The project supports women's economic empowerment and self-employment, providing stable incomes for local families in the ayurveda & wellness and local retail ecosystem. • Collaborators: Built with assistance from the Sri Lanka Navy and planned alongside the National Physical Planning Department.
Super El Niño 2026-2027: Sri Lanka Faces Dual Threat of Drought & Flash Floods 📉
• Climate Indicators & Status: Pacific sea surface temperatures reached +1.7°C in mid-June 2026, confirming a strong El Niño. The CPC indicates a 97% probability of it persisting into early 2027. Current warming is stronger than early phases of the 1997 and 2015 events. • Indian Ocean Counter-Drivers: • Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): ~60% probability of a positive IOD developing by late 2026, which may offset El Niño drying by boosting Second Inter-Monsoon (Oct–Nov) rainfall. • Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO): Currently weak and unlikely to impact weather in the coming months. • Agricultural & Hydropower Risks: • Drier conditions threaten the Northeast Monsoon (Dec–Feb), a critical water source for paddy cultivation and reservoir levels in the Dry Zone. • Positive IOD could cause intense downpours with longer dry spells, risking flash floods/landslides without filling water capacity evenly. • Late IOD onset increases exposure to severe dry spells, impacting tea, paddy/rice cultivation, irrigation, and hydropower generation. • Outlook: Key developments from August–September 2026 will determine whether Sri Lanka faces severe dry spells or localized floods. Stakeholders are advised to prepare for both scenarios.
Rotary International Vice President Visits Sri Lanka for Landmark South Asian Summit 📈
• Event Highlight: Rotary International VP Muruganandam M. (“MMM”) visited Sri Lanka to discuss hosting the upcoming Rotary Institute, returning to the island after a 21-year gap. • Economic & Tourism Impact: The event is expected to host over 1,000 regional delegates across South Asia (Zones 4, 5, 6, and 7: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka), providing a boost to local hospitality & MICE tourism. • Key Leadership: Chaired by Gowri Rajan, Sri Lanka's first female Rotary Governor, the forum will serve as a hub for strategic planning, leadership, and regional humanitarian projects.
📸 Dilmah Conservation Hosts 2nd 'One Earth' Photography Exhibition in Colombo
• Event Overview: Dilmah Conservation will host the public exhibition of its 2nd Annual One Earth Photography Competition tomorrow (25 July) from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Genesis: Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future, Colombo 10. • Exhibition Scope: Displays 60 expert-selected works chosen from entries focused on urban biodiversity, domestic landscapes, and human-nature interaction. • Core Themes: Features shortlisted submissions under three key categories: 'Life in a Changing World,' 'Biodiversity in Your Backyard,' and 'Conservation in Action.' • Corporate Sustainability Context: Highlights ongoing sustainability initiatives by Dilmah to promote environmental awareness, urban biodiversity conservation, and public reflection on practical co-existence with nature.
🌍 Climate Justice Starts with Gender Justice: Lessons from Sri Lanka & Eswatini
A joint initiative by Commonwealth Climate Finance Advisers highlights the necessity of integrating gender-responsive strategies into national climate policies to drive measurable impact. • Sri Lanka Focus: - Integrating gender equality & social inclusion into national climate planning at national and sub-national levels. - key policy drivers include Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), the reviewed National Adaptation Plan, and the National Policy on Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (2023). - Addresses specific coastal vulnerabilities through targeted social action plans. • Eswatini Focus: - Embedding gender-responsive budgeting directly into NDC 3.0 commitments. - Enhancing climate finance access for women farmers and entrepreneurs via the Gender Inclusive Finance Roadmap. - Focuses on decision-making representation, agriculture, and water-related challenges. • Commonwealth Support Mechanisms: - Supported by the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH) and the Collaborative Network on Gender-Responsive Climate Action. - Aims to build institutional capacity, help vulnerable nations access international climate finance, and ensure climate action remains inclusive by design.
📈 HNB Urges Sustainable Banking Core Strategy to Build Climate Resilience
• Climate Risk & Economic Impact: Sri Lanka produces <0.1% of global GHG emissions but faces severe climate shocks. Cyclone Ditwah affected >2.1M people with US$ 4.1 Bn in estimated damages, with a Super El Niño forecasted to further impact livelihoods. • Strategic Shift in Banking: Sustainability is transitioning from a peripheral exercise to a core strategic mandate in banking. Sector efforts are guided by CBSL’s Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2.0, Green Finance Taxonomy, and the SLSBI. • HNB Financial Initiatives: - Issued a Rs. 10 Bn Sustainability Bond targeting green and social priorities. - Implemented a complete exclusion policy on coal financing. - Expanded green lending aligned with national regulatory taxonomies. • Key Sector Impact: - MSMEs: Driving financial inclusion and capacity building, particularly for women-led enterprises to scale into sustainable supply chains. - Agriculture: Supporting climate-resilient farming techniques through dedicated initiatives like the Saru Sara program. • Key Priorities: Needs center on improving decision-useful climate data, financing low-carbon industry transitions, and assisting local exporters to meet rising global compliance standards.
🌱 Global Shift Toward Sustainable Economies Driven by Capital and Regulation
Despite recent political backlash, a fundamental global transition toward clean energy, digital traceability, and carbon accounting is accelerating—shaping future international trade and industrial competitiveness. • Global Market Dynamics: • Net-zero capital pools, pension funds, and development-finance institutions are systematically repricing assets, favoring companies with credible carbon-reduction strategies with lower borrowing costs. • China currently leads clean tech production, manufacturing ~80% of global solar panels alongside dominating battery, green hydrogen, and EV supply chains. • Regulatory Standards & Supply Chains: • Western and Asian economies are adopting standardized frameworks like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) disclosures and Digital Product Passports. • Energy security and supply chain resilience (shorter supply chains, circular materials) are now key drivers for national security and economic sovereignty. • Strategic Context for Export Markets: • Strict European standards (CSRD, Green Deal) act as standard-setters. Emerging export-driven economies must build digital carbon accounting capabilities to remain compliant and secure institutional capital. • Interoperable global trade frameworks will reward businesses integrating sustainability into core commercial strategy over mere regulatory compliance.
📈 CA Sri Lanka Drives ESG & Sustainability Reporting for National Resilience
• Core Leadership & Purpose: CA Sri Lanka President Mr. Tishan Subasinghe highlighted that sustainability reporting (ESG and SLFRS S1 & S2) goes beyond "going green"—it directly aligns financial health with long-term business resilience, risk management, and value creation. • Role of the Accountancy Profession: The accountancy profession plays a vital role in measuring and providing reliable, credible sustainability data to bridge the gap between financial performance, climate risks, and long-term economic strategy. • Capacity Building & Qualifications: CA Sri Lanka introduced the Certified Sustainability Reporting & Strategy Advisor (CSRSA) qualification, alongside the Preparers’ Guide to SLFRS S1 & S2, to equip local professionals with global expertise and maintain Sri Lanka's competitiveness in international markets. • Impact on Business & Supply Chains: • SMEs: Encouraged to start with resource and energy efficiency to cut costs, build resilience, and remain competitive as global supply chain partners. • Corporate Sector: Measuring emissions and resource efficiency enhances operational transparency, attracts investment, and mitigates climate-related risks.
📈 First Capital Sets Global Benchmark for Sustainable Finance in Sri Lanka
First Capital Holdings PLC, a subsidiary of JXG (Janashakthi Group), is leading ESG integration and governance across Sri Lanka's capital markets ecosystem following landmark achievements in FY2025/26. • Global Affiliations & Firsts: • First investment institution globally to receive the Sustainability Standards & Certification Initiative (SSCI) Certificate of Acceptance. • First Sri Lankan investment firm to join the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEP), and Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF). • First local corporate entity to join the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) via First Capital Asset Management. • Governance & Climate Strategy: • Prepared Board and management for compliance with upcoming SLFRS S1 and SLFRS S2 financial disclosures. • Embedded sustainability-related KPIs directly into employee performance and remuneration. • Verified carbon footprint and operationalized PCAF frameworks to measure financed emissions across portfolios. • Social Impact & Financial Inclusion: • Reached 1,000+ university students via the investED financial literacy outreach. • Promoted gender inclusion and financial independence through the FinPowerHer initiative (awarded for "Higher Representation of Women on the Board"). • Committed Rs. 15 million to the Rebuild Sri Lanka Fund alongside SME/startup advisory via First Capital Startup Nation. • Achieved a 90% employee satisfaction rating on the Great Place to Work® Trust Index.