Mental Cost of Living: Unfiltered Reality vs. Online Illusion 🤳🧠
• Constant comparison to curated, 'perfect' lives on social media (often filtered and edited) creates an invisible pressure to "perform happiness" and leads to self-judgment. • This feeling of inadequacy extends to public figures (CEOs, entrepreneurs), whose private struggles (e.g., burnout, family issues, mental health battles) are unseen behind the successful brand and glamorous lifestyle. • Psychologically, perpetual comparison activates the inner critic, fueling dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. • Research shows frequent comparers are more prone to envy and resentment, stuck in a loop of "chasing but never arriving." • Key Takeaway: The article stresses that true self-worth comes from effort and sincerity, not applause or validation. Mental health is about building an authentic relationship with the true self, choosing peace over performance, and honesty over perfection. • Success has no universal timeline; value lies in how one shows up quietly, honestly, and courageously even when no one is watching.
🇱🇰 SACEP Opens Sustainable Regional HQ in Colombo, Backed by World Bank 📈
• The South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP) inaugurated its new regional headquarters in Colombo 05, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s role as the host and a strong advocate for the green economy and regional environmental collaboration. • The modern 1,610 sqm facility, funded partly by The World Bank under the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) Project, adheres to LEED gold certification standards for sustainability. • The building features solar panels that generate 20% of its total energy needs, alongside state-of-the-art meeting spaces for regional dialogue. • Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the Chief Guest, highlighted the urgency of a collaborative, unified response to escalating environmental crises, especially plastic waste, marine litter, and pollution in the region. • SACEP unites 8 member nations (including India, Pakistan, Maldives) to collectively address critical issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste management, and transboundary pollution. The new permanent base aims to strengthen environmental stewardship across South Asia.
📈 UNDP Urges SL to Unlock US$ 10+ Bn Private Finance for Climate Goals
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called on the Government to swiftly transition its climate ambitions into action by mobilising large-scale financing and strengthening public-private coordination, following the launch of the National Climate Finance Strategy. • Sri Lanka’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) reflect a higher level of ambition for emission reduction and adaptation efforts. • Financing Need: Mitigation efforts alone are estimated to require over US$ 10 Billion for the 2021-2030 period. The actual requirement is significantly higher due to new targets. • Risk of Inaction: The cost of inaction would be "unimaginable," especially for key economic sectors dependent on natural resources, such as agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. • The new Climate Finance Strategy provides a framework to align resources and signal investor readiness, integrating climate finance with wider development goals like jobs and resilience. • Stronger private sector participation is essential through regulatory reform and de-risking mechanisms. This follows a global trend where private climate finance exceeded US$ 1 Trillion in 2023, outpacing public investment. • Institutional coordination is critical, described as a "motherboard," to ensure aligned efforts, reduce duplication, and effectively attract necessary investment.
📈 SL Targets US$ 11.26 Bn via Green & Blue Bonds by 2030
• Sri Lanka plans to raise US$ 11.26 Bn through Sovereign Green and Blue Bonds by 2030, outlined in the National Climate Finance Strategy (NCFS) 2025-2030. • The goal is to finance climate-related projects and renewable energy expansion, supporting the country's 2050 carbon net-zero commitment. • The Finance Ministry has already drafted the framework, which has been reviewed by an international rating agency and will align with the IFC’s Green Bond Principles and global sustainable finance standards. • Investment will target crucial sectors including energy, water, agriculture, waste management, and biodiversity protection. • The Ministry is also exploring a Sustainability-Linked Bond Framework to strengthen investor trust and increase transparency on fund allocation and environmental outcomes. • Successful implementation is expected to enhance Sri Lanka’s sovereign credit profile, attract climate-focused international investment, and position the nation as a regional leader in sustainable finance.
Hayleys Plantations Accelerates Global Regen Agri Leadership 📈
• Key Partnership: Hayleys Plantations (KVPL, TTE PLC, HPL) signed a landmark MoU with Solidaridad Network Asia and its Sri Lankan partner Nucleus Foundation to advance regenerative agriculture and carbon insetting programmes. • Global Precedent: This initiative reinforces Sri Lanka's leading position, following KVPL’s Halgolla Estate becoming the world’s first tea estate to receive Regenagri® certification in 2024. • Strategic Expansion: All three companies will expand Regenagri® protocols across more estates, focusing on restoring soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and improving traceability. • Carbon Markets Access: The partnership will deploy carbon insetting programmes to generate verified Carbon Removal Units (CRUs), enabling access to global carbon markets. • Compliance & Positioning: These initiatives support data-led decision-making and ensure alignment with emerging global sustainability regulations, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and CSDDD, strengthening Sri Lanka’s standing as a sustainable sourcing destination for tea.
Mahindra Ideal Finance Targets US$ 13 Bn Credit Gap for Micro-Entrepreneurs 📈
• Mahindra Ideal Finance Ltd. (MIFL) is strengthening financial inclusion by providing tailored leasing and loan products to Sri Lanka’s underserved micro-entrepreneurs and self-employed workers. • The credit gap for the MSME and "earn and pay" customer segment, who often lack traditional financial documentation (payslips, fixed assets, CRIB history), stands at over US$ 13 Billion. • MIFL focuses specifically on individuals dependent on vehicles (three-wheelers, small trucks, motorbikes) for their income, adapting their products to be "serviceable by their earning patterns." • The three-wheeler sector alone involves over 1 million registered vehicles and supports an estimated 760,000 households and 2.8 million people. Data shows 98% of these drivers actively save through formal banks, yet access to credit remains limited. • The financing model aligns repayment cycles with daily cash flows, making vehicle ownership more accessible and providing a path toward long-term income retention and asset building.
🇱🇰 NCPC Sri Lanka Leads National Climate Accountability as Top GHG Verification Body 📈
• The National Cleaner Production Centre, Sri Lanka (NCPC) is now the country's leading Greenhouse Gas (GHG) verification body, ensuring organizations' GHG inventories meet global standards (ISO 14064-3:2019). • NCPC’s credibility is backed by formal SLAB accreditation (ISO 17029/14065) and recognition under the International Accreditation Forum’s Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (IAF-MLA). • Verification services cover diverse sectors including manufacturing, plantations, healthcare, hospitality, and transportation, helping businesses build trust and align with global climate goals. • Beyond organizational verification, the Centre offers specialized services for: • Project-Level Emissions/Removals (creating verified carbon credits). • Product Carbon Footprints. • Carbon Neutrality Claims (ISO 14068-1:2023). • NCPC is actively building capacity, supporting listed companies to adhere to the new Sri Lanka Financial Reporting Standard (SLFRS) S2 on sustainability disclosures and training climate professionals. • The Centre plays a vital national role, acting as the key technical service provider for Sri Lanka’s First Biennial Transparency Report (BTR1) to the UNFCCC in 2024 and the upcoming BTR2 in 2026.
🤝 Sri Lanka's Ecolabel Signs Tripartite Green Label MRA for Cement
• Ecolabel Sri Lanka (ELS) has signed a landmark Tripartite Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) and the Thai Green Label. • The agreement focuses on Harmonized Green Label Criteria for Cement Products, marking a significant step toward promoting sustainable construction in the Asia-Pacific region. • Signed on October 15, 2025, the MRA enables mutual recognition of certified cement products, ensuring consistent environmental performance standards. • Key Impact: The collaboration aims to enhance regional trade, reduce duplication in certification processes, and improve market access for environmentally preferable products. • This initiative positions Sri Lanka as an active contributor to regional sustainability leadership and advancing green markets.
Softlogic Life Redefines Corporate Reporting with AI-Powered Annual Report 🚀
• Softlogic Life has launched its 2024 Annual Report, "CHANGE MAKER," integrating cutting-edge AI features to transform traditional corporate reporting into a dynamic and interactive experience. • Key Innovations: New features include Customised AI Report access, which tailors content by language, length, and style for personalised stakeholder viewing. It also introduces gamification via AI-generated quizzes and leaderboards to boost engagement, particularly among youth. • Sustainability & Governance: The insurer implemented Sri Lanka Financial Reporting Standards (SLFRS) S1 and S2 (sustainability disclosures) with independent external assurance. Softlogic Life is pioneering the direct linkage of these sustainability disclosures with its financial statements, setting a new benchmark for integrated financial reporting. • Industry Recognition: The company achieved a Top 3 placement among Sri Lanka's leading corporates at the 59th CA TAGS Awards 2024 for the fourth consecutive year—the only stand-alone company to do so. It also secured the Bronze Award for Overall Excellence in Corporate Reporting plus six other accolades. • This tech-driven step reinforces Softlogic Life’s track record of industry firsts, which includes Sri Lanka’s first Video Annual Report (2017) and the first AI-enabled Annual Report Analyser (2024).
🌎 Sri Lanka's First Capital Achieves Global 'First' in Sustainable Finance 📈
• First Capital Holdings PLC (FCH), a subsidiary of Janashakthi Group, has become the world’s first investment institution to receive the Certificate of Acceptance to the Sustainability Standards & Certification Initiative (SSCI) by the European Organisation for Sustainable Development (EOSD). • The landmark recognition, conferred at the Annual Global Sustainable Finance Conference in Germany, validates FCH's deep commitment to embedding robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles at the core of its investment philosophy. • FCH's acceptance to the SSCI reinforces its status as a responsible leader in the global financial landscape and brings significant visibility to Sri Lanka's financial services sector. • MD/CEO Dilshan Wirasekara called the moment "transformative" for the broader South Asian financial sector and participated as a panelist at the conference to discuss the role of financial services in a fast-changing economic world.
📈 First Capital Leads SL's Capital Market with Global Climate Partnership
• First Capital Holdings PLC (a JXG subsidiary) has become the first capital markets institution in Sri Lanka to officially join the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF). • PCAF is a global collaboration of over 600 financial institutions that provides a standardised framework for measuring and disclosing the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with financial activities ("financed emissions"). • This membership deepens FC's commitment to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and responsible investing. • For the financial year 2024/25, FC reported operational emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) of 309.9 tCO₂e. Adopting the PCAF Standard now enables the firm to assess and report its financed emissions, providing a comprehensive climate impact picture. • The initiative aligns FC’s disclosures with both local (SLFRS S2) and global expectations, enhancing transparency and its ability to manage climate-related financial risks.
🚢 Global Shipping Decarbonisation Hits Snag: IMO Fails to Agree on Carbon Pricing
• The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) expressed disappointment following the International Maritime Organization (IMO) MEPC Extraordinary Session, where member states failed to reach an agreement on the proposed Net-Zero Framework. • The failed framework aimed to establish the first global carbon pricing mechanism for any industrial sector, vital for the maritime industry's transition to net-zero emissions. • ICS Secretary General stated that industry requires regulatory clarity to make the significant investments needed for decarbonisation, in line with the IMO GHG strategy goals. • ICS reiterated its commitment to collaborate with the IMO, recognizing it as the most effective body for developing global regulations for this global industry. Lack of clarity impacts investment planning across the international shipping sector.
🤝 GPTW CXO Forum: Focus on Bridging Generational Gaps & Digital Fluency
• The Great Place To Work® Sri Lanka CXO Forum addressed "Unlocking Multigenerational Leadership Through Shared Values" and building a Digitally Fluent workforce. • GPTW Director/CEO Kshanika Ratnayaka emphasised that building cultures on shared values, trust, and inclusivity is vital for bridging generational gaps and thriving in the new world of work. • Keynote Mimi Nicklin highlighted empathy, inclusivity, and generational understanding as core drivers of collaboration, innovation, and trust. • Insights shared indicated that actively engaging young talent (under 35) through learning, recognition, and supportive leadership drives overall innovation and growth. • A CXO panel discussed strategies like implementing open-door policies, adapting employee tasks to unlock unique talents, fostering empathy, and leveraging AI for data-driven, multi-generational collaboration. • 15 organisations were celebrated as Best Workplaces for Young Talent for cultivating inspiring, inclusive environments that empower Gen Z and Millennials.
📈 MAS Holdings Launches Bold "Plan for Change 2030" for Ethical Apparel
• Sri Lankan apparel & textiles giant, MAS Holdings, unveiled its "Plan for Change 2030," positioning sustainability as a moral obligation and a blueprint for the global fashion industry. The strategy focuses on reinventing production with social equity and environmental restoration at its core. • Key 2030 Targets: • Product: Aim for 75% of company revenue to be generated from sustainable products. This drives Textile-to-Textile Circularity and development of 'Materials of the Future' (e.g., bio-based, organic cotton). • Planet: Target a 60% reduction in absolute greenhouse gas emissions across operations. Focus includes transition to renewable energy and achieving water-positive goals in high-stress regions. • Lives: Commitment to Fair Care Responsibility, advancing gender equity, ensuring employee well-being (including living wages), and building community climate resilience. • Economic & Sector Context: An ADB official noted that while Sri Lanka’s industrial growth has lagged (20% over the last two decades compared to Vietnam's >300%), sustainability must be the new driver for national growth. Scaling this transformation requires radical collaboration and public/private investment. • The plan emphasizes moving from simply reducing impact to actively regenerating supply chains, people, and the planet.
🇱🇰 Classic Destinations Pioneers Sustainable Tourism with GSTC Certification 🏆
• Classic Destinations (registered company of Classic Sri Lanka & Classic Wild) is Sri Lanka’s first Destination Management Company (DMC) to secure the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Certification. • GSTC Certification is the globally recognised benchmark for sustainable practices in the travel and tourism industry. • This achievement places the company among an elite international group committed to ethical operations, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. • Compliance was confirmed across all four GSTC key areas: sustainable management, socioeconomic benefits, cultural heritage protection, and environmental conservation. • The certification reinforces Sri Lanka’s position as a responsible, forward-thinking destination, aligning with growing global demand for eco-conscious travel experiences. • The comprehensive evaluation process was conducted by Control Union Certifications.