CDB’s Business Excellence highlighted with Gold at NBE Awards 2017

CDB Finance PLC Chief Credit Officer Sasindra Munasinghe (second from right),  Deputy General Manager – Finance and Planning, Hasitha Dassanayake and Head of Sustainability Aroshi Ranatunga receive the coveted Non-Banking Financial Services Sector Gold Award at the National Business Excellence Awards 2017

Team CDB pose with the coveted Non-Banking Financial Services Sector Gold Award and the Merit Award for Excellence in Performance Management at the National Business Excellence Awards 2017

Having always espoused a business model that promotes holistic growth through an integrated business strategy benchmarked on excellence at all levels, Citizens Development Business Finance Plc (CDB) gained credence for its strategic path, winning a Gold Award in the NBFI sector for the second consecutive year and a Merit for Excellence in Performance Management at the recently concluded National Business Excellence Awards 2017.  The Awards, organised annually by the National Chamber of Commerce is now in its 14th year and had as its Chief Guest the Canadian High Commissioner David McKinnon.

CDB’s brand of business excellence is now legendary.  Throughout its over twenty year history, this is a financial entity that has striven to set benchmarks for the industry, not only by instilling stringent compliance and governance measures into its operations but also state of the art technological solutions into its innovative product portfolio and promoting good corporate citizenry into its DNA.  The company’s financial results prove repeatedly that its focus on the triple bottom line has brought with it sustainable results that continue to break records within the NBFI sector. The fact that it stands among the Top 7 NBFIs in the country is testament to its commitment to moulding a successful and sustainable business.

“Being recognised by an awards scheme that is today known as the symbol of excellence for the ‘best of the best’ businesses in Sri Lanka is truly an honour for CDB” says MD/CEO Mahesh Nanayakkara, explaining the symbolism of the trophy depicting a lotus in bloom.  “This award illustrates how we at CDB surmounted immense challenges to climb to the zenith and be recognised for our achievements, just as the lotus rises tall and strong from the depths of the water.” The journey for CDB has certainly not been easy but visionary leadership and strategic business foresight saw the company herald a triumphant turnaround to be regarded as an undisputed corporate steward and financial powerhouse. Over 100 awards were presented across 29 business sectors and were evaluated on a unique seven-pronged criteria by a distinguished panel of judges. Excellence in leadership, excellence in corporate governance, excellence in capacity building, excellence in performance management, excellence in local and global market reach, excellence in corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability and excellence in business and financial results were all well fulfilled by CDB which saw this presentation of two prestigious awards.  

“Our business mission and values are totally stakeholder driven and this I believe is our formula for success,” explains Nanayakkara of the multi-award winning entity he spearheads. “The fact that the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing, Brand Finance and Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development among many, have all repeatedly recognised CDB for its achievements speaks for the benchmarks we set in business excellence.  We have an unrelenting focus on innovation and have infused technology into this equation to avail our customers with pioneering products and services.  Our highly motivated team is constantly raising the bar in all facets of our business, which also include social responsibility, environmental consciousness and compliance.  Each of our stakeholders takes ownership of our purpose to enrich people’s lives through the extension of financial services, which I believe will ultimately lead us to achieve our vision of becoming a financial powerhouse.”  

CDB’s trailblazing business model has undeniably been the axis upon which it has constructed its success. Add a pioneering mind-set, unrelenting passion, sustained performance and a caring heart – and CDB truly denotes the persona of a genuine corporate citizen who believes wholeheartedly in empowering the bottom of the pyramid and ensuring equality and inclusiveness for all.  Definitely worthy of the accolades it continues to garner.