Nestlé Lanka crowned as ‘Best Corporate Citizen’

Nestlé Lanka Plc was crowned as the ‘Best Corporate Citizen in 2011’ at the annual awards scheme organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce last night.

MAS Intimates Ltd. won the First Runner Up award whilst Hatton National Bank emerged as the Second Runner Up.

Link Natural Products was the winner in Category B (below Rs. 15 b turnover) while Colombo Dockyard PLC and NDB Bank PLC came second and third respectively in Category B.

The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (HSBC) was the winner of Community Relations and CSR category, MAS Intimates (Pvt.) Ltd. won the Environment category, Hatton National Bank PLC won the Governance and Economic Contribution category while Nestlé Lanka PLC bagged both the Employee Relations and Customer and Supplier Relations Category awards.

The 10 ‘Best Corporate Citizens’ recognised at the event were Aitken Spence PLC, Aviva NDB Insurance PLC, Ceylon Biscuits Limited, Colombo Dockyard PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, Link Natural Products (Pvt.) Limited, MAS Intimates (Pvt.) Ltd., Nestlé Lanka PLC, Singer (Sri Lanka) PLC and The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (HSBC).

The event also saw the recognition of several projects carried out by a number of companies. Ceylon Biscuits Limited won an award for its ‘Gamata Sarana’ project that provides drinking water, builds roads and bridges and sets up libraries and labs in deserving schools and villages across Sri Lanka.

Kelani Valley Plantations Ltd. PLC won an award for its project in conservation and enrichment of the Halgolla Nature Reserve. Linea Aqua also bagged an award for rejuvenating the eco system at Bundala National Park.

Link Natural Products won an award for its integrated action programme in selected schools to create an enabling environment for education while Metropolitan won an award for its e-waste management project.

Six companies won merit certificates in encouragement and appreciation of their projects. Recipients of merit certificates were Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC for its ‘Sinahawa’ scholarship programme, Heatherset Hotels Ltd. of Aitken Spence PLC for its biomass gasifier project, Holcim Lanka PLC for its masonry training as a skill development initiative in the north and east, NDB Bank PLC for its north east project that provided tool kits for 250 IDPs who successfully completed their training programmes conducted by the Vocational Training Authority, Nestlé Lanka PLC for its dairy development project in the north and east and Standard Chartered Bank for its eye care services for the deprived and marginalised individuals in 20 cities.

The Chief Guest of the event was Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka and the event was graced by a large number of corporate personalities in the country.

The ‘Best Corporate Citizen Award’ is the only corporate honour in the country that evaluates all aspects of a business and the winners are evaluated for their overall performance.

The event is organised with the intention of promoting Strategic Corporate Sustainability and CSR within the business sector in Sri Lanka. Areas in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) were also included in the award.  

The award is open for both private and public entities and the winners are selected through stringent criteria and the shortlisted applicants are required to make a brief presentation and also face an interview.

Applications for the award next year will be open in July 2012. Further details regarding the ‘Best Corporate Citizen Award’ could be obtained from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce: e-mail – [email protected] or tel. 11 2328 880.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is an effective spokesman of the Sri Lankan business sector. Founded in 1839, the institution has been the focal point for business contacts both locally and abroad for more than 172 years.

It has many specialised committees, affiliated associations and 21 bilateral business councils promoting international business. Its members serve on various institutions and committees set up by the Government and the private sector.