Friday Jul 31, 2026
Friday Jul 31, 2026
Friday, 31 July 2026 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Building on a 61-year legacy of advancing corporate reporting excellence in Sri Lanka, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) announced the opening of applications for the TAGS Awards 2026, the country’s most prestigious and longest-running benchmark for excellence in corporate reporting.
Applications will open today and close on 31 August 2026. Entries can be submitted through the dedicated online portal at tags.casrilanka.com or via physical application forms.
Winners will be honoured at the TAGS Awards Grand Finale in December 2026 at Shangri-La Colombo, where outstanding achievements across 36 sectors, six special awards and three overall excellence awards will be celebrated, recognising organisations that exemplify transparency, accountability, governance and sustainability.
The opening of applications was announced at a press conference attended by CA Sri Lanka President Tishan Subasinghe, TAGS Awards Committee Chairman Chamara Abeyrathne, Alternate Chairperson Nishani Perera, and CEO Lakmali Priyangika. Also present were Colombo Stock Exchange's (CSE) CEO Rajeeva Bandaranaike. The CSE came on board as the Strategic Partner of the TAGS Awards, reinforcing its commitment to advancing corporate reporting excellence.
Under the theme, “Legacy of Excellence: Creating Value Beyond Reporting”, TAGS Awards 2026 highlights the growing role of corporate reporting as a strategic tool for building trust, demonstrating transparency and accountability, and creating long-term value. The theme encourages organisations to move beyond compliance-driven reporting and communicate how they contribute to sustainable growth, stakeholder confidence and economic resilience.
Subasinghe emphasised the growing importance of corporate reporting in building trust and supporting economic resilience. “Today, corporate reporting is about far more than compliance. It plays a critical role in building investor confidence, strengthening market integrity and helping organisations demonstrate how they create long-term value. At a time when stakeholders expect greater transparency and accountability, the quality of reporting has never been more important,” he said.
Subasinghe noted that the TAGS Awards have helped shape reporting standards in Sri Lanka for more than six decades. “For 61 years, the TAGS Awards have set the benchmark for excellence in corporate reporting. This year’s theme encourages organisations to look beyond regulatory requirements and use reporting as a platform to showcase their purpose, integrity and contribution to society,” he added.
The TAGS Awards have long served as a catalyst for raising standards in transparency, accountability, governance and sustainability across Sri Lanka’s corporate reporting landscapes, while emphasising the importance of digitalisation, conciseness and presenting the report as a compelling story. Beyond recognising excellence, the awards have strengthened capital markets, encouraged responsible business practices and promoted alignment with international reporting best practices.
TAGS Awards Committee Chairman Abeyrathne said that this year's theme, "Legacy of Excellence: Creating Value Beyond Reporting," reflects the belief that reporting is no longer simply about compliance, but is about creating trust, inspiring confidence, and demonstrating how organisations create sustainable value for stakeholders.
"Corporate reporting is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Organisations today operate in an environment shaped by digital transformation, sustainability imperatives, heightened stakeholder expectations and rapidly changing regulatory landscapes. The TAGS Awards 2026 reflects our continued commitment to raising the bar for corporate reporting in Sri Lanka,” Abeyrathne added.
Reflecting the evolving corporate reporting landscape, TAGS Awards 2026 introduces several key enhancements designed to recognise emerging businesses, advance sustainability reporting and strengthen sector-specific evaluation. These include the new Empower Board Sector Award for emerging industries, SMEs and newly established entities; a Special Award for the adoption of SLFRS S1 and S2, recognising organisations that demonstrate leadership in embracing Sri Lanka's new sustainability reporting standards; and refined Corporate Governance Disclosure Awards with separate categories for banks and finance companies, and all other entities.
Additionally, recognitions such as the Certificate of Compliance, Certificate of Recognition and the Compliance Badge further demonstrate CA Sri Lanka's commitment to celebrating organisations that uphold the highest standards of reporting and governance.
In a significant step towards enhancing consistency, objectivity and efficiency, TAGS Awards 2026 will be equipped with a new TAGS marking platform built in the Azure environment and will further expand the use of artificial intelligence within its evaluation process. An enhanced AI-powered chatbot will support assessors by facilitating faster clarification and query resolution throughout the marking process. These technological advancements will enable evaluators to devote greater attention to strategic insights, reporting quality and value creation, ensuring that the true impact behind reporting is appropriately recognised.
The credibility of the TAGS Awards is reinforced through a rigorous three-tier evaluation process. Approximately 300 Chartered Accountants undertake the initial technical assessment, followed by industry experts who evaluate shortlisted entries. The final winners are selected by a distinguished panel of local and international judges based on global best practices.
The TAGS Awards 2026 welcomes entries from all organisations that publish annual reports, including listed and non-listed companies, conglomerates, multinationals, SMEs, NGOs and Empower Board companies. Eligible reports must contain financial statements audited with an unmodified opinion and be publicly available.
