John Keells Foundation celebrates 20 years of empowering nation for tomorrow

JKH Chairperson Krishan Balendra

JKH Head of CSR Carmeline Jayasuriya

John Keells Foundation (JKF), the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) entity of the John Keells Group, marked its 20th anniversary with a special event on 25 April for its key stakeholders representing the Government, non-Government, private and academia sectors, UN and INGO/NGO agencies and community-based organisations. Since its establishment on 28 March 2005, JKF has been a driving force in fostering sustainable growth and empowering communities across Sri Lanka. 

“As one of the first corporate CSR entities in Sri Lanka, John Keells Foundation has led the way in championing impactful, sustainable initiatives under our vision of ‘Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’, aligned with national priorities, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Principles of the United Nations Global Compact,” said John Keells Group Chairperson Krishan Balendra. “Over the years, the Foundation has remained committed to long-term initiatives that support communities in need, impacting the lives of over 9 million individuals. Within the Foundation’s empowerment culture, the focus has been less about hand-outs and donations, but more on providing the skills and the motivation to empower our communities to improve their lives. In Ranala, for instance, a women’s society around our Elephant House factory was provided training in producing paper-based products, while in Hikkaduwa, in partnership with Hikka Tranz by Cinnamon, we have up skilled local artisans in batik production. What is most encouraging is how much our own businesses have embraced sustained community empowerment — how it has become part of our DNA over the past couple of decades.”

JKF drives its vision through four strategic focus areas — education, community and livelihoods, social health and cohesion, and biodiversity – that guide the transformative social empowerment initiatives within the Group’s overall ESG framework. Flagship initiatives such as the John Keells English Language Scholarship Program, Project WAVE (Working Against Violence through Education), John Keells Vision Project, Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration, Kala Pola, the Village Adoption Project and John Keells Praja Shakthi stand as powerful testaments to JKF’s commitment to inclusive, transformative and sustainable development.

In her welcome address, the Group’s CSR Head Carmeline Jayasuriya, said, “As the Foundation celebrates this milestone, we cannot do so without reference to all those who have been closely associated with this journey. Our success can be widely attributed to two strong support bases, the passionate volunteers across the Group and the wide array of partner organisations and individuals who have collaborated with us over the years.” She went on to note, “John Keells was visionary in initiating the setup of a dedicated CSR entity as early as 2003. Today, the Foundation hosts a portfolio of over 30 projects – mid-long term – across 4 focus areas, reflecting the diversity of businesses within the Group. The golden thread running through all these projects is our vision of `Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’. Considering the many ebbs and flows Sri Lanka has seen through during this time, including the end of the 30-year conflict as well as crises such as the Tsunami, COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, the Group was well placed to strategise, undertake and sustain critical social development endeavours through JKF. I am honoured to have been part of JKF’s journey, seeing it evolve over the years to espouse and meaningfully contribute to national needs and priorities specifically through a culture of empowerment.” 

In a testament to its impact, University of Moratuwa Department of Transport Management and Logistics Engineering Head Prof. Niles Perera shared that the Department has enjoyed a 19-year partnership with the John Keells Group and was grateful for that collaboration. As both a beneficiary of John Keells Foundation’s efforts and now a collaborator, he commended the vision under education— “empowering employability and entrepreneurship” — saying these goals have been meaningfully achieved at the University of Moratuwa through the various initiatives such as need and merit based scholarships, the English Language immersion camp, and opportunities for mentorship and placement offered to undergraduates under this partnership.

Speaking at the event, other stakeholders also brought in a unique perspective to JKF’s journey. Dr. Priyantha Udagedara spoke on the Foundation’s focus on livelihoods, reflecting on his personal experience as an artist who began his journey at Kala Pola and how the sustained support of John Keells Foundation and the George Keyt Foundation had powered his professional career as a senior artist as well as a faculty member of the University of Visual and Performing Arts and a trustee of the George Keyt Foundation. 

The Asia Foundation Gender and Justice Director Dr. Ramani Jayasundere shared valuable insights on Project WAVE – JKF’s 10-year project combatting gender based violence (GBV) and child abuse as one of Sri Lanka’s first such corporate initiatives, commending John Keells for taking on and sustaining commitment to complex issues such as GBV and child protection. 

Architect Channa Daswatte emphasised the significance of Creative Industries and JKF’s valuable role in fostering its growth through pioneering initiatives such as the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Sri Lanka which not only support Sri Lanka’s artistic heritage but are also essential for social dialogue and cohesion in our nation. 

Cinnamon Hotel Management Quality Assurance/Sustainability, Health and Safety and Data Privacy Head Shanez Wijesinghe, spoke of JKF’s impactful biodiversity collaborations with Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts such as Project Leopard, Elephant Research and Cinnamon Rainforest Restoration Project as well as sustained community empowerment and crisis response initiatives through John Keells Praja Shakthi. 

Other features of the event included a heartfelt performance by the dance troupe of Sunera Foundation, partnered by John Keells Foundation over several years, a customised art installation by Prageeth Manohansa, a long-standing Kala Pola participant and the release of a documentary video on John Keells Foundation titled `20 years of Empowering Lives, Shaping the Future’. 

Education, community and livelihoods, social health and cohesion, and biodiversity are the four (reclassified) focus areas of John Keells Foundation – the CSR entity of John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), largest company listed on the CSE in terms of market capitalisation operating over 70 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, the John Keells Group provides employment to over 16,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s ‘Most Respected Entity’ for the last 19 Years by LMD magazine. JKH has placed first for the fourth consecutive year in the ‘Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment’ by Transparency International Sri Lanka. Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of “Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow” through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.