HNB wins ‘Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2025’

From left: The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Krishan Balendra, HNB Managing Director/CEO Damith Pallewatte, Hemas Holdings Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer Ravi Jayasekera, and Commercial Bank Managing Director/CEO Sanath Manatunge

Hatton National Bank (HNB) yesterday won the coveted ‘Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2025’ at the 22nd Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability (BCCS) Awards organised by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. 

Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Hemas Holdings were adjudged the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The annual BCCS Awards are the premier corporate citizenship award and highlight sustainability champions in the national corporate arena. The awards promote corporate citizen sustainability ownership, and initiatives that deliver social and environmental benefits while pursuing profits. 

Talawakelle Tea Estates walked away with the Category B ‘Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2025,’ awarded to companies with an annual turnover below Rs. 15 billion, while Elpitiya Plantations and Kelani Valley Plantations were awarded as the respective first and second runners-up in this category. 

 

 

Top 10 Corporate Citizens 

This Award recognises the top 10 corporates which have implemented outstanding sustainability initiatives under both ‘Category A and B’. CBL Investment Ltd., (CBL Group), Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company, Dipped Products, Elpitiya Plantations, HNB, Haycarb, Hemas Holdings, Talawakelle Tea Estates, and Teejay Lanka were adjudged the Top 10 Corporate Citizens of 2025. 

 

Best Projects Sustainability Awards 2025 

These Awards recognise the efforts of the private sector to engage in specific projects relating to key aspects of sustainability relevant to the organisation, and in response to contextual needs. The five projects awarded under this category are: CBL Foods International Ltd., - Ritzbury Mawbimata Weerayek; DFCC Bank PLC – DFCC Green Bond – Pioneering Green Finance in Sri Lanka; HNB PLC – Solo Podi Podi Business: Women Empowerment through Digital Literacy; MAS Intimates – Wet Zone Leopard Conservation Project; and MJF Charitable Foundation – Empower Culinary and Hospitality School (ECHS).

 

Triple Bottom-line Awards 

Awarded to companies with the best performance in the three sustainability pillars of Planet (Environmental Sustainability), People (Social Sustainability), and Profit (Economic Sustainability), Oxford College of Business won the Award for Environmental Sustainability, while Nestlé Lanka and HNB were awarded the Social Sustainability and Economic Sustainability Awards, respectively. 

 

 

Category awards 

Winners of the category Awards are: Oxford College of Business for Corporate Environmental Commitment, Dipped Products for Environmental Integration, Nestlé Lanka for Environment Beyond the Business, Employee Relations, and Customer Relations, Softlogic Life Insurance for Financial Performance, Commercial Bank of Ceylon for Governance, Hemas Holdings for Supplier Relations, Elpitiya Plantations and Citizen Development Business Finance for Community Relations, and HNB for Economic Contribution. 

 

Sector-based sustainability champions 

Awarding the best sustainability performance in the specific sectors corporates operate in, the winners are: Talawakelle Tea Estates – Agriculture, Hayleys Fentons – Construction, Hemas Holdings – Diversified Holdings, Hatton National Bank – Finance, Nawaloka Hospitals – Healthcare, Oxford College of Business – Knowledge Services, CBL Investment (CBL Group) – Manufacturing, Singer (Sri Lanka) - Retail, and South Asia Gateway Terminals under the sector – Other. 

 

Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company won the award for Resilient Practices, and Commercial Bank of Ceylon won the award for Best Presented Application.