SL Corporate Health and Productivity Awards 2026 puts mental wellbeing in spotlight

• Ten categories to recognise healthier, more productive workplaces; applications to open this month

By Amira Cader

The Sri Lankan Corporate Health and Productivity Awards (SLCHPA) 2026 was officially unveiled at the Cinnamon Grand yesterday, with employee mental wellbeing taking special focus this year as organisations increasingly recognise the link between workforce health, productivity and sustainable business growth.

Organised by the Chamber of Lankan Entrepreneurs (COYLE), in partnership with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and powered by Sampath Bank PLC as Title Partner, the awards will recognise organisations across 10 categories for their efforts to create healthier, more productive workplaces.

SLCHPA 2026 aims to provide companies with a platform to benchmark their practices against national and international standards, identify areas for improvement and showcase initiatives that have delivered measurable benefits to employees and businesses.

COYLE Chairman Suren Chandraratna said the initiative seeks to encourage businesses to place people at the centre of organisational success.

“SLCHPA was created to recognise organisations that understand the importance of their people and the connection between employee wellbeing and business success,” he said.

“Through this initiative, we aim to encourage more companies to prioritise healthier workplaces and create a positive impact across Sri Lanka’s business community.”

Chandraratna said participating organisations would benefit from a structured assessment of their workplace practices, recognition for teams driving positive change and a platform to demonstrate their commitment to employees, partners and talent.

JETRO Sri Lanka Resident Representative Daisuke Shikama said employee health was becoming an increasingly important management priority as companies grapple with challenges surrounding retention and productivity.

“Healthy employees are more productive, more focused and contribute to stronger and more sustainable organisations,” he said.

Shikama noted that Japan’s Health and Productivity Management approach recognises investment in employee wellbeing as a strategic driver of corporate value and business success.

Pointing to Sri Lanka’s adoption of Japanese management approaches such as Kaizen and Kaiteki, he said JETRO was pleased to support the promotion of corporate health management in the country.

“This is not merely a recognition scheme. It is intended to serve as a platform where organisations can share best practices that promote a healthy and productive workplace environment,” Shikama said.

COYLE Past Chairman Aminda Rodrigo said the 2026 edition would have a “bigger, better structure”, responding to evolving workplace challenges while providing businesses with an opportunity to showcase their achievements.

“My message to the companies out there is take part in it. Showcase what you have done for your community,” Rodrigo said.

He stressed that investment in employee welfare and better working environments could translate into stronger productivity, competitiveness and organisational sustainability.

SLCHPA Sub-Committee Chairman Lasith Senanayake said applications are expected to open this month, with a workshop to guide prospective applicants, particularly HR heads and administration officers, through the submission and evaluation process.

The assessment will go beyond written applications and include workplace and factory visits, enabling judges to examine how participating companies put their policies and programs into practice.

“We will have enough time for the evaluation, and most importantly, we will also do factory visits,” Senanayake said.

The judging process will be led by a representative from Japan, while the SLCHPA 2026 awards ceremony is expected to take place in February 2027.

With a stronger focus on mental wellbeing, benchmarking and knowledge sharing, the 2026 edition will encourage more Sri Lankan businesses to view employee health not simply as a workplace benefit, but as an important investment in productivity, competitiveness and long-term growth.