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CA Sri Lanka set to harness the power of corporate reporting with TAGS Awards 2023
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) last week announced that entries are now accepted for its prestigious TAGS Awards 2023, in its search to honour organisations delivering excellence in corporate reporting that promote the fundamental pillars of transparency, accountability, governance, and sustainability.
The TAGS Awards, formerly known as the Annual Report Awards with a 58-year inspiring history, this year aim to harness the power of corporate reporting by conveying the importance of trust, individuality, and collective responsibility in driving progress, sustainability, and positive change through transparency, accountability, and well-governed reporting practices, with the end goal of empowering sustainable growth at corporate and country levels.
Applications for the TAGS Awards 2023 will be accepted from 18th August to 12th September 2023 and any organisation, including multinationals, blue-chips, conglomerates, SMEs, community groups, as well as NGOs and NPOs that produce annual reports can apply and be honoured for the integrity of financial, environmental, social, and governance reporting.
Organisations producing annual reports can register for the highly acclaimed competition by providing their Annual Reports for the Financial Year ending on 31st December 2022 or 31st March 2023.
The announcement was made at a press conference on 17th August 2023 which was attended by CA Sri Lanka President Sanjaya Bandara, Vice President Heshana Kuruppu, Chairman of the TAGS Awards Committee Thivanka Jayasinghe, Alternate Chair Chamila Cooray, and acting CEO Prasanna Liyanage, as well as Colombo Stock Exchange Director Arjuna Herath, and CEO Rajeeva Bandaranaike. The Colombo Stock Exchange is the Strategic Partner of TAGS 2023.
Addressing the press conference, Bandara explained that the economic crisis renewed calls for stronger transparency, accountability, and governance across the board, and the anti-corruption bill, if implemented properly, will pave the way for a better and stronger corrupt-free system. “But to fight corruption and increase transparency and accountability, we need a holistic approach involving all stakeholders along with political will to ensure successful implementation.”
Awards will also be given to companies representing 29 industry sectors, which are Banking Institutions, Diversified Holdings, Finance Companies, Leasing Companies & Other Financial Institutions, Food & Beverages Companies, Healthcare Institutions, Trading Companies, Hotel Companies, Insurance Companies, Land & Property Companies, Manufacturing Companies, Motor Companies, Telecommunication & Technology Companies, Unit Trusts, Media & Entertainment, State Corporations & Statutory Boards, Plantation Companies, Construction Companies, Power & Energy Companies, Not-For-Profit Organisations (NPO), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), Small and Medium-Sized Entities, Education Services, Newly Listed Companies, and Service Organisations.
The winners of the TAGS Awards 2023 will be awarded at a glittering ceremony on 12th December 2023 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
