‘ A Year of resilient performance, reaching milestones and banking with due responsibility’

Harsha Amarasekera, chairman, Sampath Bank PLC (left) and Nanda Fernando, Managing Director, Sampath Bank PLC.

Despite the challenging conditions, Sampath Bank continued to prioritise the needs of all stakeholders. Backed by its solid fundamentals and strong operational capacity, the Bank took prompt action to implement government-led relief measures aimed at combating the impacts of COVID-19.

Accordingly, the Bank was able to grant the debt moratorium phase I to approximately 50% of customers on its loan book, while phase II of the debt moratorium was extended to more than 29% of its loan book. Sampath Bank also actively participated in disbursing the Saubhagya Renaissance scheme to eligible customers. Where necessary, the Bank also took its own initiatives to assist customers to overcome this difficult time.

Meanwhile, with banking being declared an essential service during the COVID-19 first wave, a concerted effort was made to keep branches across the network open in order to facilitate regular branch operations throughout the 2 month island-wide lockdown. Our ongoing investments in digital technology continued to benefit customers during this hour of need, as shown by the extensive use of Sampath Vishwa – the Bank’s digital platform and other digital banking solutions offered by the Bank in order to provide an uninterrupted service to customers. Irrespective of challenges, the Bank focused on its CSR activities throughout the year and undertook the restoration of tanks under its flagship “Wewata Jeewayak” CSR initiative aimed at supporting the livelihoods of rural agricultural communities.