Nestlé Lanka Honoured at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2023

(From L - R) Sathiyenthra Panchadcharam (Director, Supply Chain), Keerthi Pathiraja (Assistant Director, Legal Counsel/Compliance), Ruwan Welikala (Director, Dairy), Enoca Sirimanne (Director, Human Resources), Bernhard Stefan (Managing Director), Kumudu Dias (Director, Finance), Radhini DeCosta (Assistant Director, Communications), Julianne Fernando (Senior Manager, Media & Sustainability), Sneha Wickramasinghe (Assistant Manager – Corporate Communications)

(From L - R) Chiyo Kanda (Chaiperson, Panel of Judges), Bernhard Stefan (Managing Director), Duminda Hulangamuwa (Chairperson – The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce), Marc-André Franche (UN Resident Coordinator) Krishan Balendra (Chairperson-CEO, John Keells Holdings PLC)

Nestlé Lanka was recognized at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2023 held recently, taking home five awards in several categories including, Second Runners Up – Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2023, Top Ten Best Corporate Citizens, Sector Award – Manufacturing, and two awards in Consistent Commitment and Continuous Improvement for Environmental Commitment and Environmental Integration. Widely considered Sri Lanka’s highest corporate honour, the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards, organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, recognizes sustainability champions who operate with a strong focus on people, planet, and profit. 

The Good food, Good Life Company is the largest food and beverage company in the world and has been an integral part of Sri Lankan lives for over 115 years. Driven by its purpose of ‘unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come’, Nestlé has nourished generations of Sri Lankan families from early childhood to old age. 

In 2023, the company provided Sri Lanka with 537 million servings of micronutrient-fortified products. It has several progammes to help children and adults live a healthier and active lifestyle; such as the Nestlé Healthy Kids programme, MILO school sports partnerships with the Ministry of Education, and the Nestomalt marathon and cycling challenge with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs; as well as its Nestlé Choose Wellness programme and the Nestlé Family Club, which offer free expert nutritional advice to Sri Lankans across the country.

As one of Sri Lanka’s largest private-sector collectors of fresh milk and one of the world’s largest exporters of coconut milk powder, Nestlé contributes to the livelihoods of over 24,000 local farming families. Nestlé also has a strong ‘Nestlé Needs Youth’ initiative, which supports thousands of young Sri Lankans build their professional skills and become more employable. 

With a commitment of achieving net zero emissions throughout its value chain by 2050, Nestlé has implemented several initiatives to ensure their products and operations are sustainable from farm to end of shelf life and have a positive impact on the planet. The conversion to paper straws in their Ready-to-Drink beverage cartons in 2021 was a considerable milestone in their journey towards sustainable packaging. Taking it a step further, Nestlé also works in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Central Environment Authority, to implement the School Waste Management programme, which was initiated in 2020 with the aim of fostering behavioural change in the youth of Sri Lanka, creating a greener planet for the future. 

“We are humbled to be consistently recognized at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards. At Nestlé, sustainability is at the core of everything we do, and it is an honour to be able to demonstrate our sustainability journey and spark inspiration on a platform of this stature. The past three years have been nothing short of challenging and required everyone, including us corporates, to reinvent and reanalyze our strategies. Nonetheless, I am proud that we were able to continue our untiring efforts towards creating a more sustainable and resilient Sri Lanka together with our stakeholders across and beyond the value chain. True to our promise of ‘Good food, Good life’, we will forge ahead towards achieving our ambitious sustainability commitments whilst being a force for good in Sri Lanka, as we have for over 115 years!” said Mr. Bernhard Stefan, Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka. 

As a company which has sustainability integrated into all aspects of business, Nestlé conducts various noteworthy initiatives together with its stakeholders to do good for families, communities, and the planet. In recognition of this consistent, positive contribution towards Sri Lanka, this is the ninth year Nestlé Lanka has been among the top 10 Best Corporate Citizens of the country. Having been awarded across different categories over the years – including Community Relations, Employee Relations, Financial Performance, Customer Relations and more – in 2023, the company was acclaimed once again for its commitment towards doing ‘Good For My Family, Community and Planet’. 

Held annually, the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards recognises the best contributors to the local economy and community, as well the best performers in corporate sustainability. Submissions are evaluated by a highly respected panel of local and international experts, academics and thought leaders.

Driven by its purpose of ‘unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come’, Nestlé has nourished generations of Sri Lankan families with high quality food and beverages from early childhood to old age. Having started its operations in Sri Lanka in 1906, today, Nestlé has become an integral part of Sri Lankan lives and contributes to the livelihoods of more than 25,000 Sri Lankan dairy and coconut farmers and out growers and provides direct employment to over 800. The company manufactures over 90% of its products sold in Sri Lanka locally at their state-of-the-art factory in Kurunegala, employing strict safety and quality controls.