47th Annual Report Awards grand finale tonight

Sri Lanka’s corporate giants will vie for the coveted and prestigious Chartered Accountants Annual Report Awards tonight at a grand finale at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla.

Organised for the 47th consecutive year by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka), the top-notch corporate studded event will be graced by Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa who will be the Chief Guest, while Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P. B. Jayasundera will be the Guest of Honour.

At Friday’s grand finale, winners will be chosen from a total of 22 special categories, and under each category, a winner and runners-up will be awarded respectively for achieving excellence in financial reporting.

Held since 1964, the Annual Report Awards has been a platform to encourage excellence in the presentations of information among the country’s diverse business entities in the field of financial reporting.

Last year, Hatton National Bank PLC was adjudged the winner of the year in the Overall Excellence in Annual Financial Reporting category for 2010. Chairperson of HNB, Dr. Ranee Jayamaha said, “The Annual Report Awards competition has contributed towards enhancing the standards of the Annual Reports published by the corporate community of this country and it was a privilege and honour to be recognised as the winner of the ‘Overall Excellence in Annual Financial Reporting’ for the second consecutive year.”

HNB also bagged the Corporate Governance Disclosure Award and Management Commentary Award.

Commenting on this achievement, Dr. Jayamaha said that her bank’s goal is to rise to the top and retain the position as the most respected bank in the country. “As part of this effort, we endeavour to set standards and the tone for corporate governance among our peers and other listed entities in the market.”

In response to being adjudged the Winner of the Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting award for 2010, Group Financial Director of John Keells Holdings PLC Ronnie Peiris said, “John Keells Holdings is humbled by the recognition it received from CA Sri Lanka on being awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility Gold at the 2010 Annual Report Awards.”

“John Keells Group has embraced sustainability to an extent where it is now intrinsically interwoven with the DNA of the way in which we do business. We believe that sustainable business practices together with good governance and accountability are the keys to achieving our corporate goals,” he added.