Aitken Spence wins coveted grand slam award at Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2024

Aitken Spence PLC last night walked away with the coveted Grand Slam Award at the 21st Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards Organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Aitken Spence also claimed the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2024, to clinch the prestigious Grand Slam, awarded to companies that have achieved the impressive feat of winning the Best Corporate Citizen Award in five different years. Nestlé Lanka Ltd. and Sampath Bank PLC were adjudged first and second runners up respectively. 

The annual BCCS Awards is the premier corporate citizenship award, and highlights sustainability champions in the national corporate arena. The Awards promote corporate citizen sustainability ownership and initiatives that deliver social and environmental benefits while pursuing profits. 

Talawakelle Tea Estates walked away with the Category B ‘Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Award 2024’, awarded to companies with an annual turnover below Rs. 15 billion, while Kelani Valley Plantations and Elpitiya Plantations were awarded as the respective first and second runners-up in this category.

Top Ten Corporate Citizens

This award recognises the top ten corporates which have implemented outstanding sustainability initiatives under both ‘Category A & B’. Aitken Spence, CBL Investments (CBL Group), Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company, Hatton National Bank, Haycarb, Hemas Holdings, Kelani Valley Plantations, Nestlé Lanka Ltd., Sampath Bank and Talawakelle Tea Estates were adjudged the Top Ten Corporate Citizens of 2024. 

Best Projects Sustainability Awards 2024

These awards recognise the efforts of the private/public sector to engage in specific projects relating to key aspects of sustainability relevant to the organisation and in response to contextual needs. The eight projects awarded under this category are; B Braun Lanka Ltd.- Surgical Instruments Repair Nationalised Project; Driving Savings in Sri Lanka’s Operating Rooms – Supporting the Healthcare Sector, Bodyline Ltd. - ReLeaf Knuckles, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. - CBL Senehasin Jayamaga, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts - Cinnamon Rainforest Project, Hatton National Bank - Gal Oya Farmer Upliftment, Haycarb PLC - Puritas Sath Diyawara and Puritas Sath Diyawara - Going Beyond, Link Natural Products Ltd. - “Saara Osu” - Sustainable Approach in Medicinal Planting of Link Natural Products, and MJF Charitable Foundation - Small Entrepreneur Program.

Triple Bottom-line Awards

Awarded to companies with the best performance in the three sustainability pillars of Planet (Environmental Sustainability), People (Social Sustainability) and Profit (Economic Sustainability), Nestlé Lanka Ltd. won the Award for Environmental Sustainability, while MAS Active Ltd. - MAS KREEDA and Hatton National Bank were awarded the Social Sustainability and Economic Sustainability Awards respectively. 

Category Awards

Winners of the category Awards were; 

Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company for Corporate Environmental Commitment, Haycarb for Environmental Integration and Governance, Sampath Bank for Environment Beyond the Business, MAS Active – MAS Kreeda for Customer Relations and Employee Relations, Aitken Spence and Nestlé Lanka for Supplier Relations, and Community Relations, Ceylon Tobacco Company for Financial Performance, and Hatton National Bank for Economic Contribution. 

Sector-Based Sustainability Champions

Awarding the best sustainability performance in the specific sectors corporates operate in, the winners were; Talawakelle Tea Estates – Agriculture, Hayleys Fentons – Construction, Aitken Spence – Diversified Holdings, Sampath Bank – Finance, SmithKline Beecham – Healthcare, Jetwing Symphony – Leisure, Oxford College of Business – Knowledge Services, Nestlé Lanka – Manufacturing, Singer (Sri Lanka) - Retail Sector, and South Asia Gateway Terminals Ltd. under the sector – Other. 

Planning and Adoption of Resilient Practices

The award for Planning and Adoption of Resilient Practices went to Talawakelle Tea Estates, while Haycarb PLC and Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company were awarded as first and second runners-up respectively. 

Aitken Spence won the Award for Best Presented Application.