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CIMA Sri Lanka and Satynmag.com, Sri Lanka’s leading women’s magazine since 1998, online since 2013, have come together to present a unique initiative that seeks to recognise corporate and State-owned organisations encouraging and empowering women at the workplace.
www.satynmag.com, has been committed to empowering women through career development, entrepreneurship and encouraging gender inclusion at work.
CIMA Sri Lanka is partnering www.satynmag.com in bestowing this accolade which is expected to set a benchmark within the Sri Lankan context towards enhancing the potential for greater inclusion of women in the workplace.
According to World Bank data, women represent approximately 38% of the Sri Lankan labour force while leadership positions among women are dismally low with even less representation of women in boards across corporate entities and organisations.
“There is tremendous potential for greater inclusivity of women in the Sri Lankan workplace,” says CIMA Sri Lanka Country Manager Zahara Ansary ACMA, CGMA. “There is even greater room for organisations to be recognised for their efforts to include more women in leadership positions while supporting women to get ahead in their careers, whilst also helping them to optimise their work-life balance.”
“We believe that there exists an opportunity at a national level for organisations to be recognised for their encouragement and empowering of women in the work place. It would encourage a more holistic view in enabling women to negotiate critical phases such as flexi-hours, child care and initial support in raising young families,” says Satynmag.com Founder/Editor Nayomini R. Weerasooriya.
The initiative includes a scorecard that will address key areas of evaluation, from broad basing opportunities available for women, an enhanced inclusion of women at all levels from junior ranks to middle and top management, greater participation of women in executive roles and more female representation on boards.
It will also cover areas such as training provided for women towards emerging as leaders and supporting them to play a greater role in decision making, while encouraging better work-life balance support.
Recruitment and selection processes that encourage a minimum number of female candidates and initiatives that encourage women to climb the career ladder are considered key criteria. In addition, adequate protocols that address workplace safety and mechanisms to offer support such as victim friendly investigations and setting up of a grievance handling mechanism are also evaluated.
The Advisory Panel for the project consists of University of Colombo Department of HR Management Head Prof. Arosha Adikaram who heads the panel,
National Savings Bank Director Manohari Abeysekera, FCMA, CGMA, Ravi Abeysuriya, FCMA, CGMA, CHA Founder and Head Jeevan Thyagarajah, Suva Sariya Chairman Duminda Ratnayake, Zahara Ansary, ACMA, CGMA and Nayomini R. Weerasooriya.
“We would like to invite companies and organisations to apply for this great initiative which we believe would set a noteworthy precedent in enhancing gender inclusion in the workplace as a national issue of importance,” concluded Ansary.
