FCCISL Archives

September 6, 2021

Photo-caption-Ajith-D-Perera-Secretary-General-and-CEO-of-the-FCCISL-and-Abdur-Rahim-Siddiqui-WFP-Country-Director-of-Sri-Lanka.jpg

COLOMBO – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is partnering with the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) to hand over ownership of the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SUN Business Network) in Sri Lanka. The handover will enable the SUN Business Network to scale up from its current member base of large private sector organizations to include Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).

Sri Lanka faces a triple burden of malnutrition spanning overnutrition, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Nearly one in two women of reproductive age are obese or overweight, while 15 percent of children under 5 were noted as being too thin for their height. These high rates of malnutrition are compounded by the socio-economic fallout from COVID-19, which threatens to further impact the nutrition standards of the population.

“Eradicating malnutrition cannot be done by one organization alone. It requires cohesive efforts from multiple actors, within which businesses play a critical role,” says Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, Country Director of WFP Sri Lanka. “The SUN Business Network is a fabulous platform for the private sector to collectively plan, invest and innovate in solutions which help improve nutrition standards in the country. We remain committed to the SUN Business Network and are confident that it will continue to grow under the leadership of the FCCISL.”

Commenting on the new strategic venture, Ajith D Perera, Secretary-General/CEO of the FCCISL said, “SMEs play a pivotal role in ensuring all citizens have access to safe and nutritious food. However, the SME ecosystem faces many technical and financial barriers inhibiting their progress. We are excited to join hands with the SUN Business Network and WFP on this journey to equip food sector SMEs with the tools necessary to overcome such barriers and combat malnourishment in all forms.”

The SUN Business Network is the only dedicated global platform for business and nutrition, formed with the aim to reduce malnutrition by engaging and supporting businesses across different industries. Since its launch in Sri Lanka in March 2019, the SUN Business Network has grown to a member base of 35 leading private sector organizations, including Cargills Ceylon PLC, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, Dialog Axiata, Hemas Group and Saaraketha Organics.

The handover is a milestone for the network, marking a transition to its second phase of expansion. WFP will continue to provide strategic support to the SUN Business Network, working with FCCISL to help enhance its reach within FCCISL’s large base of chambers and SMEs.

July 14, 2021

Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 14, 2021—To help close the gender gap and promote greater work-life balance, particularly at a time of COVID-19 impacts, IFC and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL) have launched a new online learning series to strengthen business commitment towards flexible work and family-friendly practices to help employees.

Over 40 Sri Lankan businesses participated in the first in a series of online learning sessions by the ‘Together We Can’ partnership – launched under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work program. The partnership is aimed at promoting gender-smart policies among Sri Lankan businesses, with a particular focus on helping mitigate COVID-19 impacts.

Globally, the pandemic has disproportionately affected women’s employment and unpaid care responsibilities. According to IFC research conducted among 15 leading Sri Lankan companies, female employees were twice as likely to report increased household or care responsibilities due to COVID-19.

“Never before has work and family life been so intertwined as we have seen over the past year. COVID-19 has shown us that family-friendly policies are not just ‘nice to haves’ but ‘must haves’,” said Victor Antonypillai, IFC’s Acting Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives. “Greater flexibility in balancing personal and professional lives could yield positive impacts. Employers who put the needs of their employees first during this crisis are better set to achieve long-term business sustainability, productivity, and profitability.”

The ‘Together We Can’ learning sessions, which will be led by local and global industry experts over a year, will cover areas including diversity in leadership, building respectful workplaces as well as recruitment and promotion. It comes at a time when increasing numbers of employees are working from home.

“FCCISL is excited to join IFC in launching ‘Together We Can’ to revitalize the gender balance in the private sector workforce,” said Shirley Jayawardena, President of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL). “To deliver sustainable growth and achieve a strong pandemic recovery, we must engage the full force of our human capital. Both men and women need to be equal stakeholders in the workplace.”

Family-friendly policies such as paid leave, safe transportation, and flexible work arrangements significantly benefit businesses and all employees, but specifically, working parents and children.

“The Australian Government is proud to support this latest online learning series that offers important expertise Sri Lankan businesses can use to effectively navigate the impacts of COVID-19,” said Amanda Jewell, Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. “This series will bring together women and men from a wide range of companies across Sri Lanka’s private sector, to become equal stakeholders in the post-pandemic business recovery journey, driving gains in productivity, competitiveness and innovation.”

September 12, 2017

The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL), Commercial Bank and Channel 17 (CH17) have launched a special Mastercard branded hybrid debit card exclusively for entrepreneurs in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, in a scheme to recognise the important economic contribution by such entrepreneurs.

This EMV chip embedded debit card will be issued by the FCCISL to its members, and its owners will be eligible for special benefits such as substantial discounts on services from Sri Lanka Telecom and attractive discounts from Hardware stores, hospitals, restaurants, and for vehicle maintenance services.

Commercial Bank, the single largest lender to the SME sector in Sri Lanka, will be the banking partner to issue this card. Apart from specially designed discounts for SME cardholders by the FCCISL, cardholders will also be eligible for the year-round special promotions offered to Commercial Bank debit cardholders as well as offers by Mastercard.

Commercial Bank, the market leader in debit card point of sale usage in Sri Lanka, has already issued sector-specific cards for employees of the apparel sector, for tea leaf suppliers and for recipients of remittances.

Set up in 1973, the FCCISL is the largest and most representative apex business organisation of Sri Lankan business. It is also the most widely spread business organisation with member bodies from all districts and provinces of Sri Lanka.

As an umbrella organization of the private sector, the FCCISL has been playing a key role in promoting business and industry in the country by providing the member bodies with a wide spectrum of services ranging from advisory, consultative, promotional, information sharing and representative services.

WFP and The Sun Business Network Partner with FCCISL to Improve Nutrition in Sri Lanka

IFC and FCCISL Work with Sri Lankan Businesses to Help Navigate the Impacts of COVID-19 by Promoting Increased Work-Life Balance

FCCISL, COMBANK Mastercard and CH 17 launch exclusive debit card for SMEs