The Bank with a Heart, Seylan Bank, recently held a knowledge exchange workshop for all of its female workers. The event featured guest speakers Dr. Linda Speldewinde, Founder and Chairperson of Design Corp Group of Companies, and Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya-Dissanayake, Chairperson and Trustee of Indira Cancer Trust.
Dr. Linda Speldewinde, speaking to the audience, emphasised that gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls have long been part of our country's development process. She discussed how the Design Group of Companies gives a forum for Sri Lankan women to launch new strategies that would help them to survive and prosper in the current economic climate.
Dr. Speldewinde, a visionary leader with international expertise, hopes to share fresh knowledge by establishing the Academy of Design as a globally accessible learning hub for design and innovation from South Asia.
Dr. Lanka Jayasuriya-Dissanayake addressed the audience on a separate but equally essential topic: cancer prevention. "There are numerous cancer preventive advocacy campaigns available, focusing on healthy lifestyles with clear messages about good foods, physical activity, and mental exercises, among other things. "For females, early detection of cancer is critical, especially for common malignancies like breast cancer," she noted. Dr. Jayasuriya-Dissanayake is currently the Chairperson and Trustee of the Indira Cancer Trust, a non-governmental organisation that provides help to cancer patients and their families through more than 20 programmes.
The discussions were well-received by the audience, who had the opportunity to express their concerns and debate strategies to overcome obstacles to self-development and healthy living. Women's empowerment is not a new notion for Seylan Bank, which has been a leader in developing female leaders since its establishment. Women currently make up 45 percent of the Bank's workforce, as well as 27 percent of the Board of Directors and nearly half of the board committees. Furthermore, women manage and lead 20 percent of the overall personnel cadre. Seylan Bank was named one of the Best Women Friendly Workplaces in Sri Lanka by Great Place to Work in 2021, a testament to the company's egalitarian ethos.
Appreciating the contribution of the women at the Bank during the event, Amanthi Motha, Chief HR Manager, Seylan Bank said, “Today we have empowered our Seylan female employees by putting them at the center of our decision making, planning and action, in order to entrust them with more responsibilities for the betterment of the future of the bank. Many of the ladies who have joined at entry level jobs, have successfully managed to climb up the ranks to management level positions. Even before ‘Equality’ and ‘Inclusivity’ became buzz words in the corporate sector, Seylan Bank had embodied this spirit since inception, and will continue to do so”.
