The Hayleys Group received top honours at the National Chamber of Exports Awards, with its export manufacturing, agriculture, tea export, and transportation and logistics sectors honoured for their resilience and significant contributions to the nation amid the unique challenges faced over the past year.
The diversified conglomerate’s contributions to the country’s revenue generation as a responsible corporate citizen, a key criteria for the judging panel, ensured its ranking as the number one corporate for the second consecutive year in the ‘Business Today’ List for 2021/22.
Hayleys PLC Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage said, “Our market-leading export innovations, manufactured in Sri Lanka, are sought after across continents to help solve some of society’s most pressing issues. Earning the number one ranking in the Business Today Top 40 and multiple prestigious accolades at the NCE Export Awards together highlight the passion and dedication of our teams in driving economic value for society and the nation.
“Our management teams have ensured the right systems, controls and governance principles are in place to safeguard employees and our wider ecosystems amid the current economic predicament. Their agility, entrepreneurship, and innovation has ensured we meet our commitments to our customers while directly supporting the livelihoods of thousands of local smallholder farmers and out-growers, small-scale suppliers and micro-entrepreneurs.
“The ‘Business Today’ publication cited the Group’s performance as “a testament to prudent leadership and strategising that successfully harnessed the strengths across its multiple verticals to navigate a challenging year. Hayleys PLC is a pivotal contributor to the country’s socioeconomic progress, which is noteworthy when Sri Lanka is at its nadir in forex reserves,” he said.
National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) President Ravi Jayawardene said, “During a troublesome period with lingering issues of foreign currency, fuel and energy and many other social dilemmas, resilient exporters have performed against all odds to support the nation by bringing much-needed foreign exchange to the country.”