CBL Group among Top 10 Most Admired Companies of Sri Lanka
Waiting to die in Uda Walawe
CBL Group was named among the Top 10 Most Admired Companies in Sri Lanka for the financial year 2019/2020 by the International Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ICCSL) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) together with Daily FT.
This accolade recognises 10 exemplary organisations across listed and unlisted companies, which have shown exemplary financial performance, supported by the value created for stakeholders, customers, employees and society at large.
CBL, a name synonymous with some of the best-loved family brands of the nation, has been at the forefront of developing the food supply value chain in Sri Lanka and fuelling economic growth. Through its agriculture operations, the group creates value for its network of 13,000 organic and conventional farmers, aimed at improving livelihoods and maximising land and resource efficiency towards a sustainable agriculture sector.
In its operations, CBL’S workforce of over 6,000 employees support CBL brands to take food with purpose to households everywhere through their distributor network nationwide.
“We want our everyday actions to make a positive impact on the lives of our consumers and stakeholders so we focus on
delivering the best quality food products to our consumers to address their needs. We believe that our success is best measured by the value we create in our consumers through our brands and products. We are humbled that our efforts have earned us Sri Lanka’s admiration,” said CBL Group Chairman Ramya Wickramasingha. The award also recognises CBL’S resilience in times of crisis. As one of the first food manufacturers to begin
operations during the lockdown, the agility of CBL’S workforce enabled the group to adapt to the new normal and continue to support and strengthen the food supply chain.
Wickramasingha explained, “At CBL, we strive to live our core values and our CBL value is at the heart of everything we do. We made a decision that we would take every measure to ensure that every CBL employee had job security and fulfilment,
so we are very proud that despite the immense challenges of this pandemic, we were able to continue operations under every safety protocol, ensure zero layoffs and fulfil increments, bonuses and promotions for all.”
CBL Group is home to leading Sri Lankan brands Munchee, Ritzbury, Tiara, Revello, Samaposha, Nutriline, Sera and Lankasoy and is one of Sri Lanka’s largest FMCG conglomerates and exporters.
The first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere” by 2030. While achieving the goal of zero poverty is a lofty goal for any government, it is profoundly more so for those of developing countries.
The high levels of inequalities and resource constraints are the main factors that stand in the way of reaching this ambitious yet attainable aim.
There are several steps Sri Lanka can take to fast-track the achievement of SDG 1, and extend greater social protection to its most vulnerable groups. This blog analyses the Samurdhi (prosperity) programme, the country’s main poverty alleviation initiative launched in 1995, and argues that addressing its core problem of poor targeting of beneficiaries is essential to end poverty in Sri Lanka.
Where do we stand?
Sri Lanka has performed reasonably well in the area of poverty eradication in relation to its South Asian neighbours. As evident from the global progress towards achieving SDG 1 – Sri Lanka has reported a continually declining long-term poverty trend.
The number of poor in the country has gradually declined with only 843,913 persons in poverty in 2016 in comparison to 1.3 million in 2012/13. The share of poor households has also declined from 5.3 percent in 2012/13 to 3.1 percent in 2016. The proportion of poor as measured by the poverty headcount index (PHCI) also shows a long-term downward trend with an over 70 percent drop during the decade between 2006 –2016 (PHCI 2006/7 15.2 percent – PHCI 2016 4.1 percent).
Poor targeting
The Samurdhi programme currently supports over 1.8 million beneficiaries but ineffective targeting has been a major issue plaguing the programme for several years.
As a poverty alleviation strategy, its main target should be low-income groups but analysis of Samurdhi recipient households shows that the programme supports not only low-income categories but families with high income too.
As of 2019, approximately 33 percent of Sri Lankan households were recipients of Samurdhi benefits, and this represents a proportion that is much higher than the current poverty levels. Data show that targeting has worsened over time with a lesser proportion of poor households benefiting each year.
The programme, thus, suffers from both inclusion – including ineligible groups – and exclusion – excluding eligible groups – errors.
A comparison of the proportion of households supported under the Samurdhi programme categorised by per capita expenditure deciles highlights the issue of poor targeting.
A study by Tilakaratna and Sooriyamudali (2017) based on calculations made using the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) data shows that over 60 percent of households in the poorest two income deciles were Samurdhi beneficiaries in 1995/96.
During the 2006/07 HIES period, over 55 percent of families in the poorest decile received Samurdhi assistance. In 2009/10 this declined to include only 45 percent of the poorest households.
By 2012/13, this proportion consisted of only 36 percent of households. According to the latest calculations, just 39 percent of households in the poorest decile received Samurdhi assistance in 2016.
Comparison of the two most recent HIES survey periods of 2012/13 and 2016 shows that the total share of households receiving Samurdhi has increased from 16.4 percent in 2012/13 to 20.1 percent in 2016. Data further indicates that this increase is representative in all deciles except for households in decile 10 (richest). As such, this increase, while beneficial for the poor, has also tilted in favour of the rich – those that should not qualify to receive benefits under the Samurdhi programme.
Way forward
The Samurdhi programme should focus on supporting the ‘neediest’ groups and fully cover those belonging to the poorest income deciles as they are the most vulnerable and require assistance for livelihood sustenance.
To improve its targeting errors, Samurdhi should implement a formal eligibility mechanism that thoroughly evaluates households to ensure that only poor families receive cash transfers.
The Department of Samurdhi Development recently introduced a more comprehensive set of eligibility criteria and selection process. According to the new criteria, applicants are critically evaluated based on a series of weighted criteria by a rural committee of a minimum of five members, and eligibility is determined based on the final score received. If implemented as directed, this will contribute to a reduction in targeting errors.
Apart from this, regular re-evaluations of the status of existing beneficiaries will help identify families that no longer need assistance. Better targeting will free up resources that can be redirected to the poorest groups in society.
This will ensure the effective utilisation of Sri Lanka’s very limited fiscal and other resources. Furthermore, continued assistance solely targeting the poor will contribute to improving standards of living over time and ultimately lead to poverty alleviation in the long-term, and bring us closer to the goal of achieving the first SDG.
(Lakshila Wanigasinghe is a Research Assistant at IPS with research interests in poverty, social welfare, development, education, and health. She holds an MSC in Economics with a concentration in Development Economics and a BA in Economics with concentrations in International, Financial and Law and Economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), US. Talk with Lakshila via lakshila@ips.lk)
A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., pioneer in the Sri Lankan agriculture sector once again made a milestone by introducing two new veterinary products to Sri Lankan livestock sector on February 20th at the Cinnamon Lakeside hotel Colombo.
A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., is a Swiss company established by Alfred Baur in 1897 with a legacy of 124 years in Sri Lanka providing creative solutions to different sectors; agriculture, healthcare, consumer, industrial raw material, textile machinery and air services with the purpose of transforming Sri Lanka into a modern economy.
Baurs Animal Health Division has been providing 360 degree of complete solutions to the Sri Lankan poultry sector over 3 decades nurturing nutritional aspects to disease prevention and controlrepresenting world prestigious brands; Elanco Animal Health, Bioproton Australia, Evonik Germany and Optima Life Sciences.
The state-of-the-art warehousing facility, well trained and experienced staff, inhouse quality control, certifications andinternational compliances differentiate Baurs Animal Health from the rest.
A. Baur & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., joined hands together with its main principal; Elanco Animal Health, pioneer in Animal nutrition and health in the world on February 20th to launch 2 veterinary products as solutions for 2 major challenges faced by
Sri Lankan poultry farmers.
Elanco Animal Health is a global leader in animal health with nearly 70 years of animal health heritage dedicated to innovate and deliverproducts and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, create value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders and society as a whole.
One of the two products launched is a Anticoccidial feed additive; Maxiban 25 Kg, a product from Elanco USA for Coccidiosis and the other is Pulmotil AC; a veterinary drugfor Mycoplasma
Gallicepticumfrom Elanco UK.
A technical session was heldprior to the product launch for veterinary consultants, nutritionists and key opinion leaders of the industry while connecting technical experts from overseas online due to the current travel restrictions.
The product launch was held in the evening with the presence of Government officials, veterinary consultants, nutritionists, key opinion leaders, feed millers and customers across the country whileadhering to all the health guidelines and precautionary measures.
Rolf Blaser -Managing Director/ceo of A. Baur and Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., addressed the gathering while Ajith Bhadouria – Managing Director-india and Bangladesh Elanco India Private Limited delivered a speech online.
In addition to that Dr. Rajat Mohanty – Head of Sales -Key Accounts, and Dr. Ginesh Nair -Marketing Manager Poultry, Elanco India Private Limited also joined the session online.
Kicking off the first of four consecutive Mondays which sees interesting panel discussions applicable to the modern Sri Lankan woman, The Peace Prompters delivered an interesting and thought provoking discourse between Author and Researcher – Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Sarah Kabir, Writer, Researcher and Activist Amalini De Sayrah and Director for Legal and Advocacy NCEASL Yamini Ravindran.
A coterie of women and a sprinkling of men gathered at Lake Lodge, a small luxury boutique hotel in the heart of the city to participate in the first session titled The Peace Prompters which was moderated by Savithri Rodrigo the founder and creator of online digital programme Kaleidoscope who has joined forces with Taru, from Table by Taru at Lake Lodge to host Cargills International Women’s Day Festival The Changemakers.
Warming to the theme of women as peace builders the speakers spoke passionately about their roles as peace makers and prompters and also the challenges they face in executing their work.
Addressing the question if women being agents of change is simply rhetorical, Yamini observed that Women have always been change-makers despite the many challenges they face in doing so. One such challenge that new statistics has revealed that in 2019 women in Sri Lanka had a digital literacy rate of less than 28%. This itself poses a challenge and barrier in today’s context. She also said that “women have to sacrifice more in everything that they do. Women can only access resources if we give them that space
and protection.” Observing that women are actively engaged in peace building Amilani said that “From Puttalam to Jaffna and across the island there are many women’s groups at grassroots levels that are having dialogues and raising issues which need to be addressed”
In a patriarchal society such as ours, we have witnessed the peace process being primarily driven by males. The panelists were unequivocal in their stance that more women must play a role in the peace process. Yamini opined that society should first understand what peace really is. “A lot of the time we think peace is the absence of war, conflict or violence whereas peace is actually the work involved in dignity and well being for all as individuals. If you look at it from that aspect and the way we look at women involved in peace our perception completely changes We also need to understand the important role women can play in peace building and bring them to that level playing field.”
She further explained “if you take war or violence, women go through that experience very differently to men. Women have insights in to violence and war because of the role that they play in the community as wives mothers and guardians. Women can also bring a very unique perspective into possible solutions to conflicts because of their different perspectives. We need to recognise these aspects and affirm women who are already out there effecting change and at the same time enable and encourage women at community level to come forward and engage. However in order to encourage them to do so we need to show them that there is protection if they come forward.
When I say protection I mean it in the practical sense with legislative mechanisms structural changes.”
Offering her viewpoint on the need for women to come forward and drive the peace processes, Amilani mentioned that women often find that their reputations and characters are harmed by people in society when they find out that they can be outspoken. She also said “the physical insecurity and intimidation that come from state structures can also effect many women from coming forward as agents of change.” Women at grassroots levels who are effecting the most amount of change are the ones who have issues with people asking them about their movements and questioning them to a point of intimidation. As much as we say women need to come to the forefront there should also be a tangible mechanism to protect them against intimation. We also need to take in to consideration if it is fair to ask women to come to the forefront and be change-makers if there is no mechanism to protect them against intimidation and backlash” she added.
Pitching her thoughts as to why women don’t come forward as much as they should, Sarah opined that “cultural, religious and different social structures that women are part of play a role in holding them back from becoming peacemakers. However they can make a change at ground level by teaching their children through choice of words and actions messages of peace”
Addressing the question as to how women can get a seat at the table when it comes to reconciliation work, Amilani proffered that despite women getting close to a seat at the table and having contributed at policy level to various discussions and meeting the last two governments released reports which have been gathering dust. This has not instilled much confidence in women who have risked much to share their views and opinions on peace building. “We need more women representative of the various conflict areas at the policy making tables. We need to put in the effort to bring these women to the front as these are the people who have the real experience and they are ones who can help bring about real solutions to real problems”
During the panel discussion one of the important threads that came to the fore was the lack of commitment across the board to push forward peace and reconciliation. “There is very little interest in peace and reconciliation and it has left room for ultra nationalism to rise up which is very ominous to a climate of peace in Sri Lanka. As much as we would like to blame our leader, we also need to change our mindset and once we do that then we can lead to a more peaceful country” added Sarah.
Another aspect that needed to be addressed in Amilani’s view is the lack of justice to victims. “In a sense the perpetrators of crimes especially during the war have not been brought to justice. This brings into question the status of all these commissions and reports. We can’t go forward without addressing these issues. When there is so much unaddressed issues how can communities move forward and reconciliation be facilitated. Accountability needs to prevail” she stressed.
One way of moving forward according to Yamini is through education. “We need to find non traditional interventions to get the message across. Be in comic books or cartoons, if those streams are effective in getting across messages of peace and coexistence then we should bring in alternative and neutral narratives. We also have to be intentional when we speak to women so that they understand our language.”
Peace building can not only be confined to those who have been victims of war or violence. Instead each one of us has a role to play in building peace and reconciliation. Summing it up perfectly Sarah added “we always think everything happens in this bubble in Colombo but a lot is being done at the ground level by women. The privileged amongst us can be the most apathetic instead of being active change makers. We can create spaces of influence, help make policy and so much more but we often take a back seat. We need to be the change first”
Warming to the theme of women as peace builders the speakers spoke passionately about their roles as peace makers and prompters and also the challenges they face in executing their work
A lot of the time we think peace is the absence of war, conflict or violence whereas peace is actually the work involved in dignity and well being for all as individuals.”
The physical insecurity and intimidation that come from state structures can also effect many women from coming forward as agents of change.”
The next session Day 2 on March 8th features The Pioneers
Women who have chosen to challenge conventional career paths and now lead their disciplines with tenacity and purpose. Panellists are Triad Joint Managing Director Varuni Amunugama Fernando,
Hemas Holdings
Cultural, religious and different social structures that women are part of play a role in holding them back from becoming peacemakers.”
Group CEO Kasturi Chellarajah Wilson and Sri Lanka’s first hip hop artiste Ashanthi de Alwis.
The second session on Day 2 titled The Leading Men will begin from 6 pm onwards: Purpose-driven leading global companies, Standard Chartered Bank Sri Lanka, London Stock Exchange Group, Sri Lanka, and Brandix have been re-defining a world of work with gender meritocracy at the helm. It is their experiences, challenges, solutions and ground realities that will be discussed in depth. The panellists are Head of Shared Services Center LSEG Sri Lanka Arjuna Nanayakkara, Group Chief People Officer of Brandix Ishan Dantanarayana and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Bingumal Thewarathanthri