Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka celebrates International Women’s Day by inspiring women to #Break the Bias

Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka Ltd. (CCBSL) celebrated International Women’s Day 2022, with multiple events designed to celebrate and empower the women of Sri Lanka. The first event was held in-house and included a variety of activities including a practical session on ‘Breaking the Bias’ by Shamal Gunawardena – Director Sales and Commercial of CCBSL and a special address by Mayank Arora – Managing Director of CCBSL.

Both sessions addressed the importance of seeing beyond gender stereotypes and emphasised that both men and women have equal capabilities, and that no one should restrict themselves to any field of work based on their gender. The importance of sharing responsibilities on all occasions, including in the household was also highlighted, as an equal share of the burden allows everyone irrespective of gender to thrive, especially at work. The sessions also underlined the importance of diversity & inclusivity in the workplace and the efforts put in by CCBSL to ensure that voices of women in the workforce are heard and their concerns addressed, to enable a conducive environment in which they can prosper.

The highlight of the International Women’s Day 2022 celebrations was an insightful panel discussion, with eminent female personalities, who have embodied the ‘Break the Bias’ concept in Sri Lanka. The panel included Ms. Aruni Goonetilleke - Chairperson – Hatton National Bank PLC, SSP Ms. Ranasinghe - Director - The Bureau for the Abuse of Children & Women and Ms. Elizabeth Perera – CocaCola Distributor for 40+ years. Each member of the panel had vastly different backgrounds and life experiences. They each spoke about the biases they have encountered in their careers and how they overcame them while balancing their family life as well.

Ms. Aruni Goonetilleke shared her experiences during her climb to the very top of the corporate ladder. She explained how people perceived a female leader and how she was able to keep herself motivated to achieve her goals. Meanwhile, Ms. Ranasinghe and Ms. Elizabeth Perera shared their experiences of what are considered non-traditional careers for women.