Marking the tenth year of honouring inspiring Sri Lankan women, Women in Management (WIM), in collaboration with Women in Work, a partnership between IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the government of Australia, today launched the ‘Top 50’ Professional and Career
Women Awards 2020. The move marks IFC’s sixth consecutive year in co-hosting the awards which recognises and celebrates Sri Lankan women who have excelled in their careers, businesses, and everyday life, inspiring others.

With over 420 past award winners, representing a wide array of professions such as banking and finance, hospitality, media, legal, logistics and supply chains, the ‘Top 50’ Professional and Career Women Awards,’ demonstrates the significant role women play in bringing about transformational change as employees, entrepreneurs, and business leaders. “The decade of recognising women leadership in Sri Lanka by WIM has opened many closed doors for women as well as corporates to find best talents and it has delivered profitable results to the country's economy,” said Dr. Sulochana Segera Founder/Chairperson of WIM. “It’s not about the night of the award that matters, it’s all about finding the hidden success of women and bringing them out to appreciate their silent leadership and also to encourage them to mentor more men and women towards gender equality.”

For IFC, gender equality is not only a social and moral imperative, but also makes business
sense. Globally, companies are increasingly recognising that they can gain greater competitive
advantage and improve profits by targeting women as employees, entrepreneurs, consumers
and business leaders. Increasing the share of women in corporate leadership roles is associated
with higher company profits and improved environmental and social outcomes. “We believe recognising women who have demonstrated success in their chosen career creates a legacy that inspires others,” said Sarah Twigg, Programme Manager for Women in Work, IFC. “These awards challenge traditional views of women’s roles as business leaders, and help prompt companies to take action to create more gender equal workplaces.”

In IFC’s 50-years of operations in Sri Lanka, WIM has been a longstanding partner. Together, IFC and WIM continue to provide skills-building and training opportunities for women in senior
management, middle-management and those entrepreneurs who lead, or work in, micro and small businesses in Sri Lanka. These initiatives, including the ‘Top 50’ Professional and Career Women Awards 2020, are instigated under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work programme. “Supporting women to participate in the economy and build a sustainable future for their country is very important, particularly in the time of COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, this participation is celebrated through the Professional and Career Women Awards, and we are proud to partner with WIM in highlighting the achievements of Sri Lankan women,” said David Holly, Australian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka.

The awards, which have expanded globally with its presence in Canada and the Maldives, are
not only a catalyst for the award winner’s own career or business trajectory, but also encourages
many other aspiring women to shatter the glass ceiling, propelling them to reach higher in their
chosen field. This year’s panel of judges, chaired by Shiromal Cooray, Chairman & Managing
Director of Jetwing Travels, include H.E. David John Holly, High Commissioner of Australia to Sri
Lanka, Nadija Tambiah, Executive Vice President of John Keells Group, Dr. Rohantha Athukorala,
CEO of Clootrack Sri Lanka/Maldives & Pakistan, Sarah Twigg, Programme Manager of Women
in Work, Nisthar Cassim, Editor of Daily Finance Times, Jayanthi Dharmasena, Managing Director
of Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd, Kumara Samarasinghe, Marketing Consultant, Thamari
Senanayake, Associate Director Corporate of Regulatory Affairs & Consumer Care Fontera Brands Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, Rohan Maskorala, CEO of Shippers Academy Colombo (Pvt) Ltd.

The nominations for the awards are open until 15th September 2020, and can be made by
visiting www.womeninmanagementawards.org.