From left to right: Nishadi Rajapaksha, Director of LL-C Sri Lanka, presents the ISO 22301:2019 certification to Shavindra Fernando, Chief Information Security Officer, CDB, in the presence of Managing Director, Mahesh Nanayakkara, and the Risk and Compliance team from CDB

First NBFI in Sri Lanka to Attain ISO 22301:2019 Business Continuity Certification

Underscoring its commitment to enhancing resilience, business continuity, innovation, security, and operational excellence, Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) became the first NBFI in Sri Lanka to achieve ISO 22301:2019 for Business Continuity Management. This milestone builds on CDB’s long-standing commitment to information security, following its successful recertification with ISO 27001:2022 for Information Security Management in September 2024—an upgrade from its previous ISO 27001:2013 certification, which it had previously sustained for over six years. With these certifications, CDB sets a new benchmark in the financial sector under well-established protocols in security and operational standards, assuring customers that operations will continue without disruption.

Speaking about the certifications, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Shavindra Fernando said, “At CDB, security and resilience are fundamental to our operations. Achieving ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 highlights our commitment to safeguarding customer data, ensuring business continuity, and addressing emerging risks, solidifying our position as a trusted financial partner”

As a pioneering NBFI in Sri Lanka’s financial industry, CDB has consistently upheld its commitment to achieving global standards while continuously adapting to stay ahead of industry trends. The organization’s approach to governance and compliance is dynamic, ensuring resilience and integrity as it delivers services that create value for all stakeholders. By aligning with the regulations set by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and other relevant accounting and governance standards, CDB ensures the provision of secure, reliable services and maintains the highest level of protection for customer data and information.

CDB has aligned its sustainability strategy to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 9, which focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting innovation, and fostering sustainable industrialization. With these standards, processes, and systems in place, CDB steps up to contribute to broader sustainability goals.

As evidenced by these certifications, CDB continues to lead in technological resilience and operational excellence. The Company’s continued focus on raising the bar in customer satisfaction and technological innovation clearly highlights its commitment to pushing boundaries in meeting stakeholder aspirations and leading tech disruption.

Holds SMB Fair under SMB Friday platform with Wings Ecosystem and patpat.lk

Underscoring International Women’s Day theme this year of Accelerating Action, Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) accelerated the journey of women-led SMEs with a Women’s Day SMB Fair at Independence Arcade, Colombo 7. Organized under the SMB Friday platform in collaboration with Wings Ecosystem and patpat.lk, the women-led SMEs showcased an expansive range of products and services, adding immense visibility for their businesses.

CDB’s Sustainability Agenda holds a strong Socially Conscious Pillar which embraces the verticals of women and youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. This SMB Fair therefore brings this vertical onto a singular platform where women entrepreneurs are driven to the fore, accelerating their journey to building a strong and innovative businesses.

The SMB Fair showcased an expansive range of products and services, including food and beverage, art and craft, apparel, gifts, homeware, accessories, and educational service providers.

Director – Sales & Business Development of CDB Sasindra Munasinghe explained that these women-led SMEs have been partnered by CDB via SMB Friday, to not just uplift their businesses but also to enhance their marketing capabilities and knowledge, financial management and to enable Sri Lanka to have a strong ecosystem of women-led businesses. “These businesses which have been featured on CDB social media channels and patpat.lk have tangibly seen increased visibility as the features include a summary of their unique stories, the USPs of their products, and contact information. As we ‘Accelerate Action’ as is stated in the IWD 2025 theme this year, we reiterate our commitment to accelerate action to build strong and stable women-led businesses aligned to our primary social sustainability goal of social inclusivity.

Mahesh Nanayakkara, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, CDB and Heshma Wignaraja, Director, Chitrasena Vajira Dance Foundation align efforts to ensure the continuity of Sri Lankan tradition, culture, and heritage. 

Collaboration intends to impart traditional dance foundation methods, unique to the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya, along with a critical understanding of basics in traditional drumming, folk singing, and theatre craft

Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) has partnered with the Chitrasena Vajira Dance Foundation (CVDF), strengthening an 80-year legacy of preserving Sri Lanka’s traditional dance. This collaboration falls under the Preserving Art & Culture vertical of CDB’s Socially Conscious Pillar in its Sustainability Strategy. Together, CVDF and CDB aims to strengthen traditional dance theatre foundations and safeguard the intangible cultural heritage embodied in Sri Lanka’s traditional dances.

Chitrasena, celebrated for transforming Sri Lankan dance into a theatre art form steeped in the country’s age-old culture, traditions, and folklore, together with his wife Vajira, the nation’s foremost prima ballerina of traditional dance, created a formidable legacy of creative work to establish not only a theatre form but a whole new genre called the Ceylonese Ballet. Their groundbreaking artistry brought Sri Lankan dance to the world stage, performing for royalty, heads of state, and global audiences.

Their vision has been carried forward by the second and third generations of the Chitrasena family. Daughters Anjalika and Upeka followed in their parents' footsteps, and Upeka took on the role of Principal Dancer. Today, the Principal Dancer’s mantle is held by their son Anudatta’s daughter, Thaji Dias, while Artistic Director Heshma Wignaraja, Anjalika’s daughter, oversees the CVDF’s vision and creative direction.

“Generations of dancers nurtured by the Chitrasena family have brought immense pride to our cultural heritage,” explained Mahesh Nanayakkara, MD/CEO of CDB. “This collaboration not only preserves the legacy of Sri Lankan dance but ensures its relevance and vibrancy for future generations. The Foundation’s ballets and choreographed works, inspired by village rituals, folklore, and percussion traditions, remain an invaluable part of our cultural inheritance. Supporting their efforts aligns perfectly with our commitment to preserving art and culture.”

The scholarship program, supported by CDB, forms part of the Foundation’s rigorous six-year training course designed for serious dancers, teachers, choreographers, and theatre practitioners. Over the past 12 years, this programme has played a vital role in cultivating talent, with previous support from donors and sponsors. This partnership now ensures its continued success, providing a structured pathway for students to develop their craft and contribute to the broader cultural landscape of Sri Lanka.

Image credit: Alefiya Akbarally 

Manager Sustainability of CDB Vajeesha Edirisinghe is presented the trophy by Chief Guest British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick, while Senior AGM Finance Chamath Siriwardene is presented the certificate by Chairman of the ACCA Member Network Panel Chaaminda Kumarasiri. Head of the South Asia Cluster of ACCA Nilusha Ranasinghe and AGM Marketing & Sustainability of CDB Suneth Senadheera pose with them for the winner’s photograph

Underscoring continued commitment to accountability, transparency and responsibility to people, planet and profit, CDB was adjudged the winner in the Other Financial Category at the 20th edition of the ACCA Sri Lanka Sustainability Reporting Awards held last week. Organised by ACCA Sri Lanka in an award scheme that spans across the world, the award rewards and recognizes organisations that report and disclose sustainability information in full including environmental and social impacts, raising awareness in corporate transparency issues and increasing accountability of responsiveness to stakeholders.

The panel of judges chaired by Adjunct Professor of Practice at Amrita School of Sustainable Futures Santhosh Jayaram, stated in the Judges’ Report that the CDB report stood out in its articulation of strategy, anchored in tech disruption and sustainability for a ten-year time frame. “It (the CDB Report) demonstrates integrated thinking in a fairly-traditional industry and evidences its claims. Its long-term commitment to Child Health and Wellbeing and Autism are commendable.”

The judging criteria evaluated on strategy, governance, risk management and metrics and targets, also marked fair presentation, materiality, reporting entity and connection information in the overall presentation of the report.

Stating that when companies embrace the People, Planet, Profit approach, it moves beyond short-term gains to long-term resilience, Deputy CEO of CDB Damith Tennakoon said, “This award reiterates our commitment to raising the bar when it comes to sustainability reporting. We believe that by continually improving on our benchmarks, CDB is future-focused, engaging with our stakeholders and exampling that we are committed to going beyond the bottom line.” He added that CDB is committed to shaping a better tomorrow because by choosing to report openly, the Company also demonstrate that it is acting responsibly to create a future that is sustainable, inclusive and just.

The winning CDB Team at the ACCA Sri Lanka Sustainability Reporting Awards