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JKH, Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings, DIMO and HDFC Bank were the main winners at the recent ACCA Sri Lanka Sustainability Reporting Awards, which identified and highlighted innovative attempts by companies in Sri Lanka to communicate corporate sustainability performance and to reward transparency.

The chief guest at the ceremony, which took place in February, was Professor Mohan Munasinghe, chairman of the Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND) Colombo and co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Peace. In his address, Professor Munasinghe underlined the importance of the economic, social and environmental impacts (both direct and indirect) of business activity being examined objectively, proactively and with greater accountability.

'The concepts of corporate social responsibility, best practices and compliance standards are crucial for any organisation's long-term success,' said Professor Munasinghe. 'The ACCA awards provide a key benchmark. They promote sustainable practices, so that Sri Lankan businesses could become world leaders in this area.'

Commending Professor Munasinghe for his groundbreaking work on sustainability and climate change, the guest of honour Mark Gold, ACCA president, added that it was important everyone should play their part in fighting climate change. He also reaffirmed how accountants will be a key part of the fight in ensuring a sustainable future for the global economy and society.

'Without the effective measurement and accounting of resources, there will be no way of shepherding the earth's resources in an efficient or meaningful way,' said Gold. 'Sustainability reporting provides the most complete and useful look at a business's operations, accounts, and strategy. It moves reporting well beyond simply looking at bald financial figures and casts a light on the foundations of a business's finances.'

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