Update your browser to view this website correctly. Outdated Browser
For online banking click here.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has taken a leadership role in advancing key sustainability priorities of the United Nations Global Compact Network Sri Lanka by becoming a Patron of Network Sri Lanka’s ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ and ‘Water & Ocean Stewardship’ Working Groups.
The Bank formalised this landmark commitment through the signing of a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Commercial Bank and UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, establishing the Bank’s patronage of the two Working Groups and its role in guiding initiatives that promote sustainable water management and inclusive business practices.
Commercial Bank will provide leadership and advocacy to advance the objectives of the Diversity & Inclusion and Water & Ocean Stewardship Working Groups. The Bank will collaborate with the Network to organise events, facilitate dialogue and partnerships, and encourage greater participation by companies seeking to strengthen their environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. The engagement will also focus on initiatives that accelerate progress towards the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of sustainable water management, ocean stewardship, gender equality and inclusive economic participation.
Commercial Bank’s patronage of the Working Groups builds on a longstanding association with the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka. The Bank became a Participant Organisation of Network Sri Lanka in 2002, only two years after the initiative was launched globally and nearly a decade before the establishment of the Country Network in 2011. Commercial Bank was the first bank in Sri Lanka to join the UN Global Compact. Over the years, the Bank has consistently engaged with the Network’s programmes, including the Global Accelerators and Country Working Groups, reflecting its sustained commitment to responsible business conduct and the pursuit of global development goals.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Bank said: “Commercial Bank’s long association with the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka reflects our belief that responsible business must play a central role in building a sustainable future. By becoming a Patron of the Diversity & Inclusion and Water & Ocean Stewardship Working Groups, we are expanding our engagement from internal implementation of sustainability practices to actively supporting and guiding other organisations on their own sustainability journeys. This partnership enables us to contribute to meaningful progress in areas that are critical for Sri Lanka’s environmental resilience, inclusive growth and long-term economic stability.”
As a Patron, Commercial Bank will work closely with Network Sri Lanka to guide companies in adopting higher standards of water management and inclusive workplace practices, while integrating sustainability considerations into their business strategies. The Water & Ocean Stewardship Working Group focuses on promoting sustainable water management practices that address economic, social and environmental needs while safeguarding the long-term availability and quality of water resources. The Diversity & Inclusion Working Group encourages corporates to foster equitable workplaces where individuals are valued regardless of gender, background or identity, and to adopt policies that advance gender equality, eliminate discrimination and create equal opportunities across recruitment, leadership and workplace culture. The Bank’s engagement will also support initiatives that strengthen gender balance and economic participation, including continued efforts to empower women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses, while ensuring fair and equitable access to opportunities, services and financial support for both women and men.
The Bank’s engagement in these initiatives also expands opportunities for collaboration across the corporate sector, sustainability experts and development organisations, enabling stronger public-private partnerships and collective action towards shared sustainability goals.
For customers and businesses, the Bank’s involvement in the Working Groups is expected to translate into greater access to sustainability-linked knowledge, advisory services and financial solutions, the Bank said. By deepening its expertise in sustainable water management and environmental risk, the Bank will be better positioned to support customers investing in water-efficient technologies and environmentally responsible business operations, while also developing green and sustainability-linked financing solutions.
Participation in the Working Groups will further strengthen Commercial Bank’s ability to share global ESG frameworks and best practices with its customers through awareness programmes, workshops and advisory support. This will help businesses align with international sustainability standards and enhance their competitiveness in global markets.
In addition, the Bank’s involvement in the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group will benefit customers by providing access to collaborative platforms that bring together corporates, experts and development partners, opening avenues for networking, partnerships and knowledge exchange.
The status of Patron is extended by the Network to existing Participant organisations that demonstrate strong leadership in advancing the priorities of its Working Groups. It recognises companies that actively incorporate the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into their business practices and are committed to supporting other organizations in their sustainability journeys.
By assuming this role, Commercial Bank reinforces its position as a responsible financial institution aligned with global sustainability standards and committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s transition towards a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable economy.
Commercial Bank’s environmental stewardship in the sphere of water and ocean conservation is multifaceted and comprises of a series of high-impact initiatives including beach cleaning and beach maintenance projects, coral reefs restoration, marine sanctuary management and regeneration and protection of mangroves and marine ecosystems. These initiatives are executed in partnership with state and non-governmental entities and are focused on integrating ecological restoration with socio-economic resilience.
As a bank that is designated systemically important to the national economy, Commercial Bank has also made financial inclusion integral to core banking through an extensive combination of initiatives that minimise physical, digital, and service-related barriers to formal banking, focusing on areas where inclusion strengthens real-economic activity and financial depth. Targeted approaches to extend participation prioritising underserved segments have significantly broadened the Bank’s customer base, deepened financial intermediation, and reduced informality. The Bank focuses on segments such as SMEs, agriculture and rural livelihoods, microenterprises, and women, where structural barriers are material and where inclusion through core banking activity supports sustainable participation.
Commercial Bank was represented at the signing of the MoU by Mr. Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, together with Mr Hasrath Munasinghe, Deputy General Manager – Corporate Banking and Mrs Ashani Senaratne, Assistant General Manager – Marketing. Network Sri Lanka was represented by Mr Dilhan Fernando, Chairman & CEO, Dilmah Tea and Chairman of the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka.
Commercial Bank is the first Sri Lankan bank with a market capitalisation exceeding US$ 1 Bn. and was also the first bank in the country to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World. Commercial Bank has the highest capital base among all Sri Lankan banks, is the largest private sector lender in Sri Lanka, and the largest lender to the country’s SME sector. Ranked No. 1 in the Business Today Top 40, Commercial Bank is recognised as the most respected and most-awarded Bank in Sri Lanka. Commercial Bank is also a leader in digital innovation and is Sri Lanka’s first 100% carbon-neutral bank.
Commercial Bank operates a network of 272 strategically located branches and automated machines island-wide, and has the widest international footprint among Sri Lankan banks, with 20 branches in Bangladesh, a fully-fledged Tier I Bank with a majority stake in the Maldives, a microfinance company in Myanmar, and a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). The Bank’s fully owned subsidiaries, CBC Finance PLC and Commercial Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited, also deliver a range of financial services via their own branch networks.
Photo caption:
Mr Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO of Commercial Bank and Mr Dilhan Fernando, Chairman of the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka at the signing of the Patron agreement in the presence of senior representatives of the two organisations.
If you`d like more help & information, you can:
