Forum featuring influential women leaders who shared their experiences and perspectives to drive progress in workplace diversity

In a powerful move to promote inclusivity, EY Global Delivery Services (EY GDS) Sri Lanka hosted an impactful panel discussion on social equity. 

The forum featured influential women leaders who shared their experiences and perspectives to drive progress in workplace diversity, both within the EY organisation and in the wider community.

The panellists, including Kasturi Chellaraja, the first female Group CEO of a public quoted conglomerate in Sri Lanka, Sandra De Zoysa, the first female Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies and Ashanthi Weerasinghe, co-founder of one of the largest fitness centre networks in Sri Lanka, offered valuable insights about dismantling societal biases and creating equal opportunities.

Highlighting a stark gender disparity in Sri Lanka’s ICT sector—where women represent a mere 30 percent of the workforce, despite high educational attainment—the event underscored the need for urgent action to close the gender gap in technology.

Marking two years of its presence in Sri Lanka, EY GDS reiterated its commitment to diversity and has successfully achieved and maintained a 50:50 gender-balanced workforce.

“Our pursuit of social equity is relentless and woven into the fabric of our operations,” said EY GDS Sri Lanka Location and Consulting Leader Sam Rajapaksa.

“Our goal is to cultivate an environment where every voice is heard and every potential is realised. By embracing an ‘always-on’ diversity mindset, we address disparities head-on, transforming our work culture to one where every individual can thrive.”

As a purpose-driven organisation, EY GDS prioritises inclusivity and equity throughout its internal systems, processes and programmes. For example, through year-round employee listening exercises, the organisation actively seeks insights into its diverse workforce’s experiences that can guide continuous improvement in achieving equity and fairness.