WUSC Sri Lanka hosts transformational CSR session for CEOs

From left: Chandev Abhayaratne of SLCBC, WUSC Sri Lanka Country Director Esther McIntosh, High Commissioner of Canada Shelley Whiting, CBSR Executive Director Steven Fish and Uniterra Country Coordinator Harshani Samarajeewa

The World University Service Canada (WUSC) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Canada Business Council (SLCBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce hosted a CEOs breakfast presentation and networking session at The Kingsbury Hotel with Canadian CSR coach, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) Executive Director Steven Fish. This session was graced by High Commissioner of Canada Shelley Whiting. 
This high-level event featured CEOs from corporate companies discussing the challenges they face with CSR and sustainable growth in their sectors. 
Speaking at this session, Whiting expressed that working with the WUSC and the SLCBC was one of the highlights of her role as ambassador. In order to increase trade relations between the two countries businesses must be on board with CSR principles. “One of Canada’s top priorities is to promote inclusive economic growth. Trade and prosperity is a central means of uplifting our society,” Whiting said.  
WUSC Country Director Esther McIntosh emphasized that partnership with the private sector is a key part of WUSC’s ASSET project, which aims to reach the disadvantaged and ensure a sustainable future.  
Steven Fish presented the 19 principles of a transformational company using key examples from Canada and emphasized that CSR “is much bigger than a single programme within your company, it has to come from the top. There is tremendous growth potential in Sri Lanka. But how do you sustain this level of growth without losing the natural wonder of this place?”
Speaking after the event, SLCBC President Chandev Abhayaratne observed, “Many businesses in Sri Lanka look at CSR as a short-term donation, a quick fix or something that can be completed over a weekend, but it must be integrated into the whole company in order to have a sustainable impact. Companies are about profits, but CSR reminds us that it can’t be profits at 
any cost.” 
These sessions on transformational CSR are organised by the Advancing Specialized Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) project and Uniterra projects, which are funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC).