SLITAD hosts 5th Edition of People Development Awards

The Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development (SLITAD) recently celebrated the fifth edition of the People Development Awards (PDA) for the year 2023/24. The event, held at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel last month (August), brought together industry leaders, professionals, and distinguished guests to honour organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to human resource development (HRD).

The PDA is an accolade designed to recognise organisations that exemplify excellence in people development. The awards framework consists of three clusters—strategic, operational, and impact and sustainability—encompassing ten key standards. These include business strategy, leadership and management strategy, learning and development (L&D), and performance measurement, among others. 

This year’s PDA honoured the remarkable achievements of organisations across diverse sectors. The Platinum Award was presented to CDB Finance for their sustained excellence in human capital development, having previously won the Gold Award three consecutive times. Gold Award recipients included Wichy Plantations, Imperial Tea Exports, Laugfs Holdings, Kelani Valley Plantations, Star Garments, Hayleys Fentons, First Capital Holdings, National Development Bank, Abans, Lion Brewery, and Nestle Lanka. Among the Silver Award recipients were: Fashion Bug, Janashakthi Insurance, Cargills Bank, HNB General Insurance, Samson Compounds, and HNB Assurance. Prestige Ventures Lanka earned the Bronze Award.

Under the leadership of its President Adrian Joseph, Vice President Primal de Silva, and the executive council, SLITAD aims to continue elevating the role of training and development across public and private sectors. The institute is focused on redefining training functions, establishing higher professional standards, and promoting ethical practices in HRD. With plans to host a national conference on a larger scale and seeking incorporation through an Act of Parliament, SLITAD is also aiming to strengthen its legal foundation.