Despite the restrictions on physical meetings and travel during much of 2020, SDB bank remained connected and in communication with all its rural stakeholder groups. SDB bank has an interdependent relationship with Sri Lankan communities where community goodwill provides us with a legitimate licence to operate, and in turn, communities depend on us for the improvement of their lives and livelihoods.

Just as we derive value from and deliver value to society, we are also a part of the value creation cycle that relates to the environment. Safeguarding our natural resources for future generations, while also encouraging and educating our stakeholders to do the same, ensures the long term sustainability of our operations.

Contributing towards the SDGs

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become relevant in the post-Covid environment, where the Corona Virus has disrupted the country’s value chains that support employments and enterprises, leading to increased financial insecurity. While the full socio-economic impact of Covid-19 is still unquantified, many small businesses have lost markets overnight while thousands of migrant workers have also lost employments, leaving many families facing an uncertain future. Therefore, supporting the SDG’s will also make significant contributions towards Covid recovery in Sri Lanka.

1 End poverty

• Disbursed LKR 20.54 Bn. to SME segment including SMEs and micro-enterprises across the island

2 Zero hunger

• Central Bank of Sri Lanka – Smallholder Agribusiness
  Partnerships Programme – Financing 1000 chili growers in
  North central province
• Financing Dairy farmers with the partnership agreement entered into with MILCO Private Limited
• MOU With DIMO and Browns to finance Agri farmers
• MOU with CA Sri Lanka to enhance capacity of SMEs
• MOU with John Keells Holdings PLC to offer special leasing facilities for Mahindra tractors for smallholders
• Financing and support for value chains in agriculture sector
• Smallholder Agribusiness Partnership Programme (SAPP), an initiative to enhance production levels, productivity, quality,
  and value-addition of agricultural products

4 Quality education

• Education programs through Lakdaru seminars at branch level
• Gold Sponsor of the “41st National Conference of Chartered Accountants”
• SDB virtual library
• SDB News Letter & Smart Idea competition
• 360 degree evaluation and coaching

5 Gender equality

• Uththamavi loan scheme for empowering women
• “Uththamavi Investment Account” designed especially for women to enjoy a higher interest rate and realise life’s objectives step by step. It paves the way for the account holder to realise the aspirations to own a house, and meet expenses

7 Affordable and clean energy

• Green Leasing for electric and hybrid vehicles

8 Economic growth

• Introduced mobile banking to grassroots communities and created awareness
• Installed internet banking kiosks in over 100 cooperatives across Sri Lanka

10 Reduced inequalities

• In partnership with the State Ministry of Defence launched the “Neelaharitha Project” to support retired war veterans into becoming agro-veterans
• Disbursed LKR 35.37 Bn. to senior citizens and war heroes and their families
• Introduced mobile banking to grassroots communities and created awareness
• Installed internet banking kiosks in over 100 co-operatives across Sri Lanka

12 Responsible consumption and production

• donation of electric buggy car to Mulleriyawa Base Hospital

15 Life on land

• donation of LKR 5 Mn. to COVID-19 – Relief Fund
• In addition to the initiatives outlined above, we also undertook the following initiatives in our commitment to the community
• Staff/bank joint donation of electric buggy car to Mulleriyawa Base Hospital

Other community events

As we create value for the society and the environment, so they too create value for the Bank. The networks that have sprung up between the Bank and each stakeholder group enhances the well-being of the individual, the community and the Bank itself.

• LKR 5 Mn. donation to COVID-19 relief fund
• SANASA Nelum Mal Poojawa was organised by the SANASA Federation and the SANASA Movement with the sponsorship of SDB bank for the 19th time. The main objective of this event is to bless Sri Lankan citizens, SANASA members and SDB bank customers with a healthy and prosperous new year.
• SDB bank’s annual blood donation programme 2019, held at the Head Office lobby drew a large number of donors.
• Women’s Day – held number of events under Uththamavi to support and celebrate women entrepreneurs.
• Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations that centre on cultivating thrifty habits.
• CA National Conference sponsor.
• AAT conference sponsor.