Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC Wins Gold at AIRA 2022 and ASRA 2022 for Good Governance and Sustainability Practices

• Highlights the plantation company’s steadfast commitment to ESG
• Brings global recognition to Sri Lanka’s critical tea export industry

Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC, part of the Hayleys Plantations sector, has been recognised with a record number of seven prestigious awards, including four Gold, two Silver, and one Bronze in the 8th Asia Integrated Reporting Awards (AIRA) and Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA). The AIRA and ASRA are considered the most distinguished accolades for integrated and sustainability reporting in the region. The past award ceremonies too, TTE PLC carried away the most number of awards.

Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC won these awards in multiple categories, including Asia’s Best Integrated Report (CEO Message), Asia’s Best Integrated Report (Integrated Thinking), Asia’s Best Integrated Report (Value Creation), Asia’s Best Integrated Report (Governance), Asia’s Best Integrated Report (Large Company), Asia’s Best Stakeholder Reporting and Asia’s Best Materiality Reporting.

Dr. Roshan Rajadurai, Managing Director Hayleys Plantations Sector stated, “Our success in winning these global awards for five consecutive years in competition with the largest companies in Asia, is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the well-being of society and the environment. These awards validate our efforts to embed sustainability at the heart of our business, enabling us to measure our performance and report on it using frameworks like GRI, IR and other climate-related accounting standards.

“While we’re proud of the global recognition we’ve received for our sustainability reporting and initiatives, the most meaningful rewards are the positive outcomes resulting from our sustainability efforts. We remain dedicated to securing a sustainable future for our industry, company and people.”

The virtual awards ceremony was attended by senior business leaders and sustainability practitioners from 16 countries. The awards were revealed by Tom Moody, Regional Director, South East Asia for Climate and Energy, Charis Yeap, Regional Lead for Green Finance at the British High Commission in Singapore, and Elaine Cohen, a well-respected sustainability reporting and integrated reporting expert and a member of the AIRA/ASRA judging panel.

Rajesh Chhabara, founder of AIRA/ASRA and Managing Director of CSRWorks said, “Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC has showcased exemplary leadership in integrated reporting and sustainability reporting.”

He praised the company’s integrated report as a prime example of best practice, highlighting their use of integrated thinking and a multi-capital approach to create long-term value for shareholders and stakeholders. The sustainability report of Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC is also exemplary, demonstrating their dedication to providing high-quality disclosure about how they manage material environmental, social and governance issues, risks and opportunities to create sustainable value for stakeholders.

Integrated reporting enables companies to embed long-term sustainability into their business model and supports the allocation of financial capital. Sustainability reporting enables companies to assess and communicate their ESG performance, manage risks, build trust with stakeholders and align their strategies with global sustainability goals.

The AIRA and ASRA awards go to integrated and sustainability reports that demonstrate high-quality, value-creation reporting. Finalists and winners are selected based on a rigorous assessment process by an independent judging panel. The judging process not only evaluates the quality of the report but also conducts comprehensive due diligence that considers stakeholder reputation.

For more information on the Asia Integrated Reporting Awards, please visit www.csrworks.com/aira and www.csrworks.com/asra.