The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) struck Gold when it clinched the highest honour under the category ‘Not – to profit’ at the 54thAnnual Report Awards hosted by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, recently. Following this achievement SLIM was also conferred with a certificate of merit for its Annual Report submitted under the category of non-governmental organisations at the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA). The annual report won kudos for its transparency, accountability and corporate governance methods. The Awards ceremony was held on 22nd January in Pune, India SAFA is a forum of professional accountancy bodies which is committed to positioning, maintaining and developing the accountancy profession in the SAARC region while ensuring its continued eminence in the world of accountancy in the public interest and towards the broad economic development of the region.

Held annually since 1996, the SAFA BPA Award for the ‘Best Presented Annual Reports’ is considered the most prestigious accolade for financial reporting in the South Asian region. It also is a testament to SAFA’s recognition and reward for organizations in the region which have achieved excellence in presentation and disclosure of high quality, relevant, reliable and objective financial statements in accordance to the framework stipulated by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Pradeep Edward, President – SLIM and also the CEO of Lanka Hospitals Diagnostics stated: “We are delighted and humbled to have been acknowledged for our efforts and remain dedicated, as an organisation, to stand out for trust and transparency.

SLIM has always valued the vital importance of proper corporate governance to ensure fairness, openness and accountability. We will continually review our corporate governance policies and guidelines to ensure transparency in its practices and ensure the delivery of the highest ethical standards and quality information to its stakeholders. Also our reputation has been built on being a respected, responsible national body valuing the marketing fraternity.” Judging for the SAFA BPA awards involves the scrutiny of annual reports nominated by accounting bodies in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka which are appraised under different categories for their excellence accountability and transparency.

Acknowledging the high standard maintained by SLIM, Sanath Senanayake - CEO/ Executive Director – SLIM stated, “This recognition stands as a testament to SLIM’s commitment to transparency and accountability to its stakeholders that contributes to the long-term trust, success and sustainability of the company. Our corporate governance framework ensures transparency and accountability to the regulators, as well as to all our stakeholders including the public. Winning this award is an affirmation of maintaining consistency of the best practices in all these areas”. As the national body of Marketing in Sri Lanka, SLIM continues its effort towards enhancing and continuously developing marketing education in Sri Lanka and its commitment towards the profession by widening the horizons of present and future marketers in the country while ensuring excellence in education.

SLIM is the National body for Marketing in Sri Lanka and has been promoting marketing excellence and elevating the status of marketing since 1970. It is a member of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), Organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA), Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) and Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC). Internationally it is affiliated with the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF) as a member of the board of Management.