As the curtains fell on a landmark celebration of corporate excellence, the prestigious TAGS Awards marked its 60th anniversary with a grand finale that recognised organisations ranging from top corporates to SMEs for their exceptional corporate reporting.
Organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka), the Diamond Chapter of the TAGS Awards, held on 12 February 2026 at the Shangri-La, Colombo, celebrated six decades of championing transparency, accountability, governance, and sustainability in both financial and non-financial reporting. The evening shone a spotlight on organisations that have not only embraced corporate reporting but elevated it to a standard of distinction, setting new benchmarks across Sri Lanka’s corporate landscape.
At the heart of the celebration, Hayleys PLC emerged as the evening’s defining achiever, ascending to the pinnacle of corporate excellence by securing the Gold Award for Overall Excellence in Corporate Reporting.
The Silver Award under Overall Excellence in Corporate Reporting was jointly conferred upon Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and Softlogic Life Insurance PLC, while the Bronze Award was shared by Hatton National Bank PLC and John Keells Holdings PLC.
The historic 60th anniversary was graced by Esteemed Guest Hon. Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Chief Guest Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and Guest of Honour Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury.
Also in attendance were CA Sri Lanka President Mr. Tishan Subasinghe, Immediate Past President Mr. Heshana Kuruppu, Vice President Ms. Anoji de Silva, Chairperson of the TAGS Awards Ms. Chamila Cooray, Alternate Chair of TAGS Awards Ms. Nishani Perera, Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange Mr. Dimuthu Abeyesekera, CEO of the Colombo Stock Exchange Mr. Rajeeva Bandaranaike, CEO of CA Sri Lanka Ms. Lakmali Priyangika, and Chairperson of Final Panel of Judges Ms. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, along with other distinguished guests.
The grand finale also honoured an elite group of ten organisations, recognising them with the prestigious “Top 10” ranking for outstanding corporate reporting excellence for the year 2025. The “Top 10” were Aitken Spence PLC, Ceylinco Life Insurance Limited, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, Haycarb PLC, Hayleys PLC, John Keells Holdings PLC, LB Finance PLC, and Softlogic Life Insurance PLC.
The special awards segment recognised excellence across key reporting disciplines. In the Corporate Governance Disclosure – Financial Services category, Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC secured Gold, Hatton National Bank PLC won Silver and LB Finance PLC received the Bronze. In the Corporate Governance Disclosure – Non-Financial Services category, Hayleys PLC won Gold, John Keells Holdings PLC secured Silver, while Ceylon Cold Stores PLC and Haycarb PLC jointly received Bronze.
The Integrated Reporting category saw Hayleys PLC once again win Gold, with Silver jointly awarded to Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and Softlogic Life Insurance PLC, and Bronze secured by John Keells Holdings PLC. In the critical area of Sustainability Reporting, Hayleys PLC earned Gold, Softlogic Life Insurance PLC received Silver, and Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC was awarded Bronze.
The forward-looking Digitally Transformative Reporting category recognised Softlogic Life Insurance PLC with Gold, while Silver was jointly awarded to Hayleys PLC and LB Finance PLC, and Bronze was shared by Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC and John Keells Holdings PLC.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Subasinghe stated that the event marked a landmark moment to honour a six-decade legacy of excellence in reporting and to reaffirm the collective commitment to transparency, accountability, governance, and sustainability—principles that form the very foundation of a modern, resilient economy.
“May this Diamond Chapter inspire a future where Sri Lanka’s corporate reporting shines with unwavering integrity and may our shared pursuit of excellence continue to illuminate the path towards a prosperous and sustainable nation for all,” he added.
In her address, Ms. Cooray elaborated that what began as the Annual Report Awards in 1964 evolved into the TAGS Awards in 2022, becoming a beacon of corporate integrity and a benchmark for excellence. “This journey is not merely about reflecting on the past with pride but about looking ahead with purpose. It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to elevating corporate disclosure standards and fostering a culture of trust and innovation,” she said.
The celebration extended beyond the main and special awards, with organisations recognised across 35 distinct sectors, each receiving Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. In addition, companies that met the required criteria were presented with Compliance Certificates.