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July 21, 2021, Colombo: SriLankan Airlines emerged victorious at the prestigious Asian Leadership Awards (ALA) 2021 by winning the award for “Best in managing health at work” in the “Asian HR Leadership Awards” category. This award officially recognizes and applauds the holistic approach taken by the airline to curtail the outbreak of Covid-19 at the workplace. SriLankan Airline´ efforts to ensure the wellbeing of employees since the onset of the pandemic whilst maintaining a productive working environment across all operational areas of the airline were highly commended.

The 19^th edition of the Asian Leadership Awards was held virtually on July 15^th, 2021, with the participation of more than 300 senior leaders from over 15 countries. SriLankan Airlines was evaluated by the jury council for the effective implementation of processes in taking the necessary protective and precautionary measures to curb the infection rate among employees. The Human Resources Division was proactive in creating awareness among employees through regular communication and conducting safety awareness campaigns to provide the necessary guidelines to all staff. A ‘COVID prevention task force’ was formed with representatives from all critical divisions to review preventive measures. The task force addressed the risks to avoid vulnerability among employees by ensuring corrective measures were taken swiftly.

“The recognition reflects our concern since the beginning of the pandemic to make the Airline a safe environment for all our employees,” commented Ashok Pathirage, Chairman, SriLankan Airlines. “Our measures to combat Covid-19 have already gained international recognition, confirming that all signage, awareness, and adjustments to infrastructure and processes are aligned with global health and safety protocols.”

In addition, SriLankan Airlines has successfully rolled out vaccines administered by the airline’s medical center to members of staff, overlooked by a dedicated medical officer. The medical center complies with the testing requirements for flight crew and operational employees by conducting mandatory and random Covid-19 testing. All frontline employees are equipped with personal protective gear, which includes a protective disposable gown over their uniforms, a safety visor, masks, and gloves. Moreover, all employees are subjected to regular temperature checks at the premises.

“SriLankan Airlines continues to enhance its precautionary measures to protect both, travellers and employees from the Covid-19 virus. We have accelerated digitalisation in all spheres benefiting employees and passengers, which prioritizes the health and safety of its users and staff, especially in times of Covid-19. Additionally, we focused on employee-centric initiatives during the pandemic with an emphasis on the health, safety, and employee wellbeing.”, said Vipula Gunatilleka, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines.

Additionally, the detection of positive cases among employees has been handled according to appropriate quarantine guidelines. Contact tracing is followed meticulously as per the directions of the health authorities. The airline has also made virtual counseling sessions accessible to employees to nurture their mental wellbeing, as it is pivotal under the new normal.

“Due to the current global pandemic, we have taken stringent protective measures in place to mitigate the infection rate within the airline. This award is indeed a timely accolade that recognizes the contribution of every staff member of the SriLankan family who persisted during adversity to keep the working environment safe”, stated Buddhika Manage, Group Head of Human Resources and Cabin Services of SriLankan Airlines.

SriLankan Airlines is the first airline in South Asia to be awarded the “Diamond” status by APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying for the airline‛s efforts in ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitization across its operations.