The CSR Trust of Commercial Bank achieved a significant milestone under its nationally-scaled IT education programme, when it donated its 150th fully-equipped IT laboratory to a school in Galewela in the Matale district.
The 150th IT lab donated by the Bank was ceremonially inaugurated by Commercial Bank Chairman Mr. Dharma Dheerasinghe at Beligamuwa Kanishta Vidyalaya, Galewela, which has a student population of 200.
The IT Lab has four computers, accessories and furniture. All computer laboratories donated by Commercial Bank’s CSR Trust are equipped with brand new computers with licensed software.
The schools are also provided accessories such as computer tables, printers and chairs, and the Bank provides assistance to maintain and upgrade these computer labs when necessary to ensure that the facilities benefit many batches of students.
Speaking at the presentation of the IT Laboratory to the school, Mr. Dheerasinghe commented that the objective of the Bank is to develop a future generation fully conversant in IT.
“We started this initiative with the aim of improving the IT knowledge of the future generations and we have reached our 150th milestone in this journey, which is a remarkable achievement,” he said. He also stated that the Bank is committed to create opportunities for the rural school children through IT and English education.
Commercial Bank’s IT Education programme is designed to empower younger generations and the country to face the future with confidence with world-class knowledge.
The programme shares synergy with the Bank’s vision of being the most technologically-advanced, innovative and customer- friendly financial services organisation in Sri Lanka.
The Bank’s IT education programme has to date benefited more than 150,000 students in schools across the country.
The Bank has also commenced the second phase of its IT education programme by implementing an on line learning programme via the IT laboratories it has donated.
More than 50,000 children from 50 schools are now accessing carefully selected mathematics and science lessons via a specially created web platform, to supplement their regular lessons in these subjects.
Commercial Bank contributes a percentage of its post tax profits annually to its CSR Trust, established in 2004 with a start up capital of Rs 25 million.
The Bank defines the overall goal of its CSR policy as ‘to generate measurable and sustainable social dividends for different segments of society, in particular those which require empowerment and enrichment’.
Other initiatives of Commercial Bank’s CSR Trust include presenting scholarships and laptops to undergraduates, providing English education to rural school children, supporting healthcare projects around the country, supporting facilities for war heroes, and funding projects for the preservation of culture and heritage.
Ranked the ‘Strongest Bank in Sri Lanka in 2014’ by The Asian Banker and the only Sri Lankan bank to be ranked among the Top 1000 banks of the world for four consecutive years, Commercial Bank is also the most valuable private sector brand in the country in 2014.
Commercial Bank operates a network of 239 branches and 605 ATMs in Sri Lanka.
The Bank has won multiple awards as Sri Lanka’s best bank over several years, was adjudged one of the country’s 10 best corporate citizens by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in 2013 and has been rated the Most Respected Bank in Sri Lanka by LMD for the past 10 years.
It has also been the second Most Respected Corporate entity in the country overall for the past four years in the LMD rankings, and has been rated NO 1 in Sri Lanka for Honesty in 2013 and 2014 by the Magazine.
Photo caption : (Above) Commercial Bank Chairman Mr Dharma Dheerasinghe and the Principal of the school Mr H W S Peiris open the new IT Lab as the Bank’s Chief Information Officer Mr Rohan Muttiah looks on, and (Below) Mr Dheerasinghe in the new IT Lab donated by the Bank.
