SLASSCOM CEO Breakfast Unveils Green Digital Economy & E-signature Revolution

The Sri Lanka Association for Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM) recently hosted a CEO Breakfast Series, focusing on the imperative theme of Green Digital Economy and the endorsement of E-signatures to propel Sri Lanka towards a sustainable future.

In alignment with Sri Lanka's vision to be recognized as the world's first Green IT/BPM destination, SLASSCOM aims to raise awareness of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles among its 350+ member companies and over 100,000-strong workforce. SLASSCOM has established a dedicated ESG forum, an advisory committee of experts, and has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to partner with the UN Resident Coordinator's office, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable practices.

The CEO Roundtable on Transitioning to a Green Digital Economy held at Jetwing Colombo Seven, brought industry leaders together to explore sustainable business models, the role of digital technologies in achieving sustainability goals, and the potential of innovation within the IT/ BPM sectors.

SLASSCOM's Operations Director, Feroz Cader, (LSEG) set the stage for the event, emphasizing the need for a concerted effort to lead the charge towards a sustainable future. The spotlight then turned to Channa De Silva, CEO of Lanka Pay, who shed light on the efficiency gains of Digital Signatures, paving the way for paperless workflows and process optimization.

Neranjan Dissanayake, CTO of Just In Time Technologies, presented on "Innovation for a Sustainable Future: The Crucial Role of Technology in Green Business Transformation."

The event's highlight was a panel discussion featuring distinguished professionals from various sectors, including Jayantha Fernando, Partner, Heritage Partners & Director, Sri Lanka CERT, Ms. Mahesha Amarasuriya, Director Mastercard, Sri Lanka, Neranjan Dissanayake, and Vinura Jayawardene, Group Sustainability Engineer, Brandix. The discussion, moderated by Prashani Illangasekera, Deputy General Manager Group ESG, Hayleys PLC, covered topics on leveraging technology for sustainability, supporting micro and SME sectors, and navigating ESG regulations.

The panelists discussed issues on the importance of sustainable practices, the potential of digital technologies for innovation, and the role of governance in driving ESG initiatives. They explored avenues for digital transformation, emphasized the significance of sustainability in decision-making, and discussed the role of renewable energy in powering digital infrastructure.

Jayantha Fernando shared best practices and emphasized the integration of sustainability into digital transformation strategies. Mahesha Amarasuriya addressed   the potential of digital technologies for sustainable innovation and creating new business opportunities. Vinura Jayawardene tackled challenges and barriers faced by organizations in adopting and scaling sustainable practices, offering viable solutions and outlining future plans. Neranjan Dissanayake provided a vision for embracing a paperless future with document management systems.

A national initiatives for a green digital economy was explored, highlighting specific aspects, including renewable energy, biodiversity, and climate change, the role of renewable energy and clean power in digital infrastructure, cloud migration and achieving zero emissions, innovations within the IT/ BPM sectors for a knowledge-based and technology-driven transformation  and strategies for converting micro and small businesses to a digital economy. The vital role of data analytics and AI in driving sustainable decision-making and resource optimization was also examined.

Denver De Zylva, Forum Head of ESG and Senior Vice President at Virtusa, highlighted SLASSCOM's ongoing initiatives, encouraging member companies to actively engage in the journey towards a knowledge-based and technology-driven transformation.

The event was collaborated by Technology Partner, Just In Time Technologies, Official Payment Network, Lanka Pay, with corporate sponsors, Gold Sponsor Mireka Towers and Platinum sponsors, LSEG, and Dialog Enterprise.

SLASSCOM's dedication to sustainability and innovation is poised to steer Sri Lanka's IT industry and contribute to the nation's broader transition to a greener, more digital era.