SRI LANKA
Merrill J Fernando, founder of Sri Lanka’s Dilmah Ceylon Tea company, was recently presented with the ‘Honored Citizen of the Month Award’ by the Colombo Municipal Council. The award recognizes the work, passion and philosophy of inspiring citizens and company leaders who have made great strides in supporting and assisting local council activities and operations.
Those who receive the award are given the rare opportunity to hoist the national flag outside Colombo’s Town Hall on the first day of the respective month. The presentation follows the decision by The Business for Peace Foundation in May 2015 to honor Merrill Fernando with the Oslo Business for Peace Award. This annual award recognizes business people who “through their own actions and commitments truly are business worthy, promoting socially responsible and ethical business practice in an outstanding way, and standing out as examples to the world.”
Fernando established his family tea company in the 1950s to eradicate the exploitation of his country’s tea crop by large international traders. The firm is a champion of inclusive and fair business practices; promotes entrepreneurship and empowers differently-abled and underprivileged people. The company shares a minimum of 10% or pre-tax profits with staff and employees, and supports the Sri Lankan community through the Merrill Joseph Fernando (MJF) Charitable Foundation.