Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025 brought together Sri Lanka’s corporate leaders to redefine inclusive workplace culture, positioning parent-focused policies as a strategic business imperative rather than a discretionary human resources initiative in an evolving employment landscape.
Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025 drives sustainable corporate culture in Sri Lanka
Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025 marked a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s corporate culture discourse, bringing renewed attention to the role of inclusive leadership and structured support for working parents. Organised by Parenthood Global in partnership with Great Place To Work Sri Lanka, the summit convened senior executives, human resource professionals, and workplace culture influencers with a shared objective of advancing parent-inclusive practices across the private sector.
At its core, the summit sought to reposition parent-inclusive workplace policies from optional benefits to essential drivers of organisational sustainability. As Sri Lankan companies navigate talent shortages, changing workforce demographics, and rising expectations around employee well-being, speakers and panellists consistently underscored that care, flexibility, and psychological safety are now integral to long-term business performance.
The event also served as a platform to celebrate organisations that have already embedded these principles into their operating models. The 10 Best Workplaces for Parents in Sri Lanka 2025 were formally recognised, highlighting employers that demonstrate consistent commitment to flexibility, holistic well-being, and meaningful support systems for employees with parental responsibilities. The recognised organisations included AB Mauri Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd, AmSafe Bridport (Pvt.) Ltd, Classic Travel (Pvt.) Ltd, Hayleys Plantations, Hilton, Intrepid Colombo (Pvt.) Ltd, Marriott International, Omega Line Ltd, Toppan Forms (Colombo) Limited, and Uzabase.
A central theme throughout Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025 was the strategic value of inclusive leadership. Keynote speaker Charitha Bandara, Head of Sales at Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd Learning Academy, emphasised that leadership models rooted in care and empathy are not incompatible with performance-driven cultures. Instead, such approaches enhance trust, engagement, and resilience, particularly in high-pressure corporate environments.
Panel discussions expanded on this perspective, with industry experts examining how care can function as a leadership competency rather than a soft skill. Conversations around inclusive decision-making, equitable workload distribution, and empathetic people management illustrated how leadership behaviour directly influences organisational culture and employee retention.
Another focal point of the summit was the design and implementation of integrated support models for working parents. Discussions explored holistic approaches that extend beyond parental leave policies to include flexible work arrangements, mental health resources, return-to-work support, and family-friendly benefits. Speakers highlighted that fragmented initiatives often fail to deliver meaningful outcomes unless they are embedded within a coherent cultural framework supported by senior leadership.
Data-driven insights formed a critical foundation for these discussions. Findings from the 2025 study on workplace culture experienced by employees with parental responsibilities in Sri Lanka were presented by Great Place To Work Sri Lanka representatives Jerome De Mel and Hasindu Samarasinghe. The research offered empirical benchmarks, enabling organisations to assess gaps between policy intent and lived employee experience. Participants were encouraged to use the data as a diagnostic tool to guide evidence-based improvements rather than relying on assumptions or ad hoc interventions.
The summit also addressed the broader economic implications of parent-inclusive workplaces. With Sri Lanka competing for skilled talent locally and internationally, speakers noted that organisations failing to adapt risk higher attrition, disengagement, and reduced productivity. In contrast, companies that proactively support working parents are better positioned to attract diverse talent pools and maintain institutional knowledge.
Great Place To Work Sri Lanka Director and CEO Kshanika Ratnayaka described the summit as a catalyst for long-term cultural transformation. She noted that inclusive leadership, flexibility, and care should be viewed as core business strategies rather than peripheral HR initiatives. By sharing global best practices and recognising organisations that have successfully implemented parent-inclusive policies, the summit aimed to inspire broader adoption across industries.
As the corporate landscape continues to evolve, the insights from Parent-Inclusive Workplaces Summit 2025 signal a shift in how Sri Lankan organisations define high performance. Sustainable success, speakers argued, increasingly depends on the ability to balance commercial objectives with human-centred leadership. The strategies and benchmarks shared during the event are expected to influence organisational policies well beyond 2025, shaping workplaces that are resilient, inclusive, and better aligned with the realities of modern working life.