Brandix: Cultivating a Future Where Women Lead and Thrive

At Brandix, the vision of a truly inclusive workplace is not merely aspirational, it is a dynamic, evolving reality. The organisation is steadfast in its commitment to creating an environment where women are empowered, nurtured, and given every opportunity to lead, innovate, and thrive holistically.

Guided by its Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Accelerator (IDEA) Council, Brandix has implemented a range of initiatives designed to remove barriers and unlock the full potential of its female workforce. The company believes true empowerment goes beyond policy, it is about cultivating a culture that supports women both professionally and personally.

With flexible work arrangements, extensive maternity and paternity leave, wellness programs, daycare services, and confidential counselling, Brandix enables its female associates to balance career aspirations with personal commitments. Currently, women make up 33% of the Brandix workforce, with 18% represented at Manager level and above.

Pioneering Female Leadership in Non-Traditional Roles

Brandix continues to champion women breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. The company has set an ambitious target of achieving 27% women in management by FY 2026/27, with current representation standing at 18% globally, 20% in Sri Lanka, and 11% in India.

Women now lead several core functions, including Legal, CSR, Corporate Communications, Counselling, and Marketing. The Marketing function, in particular, holds the highest female representation at the Manager level (26%), while 40% of the HR leadership team is composed of women.

Two outstanding leaders exemplify this transformation:

• Rasika Amarakoon, General Manager – Operations (India), is one of the few women leading manufacturing operations in the region. Her success highlights Brandix’s belief in its F1 Driver Concept, where Sewing Machine Operators are viewed as drivers and all support functions act as the pit crew enabling their success—redefining manufacturing as a respected and rewarding career path.
• Yanina Weerasinghe, Head of Legal, plays a pivotal role in guiding the organisation with integrity and compliance. Her leadership showcases the critical impact of women in governance and strategic functions.

These leaders are part of a wider network of trailblazing women at Brandix, including a female Director of Canadian Business Operations and a female Planning Lead.

Structured Development and Empowering Networks

Under its Gender Equity pillar, Brandix offers a suite of structured programs to support women’s career progression and personal growth.

Career Development Programs include:

• Associate to Staff (ATS): 31% female representation among 188 participants; all batches maintain at least 30% female participation.
• Staff to Executive Promotions (STEP): 31% female representation among 269 participants.
• Executive & Management Development Programs (EDP & MDP): EDP (Total Enrolled 153 – 41% Female) and MDP (Total Enrolled 272 (34% Female).
• G23 Female Leadership Development Program: Launched in FY 2024/25, with 23 participants being groomed for managerial positions.

Career Enhancement Programs include:

• Rise For Her: A mentorship initiative for female executives, now cascading to non-executives, with 127 mentees and 30 mentors (47% female).
• Rise Up: A networking forum for Assistant Managers and above, reaching over 200 women through five events.
• GEAR (Gender Equality and Returns): In partnership with the ILO and IFC, this program advanced 20 female associates to supervisory roles and 5 supervisors to executive positions.
• PACE: Concluded recently, having impacted over 10,000 women at the non-executive level in partnership with PVH.
• RISE: An ongoing PVH-supported initiative, currently reaching 1,700+ women.
• Project Shakthi (India): Launched in October 2023 to train female mechanics and technicians, with 14 women completing a 9-month program and transitioning into operational roles.

A Culture of Care and Well-being

Brandix’s inclusive workplace culture is anchored in its mental and physical well-being programs. In FY 2024/25, the Brandix Counselling and Wellbeing team introduced a new Mental Health Strategy and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), along with various awareness programs on suicide prevention, domestic violence, and critical incident management. These programs reached over 31,000 participants, with 8,936 counselling sessions in Sri Lanka and 776 in Bangladesh.

The “We Care Buddy” program was also enhanced to support the executive team, with 15 trained buddies currently active at the Brandix Intimate Center. Meanwhile, the Suwanari Program, conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Health, focuses on physical health for women over 35, including HPV DNA tests and breast cancer screenings. Additional health awareness programs address maternal and child nutrition, family planning, breastfeeding, and maternal mental health. Clinics such as eye and dental camps are also conducted regularly.

Bridging Generations, Building Futures

Through its Generations pillar, Brandix promotes cross-generational learning and development. The “Switch Up” Reverse Mentoring Program, piloted in FY 2025/26, pairs senior leaders—including the Chairman and CEO—with next-gen talent. Complementing this is the Under 30 Forum, which brings together emerging young leaders.

In collaboration with AHRP and AIESEC Sri Lanka, the Guiding Leadership & Outreach (GLO) program produced three Gen Z/Millennial Master Trainers, continuing Brandix’s commitment to youth development and leadership.

A Journey Towards Equity

Brandix is proud to apply once again for the Women Friendly Workplace Award. The company’s dedication to gender equality and women’s empowerment has driven innovation, elevated employee satisfaction, and built a culture of care, trust, and performance.

As Brandix continues its journey toward an inclusive future, it remains firmly committed to enabling women to lead, thrive, and transform the world of work—within the organisation and beyond.