HNB General Insurance – Leading the Way in Creating a Truly Women-Friendly Workplace in Sri Lanka

As we celebrate the Satynmag Women Friendly Workplace Awards 2025, among participants this year is HNB General Insurance (HNBGI), whose holistic approach to supporting women at work is a highly commendable initiative in Sri Lanka’s corporate world. More than a subsidiary of the HNB Group delivering insurance services islandwide, HNBGI is redefining what it means to be a women-friendly employer through its thoughtful, structured, and sustainable initiatives, led by its‘In.She’ platform.

Launched on International Women’s Day 2023, ‘In.She’ is an ongoing commitment to understanding, listening to, and addressing the real needs of women in the workplace. Some of its core features are based on this powerful insight. 

Appointing an In.She Ambassadoras a dedicated point of contact for any woman employee needing support and managing the Pink Line—a confidential, 24/7 helpline, and ensuring there is a dedicated annual budget to make these supports sustainable are the pillars of this initiative. The company has also built a clear policy framework, covering sexual harassment, grievance handling, whistleblowing, and integrity reporting. By formalising this support structure, HNBGI moves beyond awareness to real accountability.

A truly inclusive company ensures representation at the top. HNBGI’s leadership team includes women in critical roles, showing that talent—not gender—drives career growth here. Its Board of Directors includes Dayalanie Abeygunawardena, while executive committee and corporate management roles are filled by Yoga Gunadasa (Legal), Punsirini Perera (CFO), Malsha Munasinghe (HR), Hazana Caffoor (Business Process Reengineering), Amali Rajapaksha (Risk Management), and Subashini Duraiswamy (Reinsurance and Speciality Lines). These women are real leaders shaping strategy and driving results.

HNBGI also understands that having a policy on paper means nothing if it doesn’t work in practice. That’s why it has robust, employee-friendly processes including a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy, integrity reporting for fair resolution, structured grievance handling, and anonymous, retaliation-free whistleblowing channels. These aren’t optional add-ons—they are essential for safety and trust, giving women confidence that they will be heard and protected.

What really stands out about HNBGI is its commitment to seeing women employees as whole people with emotional, mental, and physical needs. Initiatives such as Emotional Resilience & Stress Management workshops conducted by Link Natural and delivered with Headstart, special Mother’s Day celebrations complete with tokens, video contests, and beauty sessions in partnership with Chandanalepa, and dedicated Breast Cancer Awareness drives with Indira Cancer Trust add value to this proposition. The company also offers discounted health screenings through Asiri Hospitals, at its In.She Healthy Life Centre, and runs idea generation drives where women employees can directly shape the support they receive. This is what genuine inclusion looks like: listening, responding, and caring.

HNBGI has also designed leave benefits that respect women’s life stages and responsibilities. It offers 100 working days of maternity leave with an impressive 100% return-to-work rate, half-day leave on Women’s Day, and adoption and caregiver leave options. These benefits don’t just support women—they send a clear message that their roles outside work matter just as much as their roles inside the office.

Recognition isn’t a one-time pat on the back—it’s a culture at HNBGI. The company celebrates and invests in its women through the IN.SHE Women Icon Award recognising exceptional women annually,  The Mom Leaders Conference 2025 organized by Parenthood Global Pvt Ltd and many other leadership development opportunities. Many female employees have won Great Manager Awards, and the company organises the In.She Avurudu Pop-up Market to showcase homemade products and promote women’s entrepreneurial talents. The ‘Call Out Ladies’ programme further fosters engagement and open dialogue. When women are seen, heard, and promoted, it changes the entire workplace dynamic.

HNBGI’s results speak for themselves. 62% of promotions and upgrades in 2024–2025 went to women. Presently the company proudly has 24 female employees who have each completed over 15 years of service, holding diverse roles and growing both professionally and personally. Over the years, we have had the privilege of witnessing their significant life milestones, including marriages, childbirth, and academic achievements etc. This stands as a true testament that our organization is a genuinely women-friendly workplace.

Importantly, HNBGI understands that real change doesn’t stop at the office door. Their community-focused work includes the Wings of Support donation drives for female prisoners and pregnant women at Welikada, donations to the Onco Theatre at the National Hospital in Galle, ongoing support for the Indira Cancer Trust, and tailored products like the MotorGuard Lady insurance package designed for women drivers. They even run Auto Basics Workshops at the University of Colombo to bridge knowledge gaps for young women, showing that empowerment is most meaningful when it ripples through entire communities.

Creating women-friendly workplaces isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about listening, acting, and measuring impact as HNBGI has so aptly done.