Ceylinco Life’s enduring relationship with northern peninsula marked a new milestone last week with the opening of an impressive five-storey building in Jaffna, second only to the Company’s Head Office in Colombo in terms of investment value.
The purpose designed, eco-friendly building provides 17,290 square feet of additional space at No 37, Kanathiddy Road, Jaffna, has been dubbed the ‘North Wing Building’ as it stands next to an older building of Ceylinco Life at the location, which will continue to be used.
The new building is a milestone in its own right, as it is the 25th branch built by Ceylinco Life on company-owned land. It was constructed to conform to the ‘Green Building’ specifications developed by the Company for owned branches. Intended to the nucleus of Ceylinco Life’s branches in Achchuvely, Chavakachcheri, Chunnakam, Manipay, and Nelliady, the North Wing Building has a multi-function training room cum auditorium that can accommodate up to 200 people at a time.
An investment of Rs 95.6 million, the building is designed for optimal use of natural light, is entirely solar powered, and is equipped with the latest energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning systems. It also has a facility for rainwater harvesting and its own car park with ample slots for visitors. A plant trough or vertical garden on every floor enhances its eco-friendly aspect while adding to the building’s aesthetics.
Commenting on the opening of the building, Ceylinco Life Managing Director Mr Thushara Ranasinghe said: “This building will stand as a monument to the very special relationship between Ceylinco Life and the people of Jaffna. Not only is it the second largest investment made by the Company in a building, it is also a demonstration of Ceylinco Life’s commitment to Green practices, and a tribute to our hard-working and passionate staff in the region, as well as our loyal customers, with whom we have forged a relationship for life.”
Alongside the opening, Ceylinco Life donated a portable ventilator and two infusion pumps to ward 11 of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, which had previously received a fully-equipped and furnished Paediatric Dengue High Dependency Unit (HDU) from the Company.
Notably, another purpose-designed four-storey Green branch is being built in Nelliady, and is expected to be completed by April next year, the Company said.
Ceylinco Life currently owns the buildings housing its offices in Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Kandy, Kalutara, Kurunegala, Gampaha, Galle, Matara, Tissamaharama, Negombo, Ratnapura, Kotahena, Mount Lavinia and Wellawatte, many of which have already been converted to solar energy. New branch buildings purpose-built to the company’s sustainable energy model are those at Horana, Panadura, Wennappuwa, Bandarawela, Chilaw, Kadawatha and now Jaffna. More Green branches are under construction in Malabe, Divulapitiya, and Negombo.
Ceylinco Life operates the largest network of 250 plus branches in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry, giving it a physical presence in 142 cities, towns and villages in every one of the island’s 25 districts.
Adjudged Sri Lanka’s most valuable life insurance brand by Brand Finance in 2019 and named the Best Life Insurer in 2018 for the fifth consecutive year by World Finance, Ceylinco Life has been declared the most popular life insurance company in the country for 13 consecutive years by SLIM-Nielsen. The market leader in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry for 15 of the 31 years it has been in operation, the Company has close to a million lives covered by active policies and is acknowledged as a benchmark in the local insurance industry for innovation, product research and development, customer service, professional development and corporate social responsibility.