Community Development

As a national connectivity enabler, our community development approach integrates environmental stewardship and social inclusion to build resilient societies. Aligned with UN SDGs, we focus on digital inclusion, health, sustainability, and youth empowerment to deliver long-term value. An ESG committee oversees funding and accountability, while cross-functional teams execute these initiatives. We proactively assess and mitigate climate and social risks during planning, ensuring transparent progress and sustained accountability through clear KPIs and targets.

Community Development

Inclusive Digital Literacy and Access

Objective: Reduce the digital divide by expanding access and skills particularly in rural and underserved communities, community readiness for county’s digitalises program, and create opportunities for free access to the ICT education Island wide.

Code Club: Advancing Inclusive Digital Education

In 2025, the Code Club initiative, delivered in collaboration with the STEMUP Educational Foundation, continued to expand its reach through structured, interactive learning sessions at Nebula Technology Institutes and 17 public libraries islandwide. This approach enhanced accessibility to digital education, particularly for students in underserved and regional communities.

Targeting primary and secondary school learners, the programme offered a well-rounded curriculum that combined coding fundamentals with essential future-ready competencies, including critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication. Exposure to emerging technologies further encouraged innovation and problem-solving from an early stage.

By fostering inclusive, hands-on learning environments, the initiative has strengthened digital literacy and inspired greater interest in STEM disciplines. Its growing footprint reflects a meaningful contribution towards bridging the digital divide and enabling equitable access to opportunities, supporting long-term community development.

Learning for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds

Powering Rathbalagama School with Digital Access

A targeted initiative was undertaken to transform Thanamalwila Rathbalagama School into a digitally enabled learning environment, addressing critical gaps in access to technology within an underserved rural community. The programme involved restoring non-functioning computers in the school’s laboratory and establishing reliable internet connectivity, enabling students to access online educational resources for the first time.

Serving approximately 300 students, the initiative significantly enhanced the school’s digital infrastructure, creating new opportunities for interactive and technology-driven learning. In parallel, all students were supported with school bags containing essential educational items, ensuring they are better equipped for their academic activities, while a collection of books was donated to strengthen the school library and promote reading and knowledge development.

This intervention reflects a continued commitment to ESG principles by improving equitable access to education, narrowing the digital divide, and empowering students with the tools and resources needed to participate in an increasingly digital world.

Health and Crisis Resilience

Objective: Health and Crisis Resilience through Connectivity by leveraging our networks for rapid communication and real-time data sharing impacted national resilience. Coordinated responses across public and private platforms served the nation to access health and emergency care when needed.

Health Camp 2025 in line with Vesak

For the second consecutive year, a community-focused Health Camp was organised in line with Vesak, delivering comprehensive healthcare services to over 350 residents at the Regional Office in Gampaha. Conducted under the “Sambandiyawe Dahami Sathkaraya” programme, the initiative reflected a strong commitment to promoting community wellbeing through accessible and inclusive healthcare.

The camp offered a wide range of free medical services, including general consultations, diabetes screening, ECG tests, eye examinations, blood pressure monitoring, and nutrition advisory services. Qualified healthcare professionals provided personalised medical attention throughout the day, benefiting communities with limited access to regular healthcare services across surrounding areas.

Extending beyond the physical event, digital healthcare access was enabled through eChannelling, allowing individuals to consult doctors remotely. By integrating in-person care with digital health solutions, the initiative significantly broadened access to essential medical services, reinforcing efforts to enhance community health outcomes and overall quality of life.

Delivering Care When It Matters Most

A free “24/7 Helpline” was launched to support flood-affected communities in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. Introduced in collaboration with the University of Colombo, the helpline provided round-the-clock medical advice, connecting callers to a dedicated panel of medical professionals available at all times to offer guidance during this challenging period.

As the National ICT Solutions Provider, a strong commitment is maintained towards supporting communities in crisis situations, ensuring connectivity for essential care, and enabling priority access to communication and medical support.

Leading Connectivity Recovery post Cyclone Ditwah

The impact of Cyclone Ditwah caused significant challenges for the national telecommunication network, threatening connectivity for households, businesses, emergency responders, and critical national institutions.

In response, we activated a comprehensive, nationwide recovery strategy, underscoring its role as the country’s National ICT Solutions Provider and backbone of Sri Lanka’s digital infrastructure.

A centralised “War Room” was established as part of the network restoration efforts to prioritise critical services, and deploy resources effectively. This central command ensured that recovery actions were aligned with national and regional needs, from major urban centres to remote areas affected by infrastructure damage. These efforts resulted in rapid restoration of approximately 98% of affected sites within a week from the disaster.

Environmental Stewardship and Sustainable Infrastructure

Objective: Embedding sustainability as a core principle for community infrastructure development to ensure the preservation of the environment.

Empowering the Youth for a Sustainable Future

Affirming our commitment to environmental sustainability, we awarded three scholarships to undergraduate students of the University of Colombo, Wayamba and Uva Wellassa campuses, for research-based scholarship grants. These focused on blue carbon ecosystems in Sri Lanka, fostering a deeper understanding and conservation of these vital environmental assets.

The scholarship programme is open to all undergraduate students who are registered under the University Grants Commission where research is a compulsory module. Selected scholars received financial aid to complete their research, gaining hands-on experience and advancing knowledge in this crucial area. The research topics encompassed areas such as biology, ecology, restoration, conservation, and the sustainable utilisation of blue carbon ecosystems. Additionally, students were encouraged to analyse the interactions between these ecosystems and the local communities that rely on them for their livelihoods.

Each scholarship valued at up to LKR 250,000, provides the recipients with the opportunity to explore practical applications, promote sustainable practices, and engage in innovative research as well as publish their scientific findings.

UNGC Climate Ambition Accelerator

We are proud to be an active participant in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Climate Ambition Accelerator (CAA) program—an internationally recognised initiative designed to support companies in raising their climate action targets.

Our involvement in the Climate Ambition Accelerator reflects our deep commitment to combating climate change. Through this program, we are committed to accelerating our transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing our climate resilience, and aligning our corporate strategy with globally accepted climate science.

As a participant of the programme, we engage in several initiatives:

• Strengthening our climate governance and accountability mechanisms
• Setting ambitious, measurable targets to reduce emissions across scopes 1 and 2 for 2026
• Advancing actionable roadmaps to transition to low-carbon operations
• Collaborating with global peers to share insights, best practices, and innovative solutions

Our participation in this accelerator reinforces our role as a responsible corporate citizen that not only supports national climate commitments but also demonstrates leadership within the telecommunications sector. By integrating climate action into our business strategy, we contribute to a sustainable future while creating long-term value for our stakeholders and the communities we serve.

Mangrove Restoration Project – Pubudugama

In collaboration with the Department of Forest Conservation, a five-year mangrove restoration project in Pubudugama, initiated in 2024, continues to progress. The initiative focuses on the restoration and long-term sustainability of 4.2 hectares of mangrove ecosystems, as previously reported.

During the year under review, implementation activities were further advanced in partnership with the Forest Department, strengthening efforts to rehabilitate coastal ecosystems and enhance environmental resilience. The project contributes to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and the enhancement of ecosystem services that support surrounding communities.

This long-term initiative reflects a continued commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development, promoting nature-based solutions that generate lasting ecological and social value in line with national sustainability priorities.

Dragonfly Calendar 2025 – Celebrating Connectivity and Renewal

The 2025 corporate calendar, themed “Dragonflies of Sri Lanka”, creatively reflected the vision of connectivity, renewal, and environmental harmony. Inspired by the ecological importance and symbolism of dragonflies, it highlighted themes of transformation, resilience, and sustainable progress.

Featuring artistic depictions of Sri Lanka’s diverse dragonfly species, the calendar also served to raise awareness of biodiversity conservation while drawing connections between nature, technological advancement, and community resilience.

As part of an annual tradition of developing concept-driven calendars, this initiative continued to serve as both a meaningful communication platform and a creative expression of corporate values. Distributed across key stakeholder channels, it reinforced brand identity while fostering appreciation for Sri Lanka’s natural heritage.

This creative engagement is expected to continue in the coming year as well, with the development of another thoughtfully curated calendar that reflects evolving themes of relevance, sustainability, and national significance.

Community Engagement, Inclusion and Resilience

Ramadan Celebrations

Ramadan celebrations were hosted at Iftar for Kalutara student community at Al Madhrasathul Badhriya in Kalutara, providing nearly 75 students with the opportunity to break their Ramadan fast, reinforcing the Company’s dedication to social responsibility and community welfare.

In addition we donated essential school utensils to students as part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. This thoughtful contribution not only ensures that students have the necessary resources for their education and well-being but also reflects the Company’s dedication to fostering sustainable community development

ICT Partnership with Sri Dalada Maligawa

The long-standing ICT partnership with Sri Dalada Maligawa was further extended during the year, continuing a decade-long collaboration as the official ICT service provider. This enduring partnership reflects a sustained commitment to supporting one of Sri Lanka’s most revered cultural and religious institutions through advanced digital infrastructure.

Under this collaboration, comprehensive ICT solutions—including high-speed fibre connectivity, voice services, and digital broadcasting support—are provided to facilitate seamless communication and global dissemination of religious and cultural content. These services also enable the live broadcasting of key annual events, including the Kandy Esala Perahera, ensuring wider accessibility for devotees locally and internationally.

The partnership continues to play a vital role in preserving cultural heritage through technology, while enhancing the Temple’s digital capabilities in archiving and sharing historical and religious content. This initiative reinforces a long-term commitment to cultural preservation, digital inclusion, and national heritage development.”

Disaster Relief and Community Support

In response to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, we extended timely relief support to affected communities across the island through the distribution of essential food items and basic necessities, addressing urgent needs during a period of significant disruption.

This initiative was further strengthened through collaboration with the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, enabling wider outreach and more effective coordination of relief efforts.

These actions reflect our continued commitment to community well-being and responsible corporate citizenship, contributing to national recovery efforts while reinforcing resilience among vulnerable communities.

Youth Empowerment and Future Skills

Objective: Education and Youth Empowerment through Digital Skills. Develop future-ready talent through education partnerships and innovation platforms

Nebula Esports Showdown 2025

Nebula Exports Showdown 2025 organised by the Nebula Institute of Technology reaffirmed position as a key contributor to Sri Lanka’s growing Exports ecosystem. Hosted by the Nebula Institute Esports Club, the event brought together 1,100+ university and school students competing across 12 PC and mobile game titles, with a total prize pool of LKR 850,000. The tournament was attended by SLT-MOBITEL officials, Esports industry representatives, Nebula students, and gaming enthusiasts, creating a vibrant platform for youth engagement and digital skill development.

HELLO AI’ Youth Package – Democratising Access to AI and Digital Learning

In 2025, Mobitel, our mobile arm launched ‘HELLO AI’, Sri Lanka’s first AI centric mobile data package designed specifically to empower youth aged 16–25 with affordable access to artificial intelligence tools and global learning platforms. The initiative provides dedicated data allocations for AI applications such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, DeepSeek, and leading education platforms including Coursera, Udemy, and Canva, enabling students and young professionals to upskill without data constraints.

This initiative supports national digital transformation goals while fostering AI literacy, innovation, and future ready digital competencies among Sri Lankan youth.

Championing Youth Innovation through the SLIoT Challenge 2025

We played a pivotal role in empowering future technology leaders by sponsoring and supporting the SLIoT Challenge 2025, Sri Lanka’s premier Internet of Things (IoT) competition. The programme engaged school students, university undergraduates, and young professionals across the country, encouraging them to develop innovative IoT based solutions to real world challenges.

Beyond sponsorship, SLT MOBITEL conducted hands on workshops on microcontrollers and IoT fundamentals, led by industry experts and university mentors, thereby strengthening practical, job ready skills. Winning teams received continued support including technical mentorship, access to mSpace APIs, data centre hosting, and media exposure through our platforms.

Managing Negative Impacts on Local Communities

As the National ICT Solutions Provider, we are committed to delivering uninterrupted islandwide connectivity while responsibly managing our impact on local communities. Through resilient and reliable network infrastructure, we enable inclusive digital access, support social and economic connectivity, and minimise service disruptions to ensure communities can communicate, engage, and thrive effectively in an increasingly digital world.

Our Operation

Regulators

We adhere to several regulatory authorities in the conduct of our business, through comprehensive, risk-based compliance framework. Maintaining all statutory licenses and approvals, we operate under documented policies for telecom regulation, data protection ensuring we remain compliant, accountable, and aligned with national telecom and corporate governance standards.

Principal Regulators and their Roles

Regulatory Authority	Regulatory Purview
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) – primary telecom regulator	Responsible for licensing, spectrum allocation, quality of service, device approvals and consumer complaints; TRCSL is the statutory body that governs SLT’s core network and service obligations.
Ministry of Digital Economy/Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and Information Technology – policy and sector stewardship	Sets national digital strategy, coordinates agencies (including TRCSL, ICTA and SLCERT) and oversees major national programmes that affect SLT’s strategic direction.
Data Protection Authority of Sri Lanka – regulator for personal data protection and privacy	Enforcing data handling standards that apply to SLT’s customer records, billing, and digital services
Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) and Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) – capital markets and corporate governance regulators	Regulations that govern disclosure, insider trading rules, financial reporting and investor protection for SLT as a listed entity.
Other sectoral regulators and agencies – Central Environmental Authority, Consumer Affairs Authority, and public health or safety agencies	Regulate specific activities (tower siting, environmental permits, consumer protection) depending on the project.