As Sri Lanka’s business landscape navigates the twin imperatives of digital acceleration and sustainable value creation, the role of academia in shaping practical, future ready leadership has never been more critical. In this exclusive interview, Global CEO Magazine speaks with Professor Renuka Herath, Associate Dean at the Business School and Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, and Chair of the International Conference on Sustainable Digital Business (ICSDB).
A respected academic with deep industry insight, Professor Herath brings a rare blend of strategic thinking, research rigour, and real world relevance to the evolving discourse on sustainable and digital business.
In this conversation, Professor Herath shares her perspectives on the strategic significance of the ICSDB Excellence Awards, the growing convergence of sustainability and digital innovation, and how ethical leadership and academia industry collaboration can drive long-term socio-economic resilience in Sri Lanka and the wider region.
The ICSDB Excellence Awards are a key highlight of ICSDB 2025. From your perspective as Chair, what is the strategic significance of these Awards in recognising and advancing sustainable and digital business practices in Sri Lanka and the wider region?
I view these Awards as a vital strategic catalyst for the UN 2030 Agenda, specifically advancing SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). By honouring the “Sustainable-Digital” nexus through the rigorous ICSDB Index, we recognise trailblazers who successfully decouple economic growth from environmental harm. These accolades prove that digital transformation is no longer just an efficiency tool, but the primary driver for a resilient, purpose-driven, and globally competitive Sri Lankan economy that balances profitability with a profound commitment to planetary health and social equity.
ICSDB 2025 is themed “Sustainable and Digital Business”. How do the Excellence Awards reflect this theme, and what qualities or impact areas does the judging panel prioritise when evaluating organisations and initiatives?
The ICSDB Excellence Awards directly embody our theme, as the conference name itself serves as an acronym for our evaluation framework. The judging panel uses the ICSDB Index to move beyond theory, prioritising five core areas: Ingenuity in innovation, Continuity of sustainable practices, a broad Scope of impact, effective Deployment of digital tools, and measurable Benefits for stakeholders. This ensures that recognised organisations are not just high-tech, but are actively driving a resilient, “digitally sustainable” future for the region.
One of the distinguishing features of ICSDB is its strong integration of academia and industry. How do the Excellence Awards encourage meaningful collaboration between researchers and business leaders in driving real-world impact?
The Excellence Awards bridge the gap between theory and practice by using a research-backed framework, the ICSDB Index to evaluate corporate success. This encourages businesses to adopt evidence-based strategies while providing academics with “living case studies” for impactful research. By celebrating these collaborations, we transform academic insights into scalable solutions, ensuring that digital and sustainable innovations are not just theoretical concepts but practical drivers of regional economic resilience.
In the context of rapid digital transformation and increasing sustainability expectations, what emerging trends or best practices have you observed among organisations aspiring to qualify for the ICSDB Excellence Awards?
I observe organisations shifting from basic “paperless” initiatives towards deep data-driven sustainability. Emerging leaders now integrate AI and IoT to monitor their carbon footprints in real-time, transforming vague environmental goals into measurable, transparent results. A defining best practice is “integrated thinking,” where digital tools are leveraged not just for efficiency, but to address critical social and environmental challenges. This ensures that qualifying businesses are both high-tech and high-impact, driving regional progress through innovation.
What message would you like to convey to organisations and business leaders considering applying for the ICSDB Excellence Awards, particularly in terms of long-term value creation, ethical leadership, and socio-economic resilience?
These Awards serve as a prestigious benchmark for future-proofing organisations in a volatile market. The Chair invites leaders to demonstrate how ethical leadership and digital innovation create long-term value that extends far beyond short-term financial gains. By aligning with the conference’s rigorous standards, participating organisations prove they are essential pillars of socio-economic resilience. This recognition highlights their ability to drive sustainable growth that benefits shareholders, protects the environment, and strengthens the broader Sri Lankan community, ultimately positioning them as regional leaders in the modern digital economy.
