Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC (Lion) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening community partnerships through its flood response efforts and ongoing work to build long-term flood resilience and community support in Biyagama, home to the Company’s core operations.
During the recent floods along the Kelani River, Lion supported the Biyagama community throughout the emergency response and recovery period, maintaining outreach until the area gradually returned to normalcy. With flooding events becoming more frequent and severe, affecting surrounding communities and livelihoods, Lion remains committed to enhancing preparedness and strengthening long-term support for Biyagama.
Lion has long maintained close engagement with the local community around its brewery, and this response was a continuation of the strong collaboration between the Company and the area it serves. In late November, water levels in parts of Biyagama and nearby areas rose to nearly 10 feet (approximately 3 metres), trapping people in their homes and limiting access for responders.
Lion’s culture of adventure empowers employees at all levels to make quick, effective decisions when it matters most. This empowerment proved critical during the floods, enabling teams to operate safely from the Company’s main premises, mobilise rapidly as conditions worsened, and extend timely support to neighbouring communities. Working closely with government officials, Lion supported evacuation efforts through its A-Pad trained rescue team and other volunteer teams, assisting by boat and delivering food, clean water, and essential supplies, particularly to locations that were difficult to reach due to access constraints.
After floodwaters receded, Lion staff worked with local authorities to restore safe access by clearing debris, mud, and hazards from affected areas. Teams also distributed additional dry ration packs, especially in areas where water and electricity had not yet been restored, helping families resume daily life sooner.
Several team members remained deployed for days despite facing storm-related challenges of their own, demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility to the surrounding community and workplace. These team members are being recognised and celebrated for their commitment and service.
Looking ahead, Lion is in discussions with local authorities to establish a safe and accessible community stronghold facility, located on higher ground, reachable via alternate routes, and equipped to support the community during future flood events.
“We recognise that building climate resilience is essential, not only to protect our operations, but to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of our neighbours. Our teams were empowered to respond quickly and keep people safe while supporting communities to recover,” said Rajiv Meewakkala, Chief Executive Officer, Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC.
“By investing in community infrastructure and knowledge sharing, we aim to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster management ecosystem for the future.”
“During the floods, it was impossible to reach some places, and Lion Brewery’s support was critical in accessing affected communities,” said Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, M.P., Head of the District Committee.
“The Lion team worked closely with us when our response capacity was stretched. This experience shows the value of public–private collaboration. We look forward to sustaining this partnership, particularly in building community facilities and strengthening long-term resilience.”
With the guidance of the Minister, the Biyagama Provincial Council Chairman Lal Kumarappeli, together with the Lion team, led on-the-ground clean-up efforts, coordinating the deployment of heavy vehicles and overseeing the safe removal and disposal of flood-related debris.
Shayani Jayasekara, a local business owner, said, “the Lion team stayed in touch and kept us informed as water levels rose. They helped evacuate our staff as conditions worsened. We tried to stay open and serve the community for as long as we could. It was a tough time, and Lion Brewery took the initiative to help clear debris and mud from nearby roadways.”
Lion Brewery continues to strengthen resilience through preparedness, collaboration, and community support. With climate-related risks evolving across the Kelani River Basin, the Company remains committed to building readiness and community-level resilience in the Biyagama region.
Photo Caption Moments from Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC’s flood response initiatives and its ongoing efforts to strengthen long-term flood resilience and community support in Biyagama.
