Lion Brewery reaffirms commitment to flood resilience and community support in Biyagama

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

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 the 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. 

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.

“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 Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Meewakkala.

“During the floods, it was impossible to reach some places and Lion Brewery’s support was critical in accessing affected communities,” said MP and District Committee Head Anura Karunathilaka.

With the guidance of the minister, 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.