Vella Earns Great Place To Work Certification Tm, Marking A Milestone In Its People-First Journey

 Vella has been officially certified as a Great Place to Work, marking a significant milestone in the Group’s ongoing journey to build a culture rooted in trust, shared purpose and collective growth. Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue, employee retention and increased innovation.

Achieved on its first attempt, the certification reflects the strength of Vella’s people culture across its diverse portfolio spanning hospitality, adventure, tea, retail, leisure and lifestyle experiences. The Group’s growing portfolio brings together some of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive destination-led brands, from the quiet luxury of 98 Acres Resort & Spa, vibrant energy of Ravana Pool Club, to the adventure appeal of Flying Ravana Adventure Park, Ella Swing and Amber Swing. Its leisure and hospitality footprint further extends to Walaa Kulu and Villa Lé Maas Tota, while Halpé Tea, Halpe Tea Tour, Ceylon Tea Supermarket, Kiri Kopi, and Ceylon Escapade strengthen the Group’s presence across tea, retail, café culture, and travel experiences. Together, these brands reflect Vella’s vision to create meaningful experiences that celebrate Sri Lanka’s natural beauty, cultural richness and evolving appeal as a world-class destination. 

“Great Place to Work” certification is globally recognised as a benchmark for workplace culture, awarded based on employee feedback and organisational practices that demonstrate trust, pride, credibility, respect, fairness and camaraderie within the workplace. For Vella, the recognition is more than a title. It is a reflection of the people behind its brands — the teams who bring each guest experience, product and service standard to life every day. Speaking on the achievement, Chamara Abeyrathne, Co-Founder/Director of Vella, said: 

“This recognition belongs to our people. To achieve Great Place to Work certification on our first attempt is a proud milestone, but more importantly, it reflects the purpose and values that define Vella from within. Our culture is shaped by individuals and teams who take ownership, work with passion and a sense of fun, and remain driven by insights in the way they think, serve, and grow. This certification is a meaningful marker of progress, not the destination, and we remain committed to strengthening a workplace where our people feel valued, supported, and inspired to reach their full potential.”

The certification arrives at a defining moment for Vella as it continues to strengthen its position across Sri Lanka’s hospitality and experiential tourism landscape. With brands that connect travellers to nature, adventure, culture and Ceylon tea heritage, the Group’s people remain central to its growth story. The recognition reinforces the Group’s commitment to nurturing talent, strengthening internal engagement and creating an environment where people can contribute with pride and purpose.

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About Vella

Vella is a diversified Sri Lankan group with interests across hospitality, leisure, adventure, tea, retail, café culture, and travel experiences. Its portfolio brings together a distinctive collection of destination-led brands including 98 Acres Resort & Spa, Ravana Pool Club, Flying Ravana Adventure Park, Ella Swing, Amber Swing, Walaa Kulu, Villa Lé Maas Tota, Halpé Tea, Halpe Tea Tour, Ceylon Tea Supermarket, Kiri Kopi and Ceylon Escapade. Through its growing ecosystem of brands, Vella is committed to shaping meaningful experiences that celebrate Sri Lanka’s natural beauty, cultural richness, and entrepreneurial spirit. With a focus on innovation, service excellence, people, and sustainable growth, Vella continues to create unique experiences from Sri Lanka to the world. 

About Great Place to Work Certification™

Great Place To Work® Certification™ is the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place To Work-Certified. 

About Great Place To Work®

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List.