Sri Lanka’s quest to increase its forests back up to 30% received a body blow with the advent of Covid-19 but a defiant reforestation drive backed by consumer electronics giant Telesonic ensured some 30,000 trees were being planted in 2021.
At a time when the UN renews its calls for world leaders to declare a climate emergency the many efforts backed by the private sector in increasing forests have slowed down as businesses grappled against pandemic woes. But Telesonic has refused to take the foot off the pedal of its conservation mandate.
Telesonic’s visionary Managing Director Arun Mahtani sums up his company’s bold outlook: “We as a brand believe that the best time to make a monumental effort is when you are pinned against the wall. Both the economy and the health of the planet are badly hit. One cannot survive without the other and time is running out for both. That’s why you see Telesonic, with our global partner Midea leading from the front in committing to the triple-bottom-line even in times of great adversity”.
Clean and cool air is our mission and we operate two kinds of workshops that mutes testimony to our commitment to sustainable relationships. The first, of course, is our futuristic air conditioner workshops that ensures the island’s most dependable after-sales care. The second is our workshop off-the-beaten-track in far-flung Buttala where we manage our massive reforestation mission, says Mahtani.
The year 2021 marked a momentous milestone in Telesonic’s commitment to ecosystems restoration with 30,000 trees being planted, mostly in Sri Lanka’s southeast.
Achieved against debilitating setbacks due to the pandemic, the restored new forest patches will be monitored and cared for with the support of a few partner organizations, even as one of Sri Lanka’s epic reforestation drives continues into the future.
Sustainable reforestation is a humongous challenge and needs a collective effort. This is where we work with like-minded people and organizations wherever possible and are thankful for such gratifying partnerships, says Mahtani.
Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions took a severe toll on Sri Lanka’s reforestation efforts and we knew straight away this was our moment of truth.
Our first target was to ensure that our vast nurseries kept running and as plants began to outlive their bags, we doubled up our efforts in sharing our resources with partner organizations with the collective ambition of beating odds in putting plants into the soil, the right species in the right places, he says.
Telesonic has already turned the air conditioner market on its head with Midea emerging as the fastest-selling AC brand in Sri Lanka. Now the company wants to leave its mark as a responsible corporate, leading the crusade to grow more forests.
Mahtani avers that the brand’s relationship with positive-impact catalyst Geo Explore Foundation is holding out an inspiration to the business world driving the message that to thrive in business one must also ensure that people and the environment must thrive.