Brandix celebrated World Environment Day 2022 with the reforestation of a 10-acre block of land in Rambukkana, in partnership with the Department of Forest Conservation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka. With care for the planet sewn into the very fabric of its business operations for over a decade and a half, the company continues its sustainability journey by planting 3,000 ‘Gaaya’ trees on the land adjacent to the Brandix Essentials facility, in Rambukkana, with Conservator of Forest, Department of Forest Conservation, Nishantha Edirisinghe, Programme Coordinator (Energy and Waste) of UNDP in Sri Lanka, Sampath Ranasinghe and Group Head, Engineering of Brandix, Ahamed Ilthimas were also present at the event.
As a prerequisite for long-term growth and value creation for the business and its stakeholders, the company’s sustainability framework is anchored to the pillars of Air, Water and Earth. With care for its people, the communities in which it serves and the planet we live in at the core of all the company does,Brandix is driven by a purpose to champion sustainability.
Sustainability Environmental Engineer of Brandix, Vinura Jayewardene said, “Forests hosts most of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversityand the plants that grow within are instrumental in mitigating climate change, providing quality water and enabling habitats for many pollinators essential for sustainable food production.
In this light, feeding humanity and conserving ecosystems are complementary and interdependent goals.” Jayawardene spoke of the careful selection of the Gaaya plant for this reforestationas the fallen branches are popular firewood, supporting the community.
“Given our current contextin Sri Lanka with the prevailing energy and possible food crisis, thereis no better time to play our part in giving back to the environment that, quite frankly, enables our very existence,” he said.
Brandix has already demonstrated its strong commitment to sustainability, including with globalbenchmarks such as its factory in Batticaloa being recognised as the World’s first Net Zero Carbon apparel manufacturing facility in 2019, and the facility in Seeduwa being the World’s First LEED Platinum rated manufacturing facility in 2008. Green buildings such as these have a profound effect in tackling climate change, and on the quality of people’s lives too. Going even beyond the focus of reducing negative impact, the company is now embracing many new initiatives such as this reforestation project in Rambukkana that positively impacts the environment, in its multi-pronged approach for truly transformative action.
“With the world on ‘code red’ due to climate change, and loss to nature and biodiversity around the world, this year’s World Environment Day 2022 campaign #OnlyOneEarth calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.UNDP in Sri Lanka has provided longstanding support to respond to the effects of climate change, andnatural and man-made disasters, by exploring the potential of renewable energy while supporting reform and modernisation of environmental management systems and protecting our biodiversity.Through the ongoing partnership with Brandix, we look forward to creating lasting impactsfor a sustainableSri Lanka that is built on a green development pathway,” statedMalin Herwig, Officer in Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka.
A deliberate move to regrow vegetation, usually lost due to human activity or natural calamity, reforestation helps bring back and preserves the balance in our surroundings.