1,000 saplings planted to mark CTC’s Annual Tree Planting Program

Plant a Tree – Save Planet, the annual tree planting program organised by the Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC) was held at the banks of Polgolla Reservoir in November. 1,000 saplings were planted to mark this annual event by 200 volunteers representing CTC, Mahaweli Authority, Central Environment Authority, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Police and the Pahatha Dumbara Technical College.

Speaking about the annual project CTC’s Supply Chain Director Rukshan Gunethilake said that this annual activity brings together employees and stakeholders to mark the National Tree Planting Week; “Through this activity CTC is not only taking part in a national event but are also creating the awareness among the community of the importance of conserving the forest cover that will in return protect the water catchment areas.”

The tree planting project was carried out on a plot of land which was selected based on the environmental requirement. The company believes that programs of this nature support the national drive to increase forest cover in Sri Lanka. CTC hopes that this project would help reforest and conserve the environment around the Polgolla Reservoir area and in return nurture the water catchment areas bordering the Mahaweli River.

As a responsible corporate entity, CTC believes in working together with communities and strengthening relationships with the agriculture and farming communities of Sri Lanka by continuing to support them through their core operations and sustainability initiatives. The Tree Planting Program ‘Plant a Tree – Save Planet’ supports the Company’s Sustainability Agenda as well as the Environmental Pillar of Sustainable Tobacco Production (STP) standards.