The Exterminators wins ‘Best Entrepreneur to Have Survived the COVID-19 Pandemic’ Award

The Exterminators Founder/MD Marlon Ferreira receiving the COVID-19 Entrepreneur Award 

The Exterminators Ltd., Sri Lanka’s premier environmental enhancement solutions provider, won three awards at the ‘Entrepreneur Awards 2020’. 

Founder/MD Marlon Ferreira was recognised as the ‘Best Entrepreneur to Have Survived the COVID-19 Pandemic’. Awards won by Exterminators are Winner – ‘Best Productive Enterprise,’ Winner – ‘Best Entrepreneur to Have Survived the COVID-19 Pandemic’ and Merit – ‘Large Service Sector (Hospitality/Hotels/Other Services)’. 

The Entrepreneur Awards 2020 was jointly organised by the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) and the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka for the fifth year. The grand award ceremony was held on 10 March at the BMICH amidst a large gathering of business organisations, entrepreneurs and Government representatives. 

Exterminators is Sri Lanka’s premier pest control and pioneer anti-microbial disinfection solutions provider is the winner of 55 national/international awards and ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, COVID-19 SLS and Asia’s first ‘Carbon Neutral’ pest control and the world’s first carbon neutral ‘Anti-Microbial Disinfection’ service. 

Exterminators decided that in order to survive this unprecedented situation, the company needed to take some bold steps. Although it was a great risk, doing nothing was more of a greater risk. Therefore, the following strategic steps were taken considering all factors while mitigating the risk of its employees, customers, community and suppliers. 

The Exterminators ‘High Risk COVID-19 Team’ with eight specialised disinfectors working from office and 5 sales and operations staff working from home, ventured into a brand new industry named ‘Anti-Microbial Disinfection’. 

The services were provided countrywide even during curfew/lockdown periods to help the community to fight COVID-19 and businesses all over Sri Lanka to get back to business. Exterminators disinfected 71 elders’ homes, 30 Police stations, 15 religious places, 15 public places including schools, railway stations and bus stations and The Lotus Tower, South Asia’s tallest tower – covering over one million sq.ft and travelling over 6,000 kms since 15 March 2020. 

Since March 2020, Exterminators has increased salaries of all employees by 10-50% while the Directors’ salaries were reduced by 40%. Four motorbikes were donated to the High-Risk COVID team members. 

Reduced prices by 5% for all contract and non-contract customers for a period of 12 months and special rates were offered to the hotel industry, while 24 hour disinfection services were provided island-wide to help businesses to get back to business. 

Exterminators is certified as the ‘World’s 1st ‘Carbon Neutral’ disinfection company and Sri Lanka’s first and probably the world’s first ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 certified ‘Anti-Microbial Disinfection’ service. 

Ferreira stated: “I knew if I failed I wouldn’t regret it, but I knew I would certainly regret doing nothing. As a socialpreneur, it is our moral obligation to help our community, our customers, our employees and their families when they need us the most.”