Rotary and SLSI partner to launch first ‘COVID-19 Control Environment’ certification in Sri Lanka

• Trellerborg becomes first company to be certified 
• SLSI moves to global accreditation 

In an innovative move in the backdrop of Sri Lanka crossing 1,800 COVID-19 patients with 11 deaths, the top service organisation Rotary teamed up with Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) to launch the first certification for a ‘COVID-19 Control Environment’ in Sri Lanka. 

Rotary: Stop the Spread Project Chairman Dushan Soza said: “Given the strong political and policy leadership we are receiving on the management of COVID-19 lethal virus, it is mandatory that service organisations like Rotary which is very strong on project management support the leadership.”

SLSI Director General Dr. Siddhika Senaratne said: “We worked right across the lockdown time period on the idea mooted by Rotary for a COVID-19 Control Environment ‘Certification’ technically we call it COVID-19 Safety Management System Certification 1672: 2020 and we are pleased to offer this to Sri Lanka so that we can bring in systems to the new normal behaviour expected to fight the lethal virus COVID-19’. SLSI is the only entity that is gazetted to develop new systems and develop the quality a conscious environment in Sri Lanka. It is an entity under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. We must use the certification to support the export ventures become more competitive.”

Rotary: Stop the Spread Project Director Dr. Rohantha Athukorala stayed that as soon as the pandemic struck Sri Lanka, Rotary conceptualised a model to support the efforts of the Government, namely the National COVID-19 Control Task Force and Ministry of Health. 

“To communicate the ‘new normal’ from wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing, we tied up with the Sri Lanka National Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Ministry of Sports and secured the top sportsmen of Sri Lanka from award-winning Youth Olympic athletes like Parami Wasanthi to the fastest man in South Asia Hemasha Eshan together with Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and top international cricketer Angelo Matthews to drive attitude change. Thereafter Sri Lankan Rugger Captain Omalka Gunaratne also joined the fight against COVID-19,” said Dr. Athukorala. 

With the Rotary communication campaign getting traction, the best project management organisation for service projects, Rotary came on board with its 2,000 Rotarians, 5,800 Rotaractors and 6,000 Interactors to explain the ‘new normal’ as specified in the ‘safety guidelines’ developed by the MOH, WHO and GMOA. The target recipients included supermarkets, pharmacies, saloons, private companies and banks. 

The Rotarians have given the lead by taking the ‘safety guidelines’  to the market which includes providing hand washing stations to putting up hoardings across the country, said Rotary District Governor 2020/21 Ajith Weerasinghe. “We must support the President and the key drivers of the COVID-19 National Task Force to flatten the curve,” he said.

Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors will support the country fight this global pandemic that has claimed 400,000 lives and affected over seven million people globally. This project will be a district project from 1 July which will cover Sri Lanka and Maldives, announced Weerasinghe. 

“To make this new normal behaviour systematic, together with SLSI the certification ‘COVID-19 Control Environment’ has been developed and launched today and we are proud to mention the award-winning Presidential Export Award winning company Trellerborg, which is the highest net foreign exchange earning export company is the first company to be awarded this certification. May be this might be the first company globally to have this certification,” said Dr. Athukorala.

Trellerborg Managing Director Sanjay Melvani accepted the award from Sri Lanka Standards Institute Director General Dr. Siddhika Senaratne.

Commenting on the prestigious accolade Melvani said: “This award is a testimony to the spirit of humanity that is deeply engraved to the culture of the company.”

Trelloborg continued working from 28 March and to date has been working due to the high degree of safety protocols that was followed, he said. 

Trelleborg upped the standard, moving in conjunction with the Government’s strictest health protocols to ensure next-to-infallible safety. White cue marks dotted the walkway to enforce social distancing. Sanitisation chambers were designed and created in-house, achieving, and surpassing, Government regulations. Large posters, cautioning on the severity of CV19, stood-watch at nearly every corner. Trelleborg’s team of experts didn’t settle for “ok”, they focused on the detail with passion to keep COVID-19 away, said Melvani. Elaborating further he said as step one, Trelloborg employees were educated by medical professionals in the reason why washing hands was the pivot to fighting COVID-19 and the nature of the situation and the vital importance of safety. To make it a habit, every morning, the same briefing is given emphasising the importance of following and embracing the protocols. 

Step two: How to keep immunity up whilst the office and factory spaces were redesigned to ensure distance is maintained between the workers. PHI officials were commissioned to monitor and inspect employee meals, and every worker was and still is provided with health supplements, including 1,000mg of vitamin C daily, emphasised Melvani. “Trellerborg is the first company in Sri Lanka to be certified by SLSI to be ‘COVID-19 Control Environment,’ which is the corporate footprint the company wishes to leave on earth. Maybe it’s the first company globally to be certified ‘COVID-19 Control Environment,” said Dr. Athukorala.