Brandix eco champion presents green agenda at global conference

The Brandix Group’s stature as a world-leading environment-friendly apparel manufacturer was acknowledged when the Group’s Head of Energy and Environment Iresha Somarathna was invited to address the prestigious Sustainable Fashion Seminar at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore recently.  

The conference attended by a cross-section of representatives from the fashion industry and the apparel sector; including buyers, sales directors, marketing and merchandising managers, merchandisers and students; explored the need to find sustainable alternatives at different levels in the fashion industry.

The invitation to Somarathna to present the sustainability initiatives of the Brandix Group at this high-powered global forum was a significant affirmation of the innovative, environment-friendly practices of the Group, a spokesperson for Brandix Lanka said.

Areas ranging from raw materials to product development and factories to production processes were covered at the conference by Somarathna and the other distinguished speakers including Jay Naidu (Huntsman Singapore); Ken Watson (Industry Forum Service England); Eleonore Richardson (World Bank Group Cambodia); Rajesh Chabara (CRSWorks Consulting Singapore); Binay Choudhury (Control Union India) and William Anderson (Adidas Asia Pacific).

The Textile and Fashion Federation (TaF.f), the Textile and Fashion Federation Training Centre (TaF.tc) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) were the chief organisers of the event.

“I consider it a privilege to have represented not just Brandix but my country at this global event,” said Somarathna. “It was a valuable opportunity to share Brandix’s vision of a ‘greener’ future with many leaders and corporates.”

Brandix’s pioneering efforts in sustainable manufacturing have been acknowledged in the global arena with the Brandix Eco Centre in Seeduwa being recognised as the world’s first apparel factory to be rated LEED Platinum by the US Green Building Council.

The Group’s standing as a leader in eco-friendly manufacture was reaffirmed by the LEED Gold rating which was awarded to the Brandix Essentials Centre in Ratmalana, the first office building in Sri Lanka to receive this certification.

The Group has based its sustainability efforts on three pillars: Air, Water and Earth. A pledge to conserve these pillars has seen Brandix fix targets to reduce its carbon footprint by 30 per cent by 2012, a reduction of water consumption to 35 litres per day per head by 2011, and to achieve zero solid waste to landfill by 2012.

To support this pledge, the Group committed in 2010 an additional US $2 million over the next two years to related initiatives. In addition, a group-wide campaign titled ‘Go Green & Live Green’ spearheaded by the Chairman of Brandix Ken Balendra has also been launched. This initiative hopes to create a change in the lifestyles of executives at Brandix in order to promote sustainability in the workplace.