Linea Aqua reaffirms status as industry leader in sustainability

Tuesday, 21 June 2016 00:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The region’s leading swimwear manufacturer recently reinforced its standing as a frontrunner in environmental sustainability by recertifying its Hanwella Factory as CarbonConscious, WaterConscious and WasteConscious for a second consecutive year.

The certifications were awarded following stringent conformity assessments that measured the factory’s greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, water consumption and wastage, and inspections of the comprehensive management plans that have been introduced to mitigate the environmental impact caused by the said focus areas.

From left: Kanishka Jayasinghe – CCC, Linea Aqua Executive Sustainability Mega Ganeshan, Linea Aqua Managing Director Sarinda Unamboowe, SFG Manager Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services Lakmini Senadheera, Linea Aqua Manager Lean and Sustainability Lalith Herath and Linea Aqua Executive Sustainability Chalana Perera

Receiving the certifications, Linea Aqua Ltd. CEO/Managing Director Sarinda Unamboowe remarked: “We have always placed sustainability at the forefront of our business operations. The certifications are a testament to Aqua’s long-term commitment towards reducing our impact, in the hope of safeguarding the environment for the next generation; and we will continue to find innovative ways to achieve these goals.”

The independent consultancy services were provided by the country’s most recognised sustainability solutions expert – The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC). Commenting on Linea Aqua’s achievements, CCC CEO Sanith de Silva Wijeyeratne stated, “We are humbled to work alongside industry giants such as Linea Aqua, which is passionate about conserving our national resources and taking strong action to ensure that it mitigates the impact of its operations on the planet.”

CertifiedConscious is part of a proprietary, diverse range of certifications developed following internationally accepted standards and protocols to measure, manage and mitigate/enhance key environmental impact areas such as carbon, water, waste and biodiversity, by the region’s first verification and certification provider to be accredited for ISO14064 - The Sustainable Future Group (SFG).

“We can confirm that Linea Aqua has met all the required criteria to obtain Carbon, Water and WasteConscious certifications, including having systems in place for the reduction of the identified impact areas,” said SFG Manager Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services Lakmini Senadheera during the certificate handover.

Linea Aqua is no stranger to sustainable business practices. From tree planting in the Sri Lankan rainforest conservation project ‘Hiniduma Bio-link’; improving facilities in rural schools and elders’ homes; to large-scale habitat restoration and clearing-up projects in Bundala and Yala National Parks, it has made sure sustainability is part and parcel of its organisational operations.

In addition, Linea Aqua announced its intention to make its Hanwella Factory WaterNeutral by the next fiscal year. The company plans to systematically replenish all the water it uses in its factory operations, towards reaching an ambitious goal of becoming the first garment manufacturer to become ‘water neutral’ - a concept first coined by the Water Footprint Network of the Netherlands that has been adapted to a regional context by SFG.