Maliban wins gold for protecting the environment

Maliban Biscuit Manufactories reinforced its commitment to protecting the consumer’s environment in its processes, while emphasising on high quality and innovation, when the company received the Gold Award at Geo Responsibility Awards 2011.

Maliban became the only biscuit company in Sri Lanka to have won this prestigious award.

Environmental pollution is an increasingly critical issue in today’s world, with global warming and drastic climate change severely affecting countries world over. Natural disasters have escalated at an unprecedented rate, and some of these catastrophes have been regarded as being among the worst in history. This has prompted corporates across the world to play a major role in reversing the current situation.

As a leading manufacturer in Sri Lanka and a socially responsible entity, Maliban has taken the initiative to adopt environmentally friendly practices in its processes, thereby taking a conscious effort to minimise waste and the harmful impact on the environment.

The Geo Responsibility Awards, an initiative of Geocycle, the professional waste management services provider, seek to recognise industries that practice best environment management systems. A unit of Holcim Lanka Limited, the awards were presented in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka.

Expressing her thoughts on the significance of the award, Warna Fernando, Assistance General Manager, Quality Assurance and Research Development, stated: “While achieving this Gold Award we believe that we have been recognised of our performance and commitment towards managing the environment in a responsible manner which gives real proposition to the Maliban theme ‘Inspired by goodness.’”

“Maliban decided to dispose materials through Geocycle, which cannot be re-used, re-cycled or reformed at the company’s premises. However, identified material were presented to another source to be re-used, re-cycle or reformed in order to expand their shelf life. We have included waste reduction as a key objective considering materials and energy,” she elaborated.

Building its practices on the ‘5R principles,’ the company adopts the concepts of Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Refuse and Reform in its activities. In moving into the future, Maliban has identified the concept of ‘refuse’ as a key aspect in its ‘Environment Road Map,’ through which the company aims to avoid the purchase of environmentally burdensome materials where possible and use optimum materials including in raw and packing. This will enable Maliban to achieve environment benefits by minimizing the harmful effect on the environment, as well as cost benefits.

Over the years, Maliban has gained wide recognition for its environmental practices. In 2010 the company received the National Cleaner Production Silver Award, while in 2009 it was awarded the Certificate of Merit (recognition of Excellence in Cleaner Production Practices). In 2006, Maliban received the ISO 14000 Environment Management System Certification of the Sri Lanka Standard Institute.