Unilever Sri Lanka recognised for 4 sustainability projects

Wednesday, 21 April 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Unilever Factory Manager – Supply Chain, Agarapathana Ceytea Factory Anusha Kotalawala with officials from Ceylon Chamber of Commerce

Unilever Sri Lanka shone at the recent Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2020, clinching wins for four sustainability projects.

The fast-moving consumer goods giant was awarded the winner in the ‘Best Projects Sustainability Award’ category for its ‘100% Re-Aqua – Creating a circular economy for water’ project. It also received merit certificates in the ‘Best Sustainability Projects’ category for its ‘Horana go greener’, ‘Saubhagya’ and ‘Udara’ projects.

Unilever Sri Lanka Managing Director Hajar Alafifi said: “We are deeply humbled and honoured to be recognised for our efforts in sustainability by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. At Unilever, our purpose has always been to make sustainable living commonplace. It is embedded in our DNA and has been at the heart of everything we do. As we look to the future, we know that sustainable and equitable growth is the only way forward. It is the one way we can create long term value to all our stakeholders across the value chain. We will continue to lead in sustainability and champion the stance we have taken, always committed to making a positive impact on our people, our country and our planet.”

Launched in 2010, Project ‘100% Re-Aqua’ aims to significantly reduce the water and energy consumption of Unilever’s instant tea factory, Premium Exports Ceylon Ltd. (PECL), also known as the Unilever Ceytea factory. It currently uses a deep groundwater well which is shared with the neighbouring community. Through the project, the factory has successfully achieved its water conservation aims through a rainwater harvesting system covering 90% of the roof area to collect 13,000 m3 of rainwater; a condensate recovery and reuse system where 100% of the condensate and liquid tea sludge generated, are recovered and re-used in the extraction plant; as well as a utility reuse system where water that is treated onsite and does not meet standards for drinking water or manufacturing, is reused for utilities, gardening and toilet flushing, replacing groundwater.

Project Saubhagya empowers 5,000 rural women through entrepreneurialism, helping them become direct-to-home ambassadors of Unilever brands, thereby enabling them to improve the living standards of themselves and their families. Project Udara is a unique tri-party corporative channel initiative that awards a pension scheme for senior citizen shoppers of Unilever products, through a special loyalty programme. Project ‘Horana go greener’ took to tackling climate change by reducing the depletion of natural resources through rainwater harvesting, waste footprint reduction and waste heat recovery in the Horana Manufacturing facility.

Organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce every year, the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards are widely considered Sri Lanka’s highest corporate honour. It recognises the best contributors to the local economy and community as well the best performers in corporate sustainability.