Dialog Axiata first quad-play telco in South Asia to get ISO 14001:2015 certification

• Says move strengthens commitment to sustainability with globally recognised accreditation

Reiterating its commitment to social, environmental and economic sustainability, Dialog Axiata PLC’s Environmental Management System was certified for the globally recognised ISO 14001:2015 standard for its full scope of operations, becoming the first quad-play telco (mobile, fixed, media and broadband) in South Asia to do so. 

The ISO 14001 standard is a voluntary international certification afforded to companies with meaningful environmental policies that create and maintain an effective Environmental Management System (EMS) across their organisations. It is reviewed and audited annually to retain a rigorous focus on the topic. Like other ISO standards, this standard is reviewed and updated periodically by an international panel of experts.

Sustainability is an integral element in Dialog’s corporate ethos. Over the years, reflecting the profound impression that the Dialog brand has made in the hearts and minds of Sri Lankans, the ‘Most Loved Telecommunication Brand’ maximised value creation across its businesses by mitigating or eliminating the negative impacts of its operations in an effort to actualise a greener future. 

These efforts also align with Dialog’s founding roles in the Global Compact Network of Ceylon, the local chapter of the United Nations Global Compact, and Biodiversity Sri Lanka, a network of Sri Lankan businesses committed to preserving the country’s rich biodiversity.

Dialog successfully completed the independent assessment of its EMS and was certified for the standard by DNV GL and accredited by RvA Netherlands. Dialog was certified on 7 June and the certification is valid for a period of three years with surveillance audits conducted periodically to validate the Company’s continuous compliance. 

This certification denotes that Dialog now has a robust environmental governance mechanism in place, furthering its sustainability journey. This includes revamping existing policies and processes – from waste management to setting environmental objectives, implementing alternative eco-friendly processes throughout the value chain, creating large-scale awareness of its environmental impact, and shifting toward a sustainability-oriented workplace culture.

In light of Dialog Axiata’s achievement, Rohitha Wickramasinghe, from DNV GL Ltd., the certification assurance provider, commented: “We are delighted to have facilitated Dialog Axiata’s efforts to obtain ISO 14001:2015 certification, considering a life cycle-based approach on environment protection, and key focuses on sustainability performance and the prevention of pollution. In an era where environment management and sustainability are of utmost importance, carrying this certification will significantly benefit Dialog Axiata as well as all of its stakeholders.” 

Commenting on this recognition, Dialog Axiata PLC Group Chief Executive Supun Weerasinghe stated: “As a part of Dialog Axiata’s sustainability journey, we seek to understand and mitigate, or even eliminate any harmful impacts to the environment, while identifying opportunities to create value for the company and its stakeholders. The ISO 14001:2015 certification will boost the measurement, monitoring and reporting of Dialog’s environmental performance going forward. It also provides a framework to reduce negative impacts to the environment further and upholds the legal and regulatory obligations as we work together as one team towards a sustainable and greener future.”