Dilmah Secures Top Environmental Honour at Presidential Environmental Awards 2026

Rishan Sampath, Manager, Conservation & Sustainability at Dilmah Tea, receiving the Gold award from the Prime Minister

Dilmah Ceylon Tea has been awarded the prestigious Gold Award in the Tea Processing category at the Presidential Environmental Awards 2026. Held on 19th October at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) the ceremony recognised organisations across Sri Lanka making outstanding contributions to environmental stewardship and sustainable operations.

Organised annually by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the Presidential Environmental Awards represent the nation’s highest official recognition for environmental excellence. The awards aim to celebrate institutions and individuals that prioritise environmental safety alongside industrial growth.

This year’s competition saw intense interest, with over 1000 applicants competing across 10 distinct categories. Multi-disciplinary panels of expert judges evaluated candidates not merely on basic regulatory compliance, but on active innovation, impact, and a demonstrated dedication to delivering environmental initiatives that go well beyond the status quo.

Dilmah’s Gold Award reflects its long-standing commitment to integrating environmental sustainability into every stage of its supply chain and tea processing operations. By prioritising energy efficiency, engineering improvements, sustainable packaging, responsible waste management, and ecosystem protection, Dilmah continues to lead the tea industry toward a greener future.

 “Our commitment to sustainability, ecosystem restoration, conservation, and to environmental education is sincere. We respect the interrelationship between people and nature, and the reality that it is nature that crafts the taste and goodness in our tea and cinnamon. My family’s commitment to serving humanity with kindness to people and nature is rooted in that truth, so we do not take either for granted,” said Dilhan C. Fernando, Chairman, Dilmah Tea.

Dilmah is the first Sri Lankan company in the food and beverage sector to have both its near-term and net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, including FLAG and non-FLAG emissions. The company remains on track to achieve net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050, backed by an interim target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46% by 2031.

This commitment is driven by concrete investments in renewable energy, fleet electrification, and resource efficiency. Currently, 46% of Dilmah’s vehicle fleet is electrified and supported by onsite charging infrastructure. Furthermore, with LKR 44.7 million allocated to expanding renewable energy and resource-efficient technologies, the company has already achieved a carbon footprint reduction of 328 MtCO2e  per year. Through packaging innovations such as compostable cotton tea bags and home compostable envelopes and sachets, efforts are ongoing to reduce non-recyclable materials and move towards 100% biodegradable solutions that reduce environmental impact.

Environmental sustainability has been central to Dilmah’s business philosophy since its establishment in 1985, guided by the foundational principle that “Business is a Matter of Human Service.” This commitment was formalised through the establishment of Dilmah Conservation in 2007 focusing on biodiversity conservation, environmental education, climate resilience, adaptation and sustainability and environmental advocacy. Today, sustainability is embedded directly into Dilmah’s core business operations through an ESG Strategy spanning seven pillars and 29 distinct focus areas.