|
|
| Environmental performance |
| |
| |
Management approach
The John Keells Group is aware of the environmental impact of its operations, particularly in terms of energy consumption and related impacts, consumption of water and release of effluents and the generation of solid wastes. As a group, we endeavour to minimise our impact on the environment, and where possible, contribute positively to its conservation. Over the years, our industry groups have launched various initiatives to minimise the environmental footprint of their respective operations in line with the group's value system. In the future, we intend to unify these efforts, and as a first step, the group will launch “water positive” and “reduction of carbon footprint” initiatives in the year 2008/09.
Selected environmental projects are highlighted as follows.
Pioneering the greenbuilding concept
In February 2008, the John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation joined hands with the Central Environment Authority (CEA) to establish a nature field centre at Rumassala, in Galle. The Rs. 6.9 million project is being constructed on a section of the 0.8 hectares of land managed by the CEA in this area. The facility, which will include an auditorium, library and canteen, will primarily target school children, and will be operated by the regional staff of the CEA from Galle. Designed by the faculty of architecture, university of Moratuwa, this building supports the concept of “green” building in Sri Lanka and is expected to be completed by May 2008.
The centre will conduct halfday programmes for groups of 75100 children to experience, observe and learn about biodiversity in the area, ecofriendly practices and coexisting in harmony with the environment. Audiovisual tools will also be used to educate visitors about global warming and the detrimental effects of green house gases. Nature Odyssey, a member of the John Keells Group and an inbound tour operator specialising in nature and adventure, will also carry out quarterly programmes on birds and butterflies; while the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) would be involved in the study of coral reefs at the site.
A unique ecological initiative
On 11th March 2008, Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana launched a simple but original initiative as an environmentally friendly gesture: selling 5 kg and 10 kg packs of compost to its visitors and guests, as well as those of the neighbouring Chaaya Village, Habarana. Sold at Rs. 100 and Rs. 180 respectively, the compost is made up of the garden waste collected from the two hotels, along with farmyard manure, crop residue, dolomite and top soil, in order to improve its quality.
The idea was born because of the large amount of garden waste collected from the two hotels on a daily basis: around 750kg to 1,000kg of dried leaves each day. Two large pits (approximately 20'x 20'x10' in size) were then prepared in which to allow the leaves to decompose. The dried leaves are left in these pits for a total period of six months. Meanwhile, separate compost pits have been prepared for the purpose of the two hotels and the vegetable plots. The pits have the capacity to produce 1,000kg of compost each month.
Preserving biodiversity
With much focus on reforestation and conservation attached to the travel industry, the Leisure industry group, led by the initiative of its subsidiary Nature Odyssey, has devised a number of awareness and conservation programmes aimed at preserving the rich biodiversity of some of the locations of our tourism operations. A few noteworthy examples are given below:
Creating butterfly habitats in Habarana
Habarana, in which we own and operate two hotels, is a rich butterfly habitat area a fact that has been, however, decreasingly evident with growing urbanisation. On 11th March 2008, the group launched a butterfly park at Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana, with the help of project consultant, Dr. Michael van der Poorten, who has tremendous experience in habitat enrichment. The project also attracted the attention of the IUCN who partnered the group in this unique effort at Habarana.
The first phase of the project was completed with more than 300 larval host plants put in place. The initiative of planting more than 1000 ideal larval host plants to enrich a butterfly habitat will certainly speak for the efforts of the team, who believe that responsible travellers will appreciate these efforts in sustaining the environment. The park also conducts regular awareness events for school children in the vicinity.
Preserving the sanctity of rural Sri Lanka
The village of Hiriwadune is three kilometers away from Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana and breathtakingly scenic trails have been developed by Nature Odyssey as a popular village trek for the visiting tourists, giving them an insight into the nature and culture of these surroundings and people. The programme is greatly welcomed by villagers who understand our efforts to create awareness among visitors in preserving the natural and cultural sanctity of these localities. This activity has helped many villagers economically, too, by enabling them to participate in our excursions as suppliers and guides.
Snake awareness at Yala
Since acquiring the Yala Village hotel in 2005/06, the Nature Odyssey team has discovered many species of snakes endemic to the dry zone wilderness. The team also discovered that many snakes faced serious injury with staff, guests and surrounding villagers reacting to them in fear. The group's naturalists commenced an awareness program that helped hotel staff and villagers identify many species of snakes and understand them, which helped to save dozens of snakes in the next two years. On the back of the success of these programmes, the team was invited by the Yala National Park warden to conduct a similar awareness event for the park rangers. In the past two years, 23 cat snakes, 16 cobras, 21 flying snakes, 3 sand boas and countless reptiles were saved and released back into the wilds.
Systematic disposal of solid waste at the Yala Village hotel
In line with continued measures to preserve the environment and optimise the usage of its resources, the Yala Village team devised a method for the systematic disposal of garbage using bio gas technology, given that over 50 per cent of the hotel's daily garbage consisted of digestible organic substances.
Accordingly, they instated a system consisting of 4 units of 12ft. diameter and 6ft deep masonry underground chambers with a lifting mechanism. Complete digestion of garbage in a chamber takes approximately 4 months. As digestion takes place in concealed bio gas chambers, the breeding of mosquitoes as well as bad odours are eliminated. Biogas produced as a byproduct of this process is utilised to cover part of the hotel's heating requirements (i.e. water, gas for cooking etc), whilst the residual organic digest provides fertilizer for the garden. This initiative, in line with the group's intensions to keep reducing our quantum of GHG emissions will be used as a benchmark for the other hotels within the chain.
 |
Going green with the red bag
In April 2007, being mindful of the growing threat of plastics and polythene to the environment, Keells Super became the pioneer supermarket chain in Sri Lanka to promote reusable shopping bags by launching an attractive “Red Bag” and encouraging customers to utilise the reusable bag in place of polythene. The central purpose of the initiative was to reduce the usage of polythene bags which is heavily used within the industry. The bag is given to the customer at cost and the Keells Super customers have responded positively by subscribing to the initiative at most outlets. Based on customer feedback the chain recently introduced a bigger version of the Red Bag which could carry more items in it. Since the launch of the initiative 125,000 red bags have been sold of which, 8600 (or 7 per cent of those sold) are in reuse.
Going green with Toshiba
The initiative was launched by John Keells Office Automation (JKOA) in order to collect all empty Toshiba toner cartridges and recycle or dispose of the same in an environmentallyfriendly manner. The project was announced to our customers through paper advertisements, direct mailers, notices and awareness campaigns, creating awareness on the importance of using original toners, the consequences of using fake tones and the importance of protecting the environment, among others.
The following benefits are awarded to customers participating in the programme:
No of empty
cartridges return |
Discount % or |
Voucher |
| 2 |
5 |
250/- |
| 4 |
7.5 |
500/- |
| 6 |
10 |
1,000/- |
Cartridges thus collected are sent to Toshiba Singapore Pte Ltd, JKOA's principals and confirmation received via a certificate of environment friendly disposal from the recycling company.
Results: Of 98,290 cartridges sold in the past three years, 5,476 or 6 per cent have been returned, and recycled.
Leading industry practices in environmental performance
Lanka Marine Services (LMS) has taken several initiatives to achieve leading industry practices in terms of quality and environmental performance. All products supplied by LMS have much lower sulphur content than internationally accepted levels, because LMS imports products directly from refineries rather than from traders. The company also continuously monitors and changes the bunker/lube delivery procedures to meet the requirements of customers and industrial standards. LMS was one of the first bunker suppliers in 2005 to comply with the Marpol Annexure VI requirements in the region and is now working on complying with the Singapore Standard CP 60 for delivery of bunkers. A six sigma programme, too is being considered in order to streamline LMS's processes and procedures. |
| |
|
