The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity (SL B&B) Platform of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently appointed its second Advisory Committee for its new term of operation. The overall mandate of the Platform is to encourage dialogue amongst stakeholders, and to help raise awareness on biodiversity and sustainability issues amongst the Sri Lankan business community. Working to assist companies in understanding and mainstreaming biodiversity, the Platform has the ultimate aim of ensuring that a majority of companies will eventually be on a sustainable ecological footing with a vastly reduced negative impact upon biodiversity.
The Advisory Committee’s newly appointed Chairman Dilhan C. Fernando - is Director Marketing of Ceylon Tea Services PLC. In addition to his responsibilities in tea, Fernando manages the humanitarian and environmental arm of Dilmah, utilizing revenue from the company’s global sales. Together with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Sri Lanka, Dilmah Conservation pioneered the establishment of the SL B&B Platform.
The other members of the second Advisory Committee representing the Platform’s initiating partners are Samantha Ranatunga - Deputy Chairman of the CCC - and Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri - Country Representative of IUCN Sri Lanka. Jonathan Alles - Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Hatton National Bank PLC and Sumal Perera - Chairman of Access Group now represent the Platform’s Patron Members, whilst tourism industry veteran Prema Cooray, brings in his expertise in merging the business sector and the environment.
The Platform will focus on enhancing information flow, mainstreaming biodiversity and raising awareness, strengthening SMEs as well as public-private partnerships, enhancing outreach to business and creating a solutions marketplace, as the key areas in its second phase of development. The Platform is backed by 25 leading corporate organizations as its Patron Members and General Membership of the Platform is now open and continues to grow.
