Hayleys Plantations creates history with first-ever Management Symposium for estate-based teams

Hayleys Chairman and Chief Executive Mohan Pandithage receiving the first copy of the symposium research booklet by Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai

• Winning case studies will foster knowledge sharing and skills development
• First management symposium in Sri Lankan plantations industry and corporate sphere
• Theme: Innovative Business Thinking and Applications

Heralded as a first-of-its kind event for the Sri Lankan plantations industry and local corporates, Hayleys Plantations hosted its inaugural Management Symposium, showcasing powerful new innovations and best practices developed by its estate teams in response to historic recent challenges.

The symposium, a common practice within academic and scientific circles, was the culmination of a structured program launched across 60 estates and its teams across the island, by the HR division of the Hayleys Plantations Sector. Encouraging a research-driven scientific mindset, teams were tasked with compiling data and case studies around real-world problem solving, backed by sound scientific and economic methodologies.

The event was attended by Hayleys Group top management and prominent industry stakeholders. The key note address was delivered by respected academic, Senior Professor Buddhi Marambe, from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya who reiterated the importance of the private sector investing in research and development.

Commending Hayleys Plantations for the efforts taken, Prof. Marambe also spoke of the value of partnerships between corporates and emerging agri-tech pioneers, in driving the integration of next-gen technologies.

“We have seen our teams showcase powerful examples of innovative thinking, demonstrating their achievements amidst unprecedented challenges – a first in 150 years of our industry’s history. Grounded in science and evidence-based problem solving, these case studies can support a more sustainable and prosperous future for Sri Lanka’s plantation industry, and for over 1 million Sri Lankans connected to it,” Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said.

Held under the theme ‘Innovative Business Thinking and Applications’, the symposium recognised the top 10 projects/success stories with three company level winners, one from each of the Hayleys Plantations companies and the ‘Best of the Best’ Overall Winner.

Awards were presented to estate teams for high impact initiatives covering triple bottom line areas such as worker happiness, increases in quality, use of renewable energy, innovative eco-friendly solutions, maximising land utilisation and increasing the professionalism of tea harvesters.

A panel of seven judges, led by PIM Senior Management Consultant and Faculty Member Dr. Samantha Rathnayake, scored submissions based on value-adding potential, innovation and creativity deployed.

The waste water management system set in place by the Dunedin Skim Rubber Processing Factory was recognised as the best presented project by Kelani Valley Plantations PLC and was also crowned the ‘Best of the Best’ Overall Winner at the Symposium. The estate team reduced the usage of waste water generation by 50% with an ROI within just five working days after the new system was put in place.

Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC’s Bearwell Estate was awarded the ‘Best of the Best’ company level winner, for its green leaf zipline transportation project which reduced the cost of transportation, contributed to productivity, health and well-being of employees, and reduced the estate’s fuel consumption and carbon footprint.

Horana Plantations PLC’s Fairlawn Estate was recognised as the company level winner, for its weed buyback scheme. Established during the fertiliser crisis, the initiative offered estate employees additional income for removing weeds, which were then sold to the estate and used as the main input for home-made organic fertiliser.

To foster greater knowledge-sharing and skills development for people joining the industry, copies of a symposium research booklet comprising the learnings of the Top 10 submissions will be disseminated externally to academia and plantations industry stakeholders.

Comprising three top-rated Regional Plantation Companies, Kelani Valley Plantations PLC (KVPL), Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTEL) and Horana Plantations PLC (HPL), the Hayleys Plantations Sector owns 60 tea and rubber estates covering approximately 26.137 hectares of land spanning three distinctive agro-climatic regions.

As pioneers in the tea and rubber industry, Hayleys Plantations is the world’s most awarded and certified sustainable plantation on human capital management, ecological friendliness, community, people empowerment and ethical business standards. Currently, the Sectors offer direct employment to over 21,000 employees and care for a population of over 140,000.

University of Peradeniya Faculty of Agriculture Senior Professor Buddhi Marambe lighting the oil lamp at the event

Dunedin Skim Rubber Processing Centre Senior Manager Chandana Wanniarchchi (third from left) accepting the ‘Best of Best’ Award at the event