Brandix supports 2012 National Safety and Health Week

Top apparel exporter Brandix has extended its support to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for the 2012 National Safety Week programme which ends on Friday, 12 October.

This is the third successive year that Brandix has taken the role of Main Sponsor of the program, and the fifth year overall of Group support for the causes it represents.

The theme for this year’s National Safety Week – ‘Go Green with OSH’ (Occupational Safety and Health) is of particular interest to Brandix, a global benchmark for environment-friendly manufacturing practices, the Group’s Head of Risk and Control Suwan Perera said.

“Brandix is recognised as an example of best practice in the sphere of safety and health at workplaces,” he said. “As one of the largest apparel manufacturing groups in the region, we have, with the support of the many global brands we manufacture for, established very high standards for safety across all manufacturing locations.”

“This year’s focus on new concepts in occupational safety and health at the technical sessions on 10 October, is especially significant, as it encompasses topics such as Green jobs and energy efficiency and sustainability in Green industries,” Perera added.

The sponsorship cheque for the 2012 National Safety Week program was presented by Brandix to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Director General Dr. Champika Amarasinghe.

“The Brandix Group’s continued support to this program has been invaluable,” said Dr. Amarasinghe. “Many participating organisations have benefitted from the knowledge shared by Brandix, on the subject of occupational safety and health.”

Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter, Brandix was the first apparel manufacturer in the world to receive the ISO 50001 certification for the energy management systems of its Eco Centre at Seeduwa. In 2008, the Brandix Eco Centre became the first apparel factory in the world to receive a Platinum rating from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

To date, four Brandix business units have received LEED certification.

The Brandix Group, which operates 42 facilities in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, and employs more than 40,000 associates, recently announced plans to reduce its environmental footprint, measured via the Brandix Eco Index, by a further 20 per cent by 2020, following the achievement of environmental targets set for 2012. These targets included a reduction of the Group’s carbon footprint by 30 per cent and a reduction of water consumption at Brandix apparel factories to 35 litres per head per day. The Group’s ‘Earth Pledge’ – to achieve zero solid waste to landfill by the end of 2012 – has been 75 per cent fulfilled and is expected to be met by the end of the year.