Sri Lanka’s ‘greenest’ apparel factory Mihila reinforces its commitment to sustainability

Thursday, 31 July 2014 01:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

From left: Mihila General Manager Chamara De Silva, Mihila Director Operations Indrajith Kumarasiri, The Carbon Consulting Company CEO Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne and The Carbon Consulting Company Assistant Manager – Sustainability Solutions Lakmini Senadheera

The county’s iconic green factory – the Hirdaramani Group’s Mihila Factory – recently re-certified itself as having completely offset it entire operational carbon footprint. Asia’s first CarbonNeutral apparel manufacturer and the first in Sri Lanka to continually maintain its CarbonNeutral status over three years, the Mihila Factory continues to drive environmental sustainability as a vital aspect of its business operations. “Mihila was set-up to fulfil the Hirdaramani Group’s vision of demonstrating that manufacturing could be carried out in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner,” said Chamara De Silva – General Manger of the Mihila Factory. “We took a giant step by becoming the first apparel factory in Asia to be certified CarbonNeutral because we wanted to ensure we went all out to compensate for the environmental impacts we created, rather than simply claim energy reduction or waste recycling as our sustainability efforts. The factory’s complete carbon footprint has been independently assessed and verified through our sustainability partner – The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), and by purchasing sufficient carbon credits to compensate for this impact through The CarbonNeutral Company of the UK, we have ensured that we have made complete amends for the greenhouse gas pollution we generate through our operations. “Now our partners and clients can be re-assured that the products we manufacture for them are not only done so in line with the highest of quality and labour standards, but that they do not generate a significant net environmental impact on the planet, through their manufacture. Throughout this process we have been expertly guided by the team at CCC, and are working with them to expand our environmental credentials through additional projects which will mark even greater strides in the sustainably landscape in the local apparel context.” “Building great partnerships are what we are about,” commented Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, the Chief Executive Officer of The Carbon Consulting Company. “Unlike the lip service claims by many in industry today, correcting and mitigating the environmental impacts created through industry is not achieved overnight. It requires significant commitment from all levels of the company – from senior management down to floor level technicians. Building this shared vision of environmental concern takes time and concerted effort. “We at CCC are proud to have been able to work with the dynamic team at Mihila over the past three years to help them reach and maintain their CarbonNeutral status and also becoming the only apparel factory in the country to do so. The commitment they have been able to foster, and the organisational focus on continually improving their environmental performance is very highly commendable. At a time when factories are considering scrapping any green initiatives, the team as Mihila are expanding their efforts to introduce eco friendly manufacturing and green products for their client portfolio, and CCC is privileged to be partnering them in these initiatives.” The Carbon Consulting Company is a leading provider of integrated sustainability solutions such as carbon and water footprinting, carbon asset management, biodiversity assessment and life cycle analysis. CCC also provides mitigation options, facilitates the purchase of ethical carbon offsets and consults on corporate sustainability management strategies such as carbon, water, waste and energy management to ensure that corporates are able to take accurate stock of the impact of their operations on the environment.