Sampath Bank and Rotary Club commit to tackling climate change

Saturday, 9 July 2022 00:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sampath Bank Managing Director Nanda Fernando planting a sapling. Others in the picture include (from left): Rotary Club of Colombo President Aroshi Nanayakkara, Kelani Valley Plantations Plantations - Rubber Director Udara Premathilaka, Kelani Valley Plantations Regional General Manager Anura Senanayake and Kelani Valley Plantations We Oya Estate Group Manager Asitha Thilakarathne

Rotary Club of Colombo President Aroshi Nanayakkara planting a sapling. Others in the picture include Sampath Bank Group Chief Human Resource Officer Lalith Weragoda and Sampath Bank HR Operations Manager Prejesh Dayarathne

Sampath Bank Managing Director Nanda Fernando, Rotary Club of Colombo President Aroshi Nanayakkara and Kelani Valley Plantations Plantations - Rubber Director Udara Premathilaka along with the teams from Sampath Bank, Rotary Club of Colombo and Kelani Valley Plantations

Sampath Bank recently inaugurated the ‘10,000 Trees Campaign’ in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Colombo at the We Oya Estate of Kelani valley plantations in Yatiyanthota governed by the Hayleys group of companies. This marks the materialisation of the bank’s plan to plant a total of 7,500 trees at Hayleys plantations in a bid to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of climate change, as part of the Rotary Club of Colombo’s ‘10,000 trees campaign.’ The planting ceremony held recently was graced by Sampath Bank Managing Director Nanda Fernando, Sampath Bank Deposit Mobilisation and Digitalisation Senior Deputy General Manager/Group Marketing Tharaka Ranwala, Sampath Bank Group Chief Human Resource Officer Lalith Weragoda, Sampath Bank Assistant General Manager Dulsiri Jayasinghe and Rotary Club of Colombo President and Sampath Bank Non - Executive Director Aroshi Nanayakkara. Officials from Kelani valley plantations and Sampath Bank were also present. This initiative is a strong reflection of Sampath Bank’s commitment to preserving the natural environment and reducing its carbon footprint. Therefore, the decision to partner with a like-minded service organisation, Rotary Club of Colombo, was part of a strategy to ensure exponential growth and consistency within the tree planting program. It is also noteworthy that all trees planted are native to Sri Lanka, which will ensure that the current eroding ecosystem will be nurtured and revived.

Voicing his thoughts at the tree planting event, Sampath Bank Managing Director Nanda Fernando said: “Climate change is often regarded as one of the most profound global problems. This is an issue that affects us all. Planting new trees is one of the most effective ways to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and limit global warming.

“Responsible corporations must come together with their individual strengths to address this matter and achieve sustainable goals. By partnering with the Rotary Club of Colombo, Sampath Bank has done exactly this. I can confidently say that this is one of the many such collaborations for national initiatives that we hope to engage in.”