Commits to protect Sri Lanka’s endemic species
With the firm belief that a responsible Sri Lankan corporate must care for and protect what is uniquely Sri Lankan, Hemas Holdings PLC launched their Group Environmental Agenda 2030 ‘Haritha Mehewara’, a long-term commitment to protect and conserve the island’s critically endangered endemic species through necessary actions and interventions.
Being a global biodiversity hotspot, Sri Lanka is home to over 350 endemic species covering the gamut of plant and animal kingdoms. However, due to an increase in human activity leading to habitat loss, the animal and plant life that is endemic to Sri Lanka remains under threat.
Speaking on the Group commitment, Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, Group CEO of Hemas Holdings PLC said, “As a truly Sri Lankan company we believe we need to care for and protect all that is Sri Lankan, so that future generations can also benefit from being part of this rich eco-system that we possess. Through our environmental agenda, we will work towards raising awareness and championing advocacy through partnerships to safeguard our environment, actively pursue the use of natural resources in a responsible manner, limit the impact of our operations and reduce the use of plastic that are harmful to the environment. Our intention is to have all our initiatives and interventions resulting in the protection of endangered endemic species in Sri Lanka.”
As a key initiative of the Environmental Agenda, Hemas Holdings has partnered with Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) to understand and carry out necessary interventions to protect over 50 critically endangered species in Sri Lanka.
Speaking on the partnership, Jehan CanagaRetna, President of Wildlife and Nature Protection Society said, “The future of our world’s wildlife and conservation will depend on us humans. Sri Lanka is no better. With global warming and severe climate change all over the world, it is important to protect what we have. Hemas in partnership with WNPS is taking a bold initiative to protect our critically endangered endemics. This is a huge step in the direction we should be heading, and it is heartening to see a large Corporate like Hemas take the extra step to provide a future for the next generations. I hope others see this as a stepping stone to protect our world.”
