INSEE launches inaugural Sustainability Report

The report is themed ‘Building a Sustainable Nation’ and was launched alongside a panel discussion. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Country Representative Dr A. Mallawatantri spoke of IUCN’s international and local level endeavours and its contribution towards sustainable development goals. Shiranee Yasaratna, Advisor – Secretariat of Biodiversity Sri Lanka, emphasised the role of the private organisation’s involvement in biodiversity conservation activities. Prof. Ranjith Dissanayake, Senior Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Peradeniya and Chairman of the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka, focused on the best practices of a sustainable construction industry.

INSEE was represented by Nandana Ekanayake, Chairman/CEO of INSEE Cement Sri Lanka, who presented an overview of the company’s commitment to build a sustainable nation and spoke on the value of sustainable construction, focusing on green manufacturing. Sales, Marketing, and Innovation Director, Jan Kunigk, explained INSEE Cement’s sustainable product innovations. Director of INSEE Ecocycle, Sanjeewa Chulakumara, highlighted the company’s contribution to the nation’s industrial waste management and non-kiln based environmental solutions by INSEE Ecocycle Lanka. Sudashini Christopher, Company Communications and Reputation Manager, highlighted the company’s sustainability agenda, pertaining to community engagement and environmental responsibility.

The sustainability report showcases the company’s ongoing efforts towards improving its disclosure of triple bottom line performance for FY18. The content of the report has been structured according to the internationally recognised GRI and conforms to the requirements of the ‘core’ option of the GRI standards and principles relating to sustainability.

“We are an integral part of Sri Lanka’s growing infrastructure,” said Ekanayake. “Our impact spreads far and wide. We are driven by our commitment towards communities and environment, harnessing our strength towards building a sustainable future.

“In 2018, we made several investments to enhance the Innovation and Application Center. The launch of the superior blend cement range to the local market is an initiative that demonstrates INSEE’s innovative and green spirit. We will remain fully committed to enriching and empowering the lives of the communities that we serve today, as well as in the future.”

The CEO also revealed that the company’s investments in expansion, modernisation, R&D facilities, and environment performance improvements amounted to US$47 million since investing in the Sri Lankan acquisition in 2016. The company’s Zero Harm policy was also highlighted, reflecting the commitment to Health and Safety. It was also noted that green ethics are a key component of INSEE’s sustainability agenda.

“At INSEE, sustainability is not a separate topic but an all-encompassing concept that is fully integrated into our value chain operations,” said Chrisopher, highlighting the company’s commitment and approach to sustainability. “We have understood and accepted the fact that, to be recognised as an environmentally responsible organisation, we need to have carbon offsetting as our top priority. To achieve this objective, we engage in many environmental sustainability initiatives, such as reforestation, mangrove conservation, and planting ‘green future leaders’ through our recently launched environmental corporate social responsibility programme – One Chile One Tree initiative. We also focus on coral restoration – especially in the Southern Province. We have developed our own biodiversity, CO₂, water management, and energy management protocols, benchmarking to international standards. Launching this inaugural report is our first step towards accountability and the transparency of our sustainable practices.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/indian-subcontinent/30072019/insee-launches-inaugural-sustainability-report/