UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka has appointed Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC (TTE PLC) as Patron of its Climate Emergency Task Force, citing the company’s long-standing engagement in climate resilience, sustainability and low-carbon transformation within the plantation sector.

The appointment comes amid growing climate-related challenges facing Sri Lanka’s tea industry, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, soil degradation and increased incidence of floods and droughts. These impacts have begun to affect productivity, infrastructure and community wellbeing across both high-grown and low-country estates.

TTE PLC, one of the country’s leading plantation companies, has implemented a range of adaptation and mitigation measures in response. According to the company, erratic rainfall in highland estates has led to soil erosion, damage to estate roads and factory infrastructure, and reduced soil moisture, while southern low-country estates have experienced heat stress among workers, flash floods and heightened risks of vector-borne diseases.

In response, the company has expanded initiatives focused on reforestation, soil and water conservation, rainwater harvesting and watershed protection. These measures aim to strengthen sustainable tea cultivation while improving regional water security and community resilience.

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka said the Patron role recognises TTE PLC’s sustained investment in renewable energy, carbon management, water stewardship, biodiversity conservation and social development. As Patron, the company is expected to support the Task Force’s efforts to promote coordinated private-sector action on climate change.

TTE PLC reports that its renewable energy generation exceeded 30,800 gigajoules in 2024 and 2025, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Micro-hydro projects across several estates generated approximately 7,975 megawatt-hours of electricity during the 2024/25 period, supplemented by rooftop solar installations at factories. The company also maintains an externally assured greenhouse gas inventory, recording 23,431 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in its most recent reporting cycle, a year-on-year reduction of about seven per cent.

The company has stated that it is the first Sri Lankan plantation entity to assure climate disclosures under the SLFRS S1 and S2 standards. In addition, more than Rs. 58 million was invested during 2024 and 2025 in projects related to reforestation, water security and energy efficiency, alongside waste management initiatives that reduced estate waste volumes.

Community engagement forms a central component of TTE PLC’s approach. Estate families are involved in the design of rainwater harvesting systems, community nurseries supply seedlings for reforestation programmes, and home gardening initiatives aim to improve household food security. Digital platforms are also used to promote awareness on waste management and resource conservation.

UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka said the appointment highlights the role of the plantation sector in advancing national climate goals. TTE PLC’s climate roadmap includes targets to ensure year-round water availability by 2030, fully integrate regenerative agriculture practices by 2035, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.