Business
‘Future First’ Sustainability Roadmap 2025 lays out meaningful business impact
Hirdaramani Group has launched its Sustainability Roadmap, ‘Future First’ – a unified and holistic sustainability plan with ambitious targets for 2025.
The Group’s ‘Future First’ roadmap collates and builds on several years of sustainability efforts and investments by the company. It takes stock of existing sustainability mechanisms, outlines the Group’s ethos and sets new goals for the company to achieve globally across all its facilities in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Ethiopia. The roadmap has been developed on years of experience and inputs from experienced consultants. It is designed across four pillars of sustainability: conserving the environment, empowering associates, supporting communities and trusting in good choices. The roadmap takes into account local and international contexts, global apparel programs on sustainability and is guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Future First initiatives are also aimed at supporting the Government’s climate change commitments made at the recently completed COP26 summit.
“Hirdaramani has always been a leader in sustainability, holding itself accountable to rigorous standards while championing better business practices. ‘Future first’ is a unified, global approach and sets new targets for our sustainability efforts. What sets it apart is that it takes on sustainability through a nuanced, multi-dimensional approach and was designed through extensive consultation with multiple stakeholders. Conservation is a key part of it but so is the empowerment of our employees, the supporting of communities and building trust throughout the supply chain,” said Nikhil Hirdaramani, Director – Hirdaramani Group.
For Hirdaramani, sustainability is a key tenet that has underscored all aspects in its operations for the 100+ years of its existence. In 2006, the Group moved into a more focused approach, investing considerably in holistic and meaningful sustainability efforts which have driven change throughout the organization. The ‘Future First’ roadmap expands its scale and unifies independent sustainability endeavours internationally into a cohesive, amalgamated approach. The Group is also investing in new technology and reporting standards for greater transparency and accountability, setting the sustainability bar higher for itself.
“It is clear that existing ways of doing business must change. There is a growing call for organizations to hold themselves accountable in issues of sustainability and we are proud to have always led the way. ‘Future First’ is a unified roadmap that builds on and is developed from decades-long sustainability efforts at Hirdaramani and is cognizant of changing local and global conditions, especially given the pandemic and environmental and social developments in recent years,” commented Demith Gooneratne – Senior Manager, Environmental Sustainability.
In the past years, the Group has achieved net–zero for greenhouse gas emissions from energy across all its manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka and launched rooftop solar projects in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. It has received Fair Trade USA certification in five facilities, achieved LEED Gold/Platinum ratings in 11 facilities and also significantly reduced water and electricity consumption and waste in all its facilities.
Further, over 12,000 employees have been trained in Wonders of Wellbeing and Her+ programmes which have been internationally recognized.
The union representing tens of thousands of dockworkers across the US has agreed to suspend its strike while negotiations continue.
Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) walked out on Tuesday at 14 major ports along the east and Gulf coats, halting container traffic from Maine to Texas.
The union says it has reached a tentative agreement on wages and will go back to work on Friday until 15 January, when they will return to the bargaining table to negotiate “all other outstanding issues”.
The action marked the first such shutdown in almost 50 years and threatened to wreak chaos amid the busy holiday shopping season and forthcoming presidential election.
The affected ports included some of the nation’s busiest, including in New York, Georgia and Texas. They are estimated by experts to handle more than a third of US imports and exports.
Businesses had been bracing for the possibility of a prolonged shutdown, which threatened to disrupt global trade and the US economy.
Many consumers had been fearful and were stocking up on some supplies, like baby formula and toilet paper.
US President Joe Biden applauded the tentative agreement in a Thursday evening statement, saying it “represents critical progress toward a strong contract”.
“I congratulate the dockworkers from the ILA, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open during the pandemic,” Biden said.
“And I applaud the port operators and carriers who are members of the US Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table.”
Biden noted the need for ports to be open to “ensure the availability of critical supplies” for those hit by Hurricane Helene, which has left more than 200 people dead in the US south-east.
Under the 2018 contract that expired on Monday, dockworkers earned a base hourly wage of $20-$39, as well as other benefits, including royalties linked to container traffic.
Harold Daggett, head of the ILA, demanded companies agree to boost hourly pay by $5 for each year of the contract.
The union, which has about 47,000 active members according to federal filings, is also seeking protections against automation.
[BBC]
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Whoever coined the term soft power, defining it as a country’s ability to influence others without resorting to coercive pressure, Korea is arguably mastering the art like no other country.
The Korean cultural and entertainment wave has attracted millions of fans across the world. regardless of whether they can speak or understand Korean. They support favourite K-Pop artists and largely enjoy Korean entertainment programmes. This is a predominant prevalence here in Sri Lanka too.
When such a groundbreaking feat was accomplished by some individuals in Korea, their astute governments picked up the trend, primed the game and ran with it to bolster their international reputation. For the Republic of Korea , it was not just K-Pop reaching the corners of the world; they saw the potential of turning it into a soft power and enhancing the nation’s ability to attract prospective partners and establishing Korean culture as a way of living even in countries like the United States of America.
The Korean master chef who flew all the way to Colombo from Korea for the K-Food festival Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha
Today Korea is nimbly threading a double weave on its soft-power fabric by promoting the country’s authentic cuisine in foreign countries.
Amid these developments, the Korean ambassador in Sri Lanka, Miyon Lee and her staff presented a ‘K-Food Showcase’ at her residence in Horton Place, Colombo recently, having flown in a master chef from Korea, which showed the strong emphasis they placed on this exercise.
Welcoming those who were part of the ‘K-Food Showcase’, the Korean ambassador said, “We all love to share food and make friends. It is a universal nature, because food is the bridge between body and soul, connecting societies and cultures. Every family boasts of its own secret recipes, and every nation and culture take pride in its own food and dishes. Just like Pol Sambol is for Sri Lankans, for Koreans, Kimchi is one of the traditional dishes that cannot do away with. There are more than 400 ways to make fermented vegetable dishes. But the spicy Kimchi we enjoy today was developed after chili pepper was first introduced in the 17th century. We make our own food by importing and adopting new ingredients and new methods from abroad.”
“Koreans love to eat, and love to watch eating as you may have guessed from Korean dramas and movies or YouTube. You may have wondered what they are eating and what they taste like. Thanks to the spread of K-culture worldwide, K-food has also become one of the trendy items to experience,” she noted.
The guests at the event got the opportunity to try dishes most often seen in Korean dramas and movies and enjoy first-hand their unique textures and flavors.
According to ambassador Miyon Lee, K-food is still an evolving trend, being created through adoption and adaptation, through their creative blend of tradition and modernity, uniqueness and universality, just like human society and culture.
A GKS ( Global Korean Scholarship) Alumni member in Sri Lanka who has spent many years in the Republic of Korea told this journalist that at first it was not easy to for her to get used to Korean food but after some time she ended up being a passionate eater of Korean delicacies given the food’s authentic taste and nutritional value.
The Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) the apex body and the voice of the country’s Gem and jewellery industry, with great pride and respect extends heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency on being sworn in as the 9th President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
SLGJA is built on a vision to empower Sri Lanka’s Gem and Jewellery industry through innovation and sustainability superiority which aims to generate global recognition whilst upholding the rich heritage for future generations. The Association’s mission is to alleviate Sri Lanka’s Gem and Jewellery Industry through etical practices, facilitate market access, advocate sustainable sourcing nurture talent for the industry’s continued growth, global competitiveness and socio-economic contribution. Functioning as the advocate for Sri Lanka’s Gem and Jewellery sector, the SLGJA lobbies the industry related concerns to governmental and other related bodies. SLGJA is also the organizer of FACETS Sri Lanka International Gem and Jewellery Show over 31 years which is now the cornerstone for the industry players, fostering collaboration, innovation and international partnerships.
As an industry that has long been an integral part of Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage and economic strength, we are confident that under HE’s visionary leadership, our nation will continue to thrive and reach new heights of prosperity. His commitment to progress, national unity, and the well-being of all Sri Lankans aligns closely with the values and aspirations of the Gem and Jewellery sector, which remains a foundation of both the country’s identity and its economy.
Insightful discussions that were held with His Excellency and senior members of the party before the elections, where the party understood the unique challenges and opportunities faced by the gem and jewellery industry has given great confidence in HE’s leadership and the bright future that lies ahead for the Gem and Jewellery sector.
The gem and jewellery industry plays a vital role in enhancing Sri Lanka’s global reputation. SLGJA is eager to work closely with HE’s administration to further develop and promote this key industry. Together, more opportunities for sustainable growth could be created, increasing the international competitiveness, and ensure the long-term success of the industry for future generations.
SLGJA is confident that HE’s administration will continue to take progressive steps to support and strengthen industries that contribute significantly to the national economy. The SLGJA stands ready to assist in any initiatives that foster economic development, promote exports, and elevate Sri Lanka’s standing as a global leader in the gem and jewellery trade. (SLGJA)
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