Dilmah

Foundation Member | Tracking Since September 2021

Dilmah Sustainability Actions

One Earth Climate Change Research Centre, Nawalapitiya

The One Earth Climate Change Research Center – Nawalapitiya is the first-ever Climate Change Research Station by the private sector in Sri Lanka, established at Dilmah Tea’s Queensbury Estate in Nawalapitiya. • Recent collaboration with renowned experts across the South Asian region in a groundbreaking international research study to find a solution for the global nitrogen waste crisis. • Since opening in 2017 the center has facilitated 3 global, and 17 local research and 3 international workshops. • The centre is also the main research hub for the Bee A Keeper project. • Introduction of camera traps to monitor the biodiversity of fauna.

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CLIMATE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Strengthening climate change awareness by sharing knowledge and climate education

CLIMATE REALITY

Collaborations to strengthen private sector efforts in addressing climate change public private partnerships | climate decision making | national strategies

CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE

Transforming and reorienting agricultural practices to ensure food security in a changing climate

Endane Biodiversity Corridor

In 2018, Merrill J. Fernando, the founder of Dilmah, took a groundbreaking step by initiating a rainforest corridor project. This endeavor was initiated with the symbolic removal of tea plants in a land strip at the Dilmah's Endane Tea Estate, which had segregated two rainforest patches for over a century due to continuous tea monoculture. The Endane Biodiversity Corridor establishes a 3km long biodiversity corridor, connecting two fragmented forest patches adjacent to the Sinharaja Rainforest. • 40 ha of degraded tea lands converted to tropical lowland rainforests. • 545 tree species georeferenced for in-situ conservation. • 10,183 seedlings of rain forest species raised in nurseries. • 4,238 seedlings planted in Endane Biodiversity Corridor for ex-situ conservation. • 47 globally threatened tree species planted in Endane Biodiversity Corridor and Seethawaka Botanical Garden. • 01 rain forest tree species extinct in the Wild (EW) (Shorea ovalifolia) was rediscovered and georeferenced outside the protected area network and propagated for ex-situ conservation. • 5 ha of long-term restoration monitoring plots established across Endane Biodiversity Corridor • New species such as Gastrodia Pushparaga discovered during research activities.

AGROFORESTRY

Dilmah in collaboration with Kahawatte Plantations and Agriculture Innovation Nucleus are creating an agroforestry model. 1000 hectares of abandoned land have been identified within Kahawatte Plantations as being suitable for agroforestry. Commercial crops such as Garcinia, Pepper, Durian and Rambutan are among the species being planted. Dilmah’s green restoration endeavours are aligned with Sri Lanka’s commitment to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) of increasing green cover by 32% by 2030.

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Organic Farming

The Dilmah Conservation One Earth Centres located in Moratuwa, Endana, Nawalapitiya, Kalkudah and Paasikudah, house organic farms as educational sites. These organic farms contain plots with vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc. that are relevant to and suitable for the region, to cater to the needs of the surrounding communities.

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Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL)

Dilmah, together with IUCN and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, formed Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) in 2012 to build a coalition for environmental conservation among the corporate sectors. Life to Mangroves and Life to Kanneliya projects have been the most successful projects initiated by BSL.

Wetland Conservation

Wetland Conservation efforts include a public-private partnership with the Sri Lanka Urban Development Authority (UDA) aimed at enhancing conservation efforts for the Beddagana Wetland Park, a crucial ecosystem. Programme objectives are to raise awareness about the significance of wetlands, and foster visitor engagement through regular park maintenance and expert-led educational programs. Additionally, 450+ individuals including both locals and foreigners, were educated on wetland conservation through wetland excursions.

Greening Batticaloa 2.0

Greening Batticaloa, is an initiative to plant 1 million cashew trees mitigating the harmful impacts of deforestation and climate change, while economically empowering local communities in Batticaloa, Eastern Sri Lanka. In the phase 2 of this initiative, together with the USAID Climate Adaptation Project and Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation, we are embarking on a sustainable cashew cultivation project to help farmers gain economic stability and climate resilience by growing and harvesting cashew sustainably by supporting them through training and resources to adopt climate resilient soil conservation and water conservation strategies.

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Mangrove Conservation

At Dilmah we are restoring a 25- acre mangrove forest in Kappal Adi Kite Lagoon in Kalpitiya. A baseline survey has recorded 62 native plant species including mangrove species and 153 species of wildlife including many birds, butterflies, and reptile species.

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Bee A Keeper

Dilmah Conservation launched ‘Bee a Keeper’ in May 2020, to promote the sustainable use of bees in agriculture and related ecosystems. Its main goals are: • Bee Awareness • Bee Research • Beekeeping • Buzzing Livelihood At One Earth Centre Moratuwa, conducted, • A public workshop on beekeeping with field experience for 22 participants • A training for Internal staff on advanced beekeeping • 2 additional workshops on beekeeping At the Field Station, Endane, • 10 successful beekeepers • 3 are undergoing the training process • A workshop for village beekeepers. • 2 litres of bee honey extracted In Climate Change Research Center, Nawalapitiya • 16 successful beekeepers • 12 are undergoing the training process • 1 workshop with 15 participants. • 3 litres of bee honey extracted for research purposes. • 2 day residential workshop for Resplendent Ceylon staff. In One Earth Center, Kalkudah • Community workshop on beekeeping with 45 participants around the center. • A workshop for the Veddah community to raise awareness on unsustainable bee honey extraction from the forest (traditional practice) and help transition into sustainable beekeeping using bee boxes in Mallichchagani and Akaranai villages with 92 participants.

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Butterfly Garden at One Earth Centre, Moratuwa

Dilmah Conservation’s urban open-air Butterfly Garden is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Since its construction in October 2011, it has provided a safe haven for a growing list of butterfly species. Through the butterfly garden, Dilmah Conservation also conducts numerous education and awareness programmes.

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Supporting Elephant Conservation

Dilmah Conservation supports elephant conservation by supporting the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, sponsoring the care of a baby elephant, and spreading awareness on elephants and their importance. To date, we have sponsored the care of 4 baby elephants: Amaya, Ted, Baby Dilmah and Dilly. Also, through awareness raising sessions, to-date 190 individuals have been educated about elephant conservation.

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Elephant Knowledge Walk, Udawalawe

Elephant Knowledge Walk, an information centre, relaunched in March 2024 in collaboration with the Department of Wildlife Conservation offers visitors a more visually immersive and comprehensive learning experience. Visitors can explore various aspects of elephant life, including their evolution, anatomy, ecology, and cultural significance, through a combination of statistics, images, and infographics. A dedicated section addresses the critical issue of human-elephant conflict (HEC), aiming to shift public perceptions and foster conservation efforts. Additionally, the centre now features an anatomy laboratory for close-up examination of specimens and a children's activity area, designed to provide age-appropriate educational activities and engagement opportunities.

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Afforest Underwater

Part of the ongoing “Afforest Underwater '' initiative, Dilmah Conservation initiated a pilot project in collaboration with the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) to educate fishermen in Mannar, Northern Province of Sri Lanka on practising sustainable seaweed farming with a view to addressing challenges such as overfishing and fish migration due to warmer waters. As an extension of the project, Dilmah also supported the Bocuse d'Or Sri Lanka 2023, a culinary competition where 28 teams from hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka competed for the coveted Gold award, with the goal of representing Sri Lanka in the Regional competitions. Sustainably harvested seaweed through the aforementioned pilot project was used as an ingredient throughout the competition.

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Marine Conservation

Dilmah sponsored the World Oceans Day exhibition at One Galle Face mall on 10th and 11th June 2023 - an event organised to highlight some of the critical challenges facing the marine environment due to anthropological effects. The workshops were accompanied with 2 beach clean-up programmes in Kalkudah.

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One Earth Centre, Moratuwa

The “One Earth Centre” in Moratuwa offers a range of educational resources dedicated to sustainable agriculture and conservation. The centre is also home to Dilmah Conservation’s One Earth Urban Arboretum, Butterfly Garden, Heritage Corner, Medicinal Plant Garden, Traditional Yam Plot, Recycling Unit, Sustainable Agricultural Farm and Hydroponic Unit. The One Earth Urban Arboretum, housing over 500 tree and plant species, serves as a green oasis and educational space, promoting biodiversity conservation.

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One Earth Centre, Kalkudah

The One Earth Centre in Kalkudah extends Dilmah Conservation's initiatives into Eastern Sri Lanka. This centre is aligned with Dilmah Conservation’s regional objectives of enhancing livelihood opportunities and building climate resilience among communities through the introduction of innovative, sustainable and climate smart practices in agriculture and animal husbandry along with comprehensive livelihood support and ecosystem restoration efforts. Similar to the Moratuwa facility, the Kalkudah complex also contains a One Earth Urban Arboretum as well as an organic fruit and vegetable model farm and a model coconut farm.

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One Earth Field Station, Endane

This Centre promotes nature-based agriculture, where tea plants are uprooted to facilitate restoration of a depleted ecosystem. Apart from this direct activity, the centre has adopted a multi-stakeholder approach to further strengthen restoration efforts. The centre also provides opportunities for local community members to gain a deeper understating of sustainability principles by getting involved in various activities such as nursery management, organic farming, and beekeeping.

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Genesis - A centre for Sustainability

Dilmah launched Genesis, the Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future, located at 52 Maligawatte Road. This facility represents the evolution of the premises where Dilmah was first tasted, selected, packed, and exported. Genesis is equipped with the necessary amenities to help agri or nature-based entrepreneurs and agritech startups build their businesses from the ground up. As a collaborative platform, Genesis facilitates knowledge sharing, discussion, inspiration, and communication. The Centre aims to grow awareness of the importance of nature, its value, and ecosystem services. This is achieved by harnessing the knowledge and commitment of academia and scientists, alongside the ability and network of businesses and policymakers. Moreover, Genesis directly nurtures sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship, promoting better social, economic, and gender equality. 25 individuals have been benefitted thus far, through all projects done under Genesis.

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Lost Ingredients Lab

Kick-off project at Genesis was a platform to integrate value chains of Sri Lankan organic and regenerative agriculture and food sectors through innovation and collaboration for meaningful growth. The Lost Ingredients Lab was a two-pronged programme that helped innovate value-additions for three high-potential yet underutilized local ingredients, namely, Jackfruit, Seaweed, and Gotukola, making them suitable for the global market. Collaborated with GIZ, European Union and Good Life X.

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The Scale - Up Shop

The Scale-Up Shop aimedto spark innovation in the Sri Lankan manufacturing and export sector by connecting local innovators with manufacturers seeking to expand their product portfolios and enter international markets. It was carried out as part of the 'Support to Small and Medium Enterprises in the Organic Agriculture Sector' Programme jointly co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Dilmah Tea, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), National Innovation Agency (NIA) and Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC).

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SustainAble Climate Action Challenge

An island-wide competition collaborating with European Union aimed to encourage responsible behavior and promote sustainable consumption patterns of plastic, focusing on reducing plastic at the source, upcycling plastic, and recycling.

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Dilmah Publications

Dilmah Conservation’s focus towards education and awareness, has resulted in 15 extensively researched publications - broadly classified into field guides on Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna, and books on culture and heritage, Ayurveda, and organic home gardening.

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Solar Energy

Investments in solar over the years has allowed Dilmah to lay claim to a combined generation capacity of 1,400.75 kWp. This includes the 04 (four) solar power plants with a collective generation capacity of 415.5 kWp that contribute towards meeting 4.66% of the energy requirements of Dilmah Headquarters in Peliyagoda.

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Hydro power Energy

Dilmah has also made significant investments in hydropower, starting with the two hydroelectric plants at the Queensberry and Craighead estates, both which commenced power generation in 2018. Today, the Company operates a total of four hydropower plants: Queensberry (50 kW), Craighead (70 kW), Kataboola (70 kW), and Wellandura (70 kW), with a combined capacity of 260 kW. In the financial year 23/24, these plants collectively generated 389 MWh of hydropower.

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Womens' Development Programme

The Women’s Development Program (WDP) was established to empower marginalised women and young girls with skills development and entrepreneurship training. The WDP is active across Sri Lanka at the Moratuwa, Kalkudah and Weligama Centers empowering 1400+ women with vocational skills to pursue their goals.

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Empower IT Lab

The Dilmah Empower IT Lab was inaugurated in 2024 within our factory premises at the Head Office. This stateof-the-art facility is exclusively dedicated to providing our factory associates with the resources and opportunities to pursue professional IT courses in alignment with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) guidelines.

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MJF Kids Programme

3500 boys and girls from less fortunate plantation and rural communities are strengthened with educational support through the MJF Kids program. The MJF Kids Programme provides underprivileged children from low income families in 8 locations across Sri Lanka, with education, life skills/vocational training required to overcome the challenges faced by them due to extreme poverty and ensuing social issues. This year, 1369 young boys and girls from less privileged, plantation and rural communities are supported with scholarship programs and educational support.

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Vocational Training Programme

Vocational training provided for nearly 7,000 youth in carpentry, dress making, IT and graphics. In their efforts to inspire female youth entrepreneurs, the MJF Center, Kalkudah launched a beauty culture program for young women. In just 6 months, the course has graduated 25 young women who are makeup artists and salon owners. Their new Aari work embroidery and needlework course has also graduated 60 young women with the skills to become professional designers and seamstresses.

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The Curtiss Institute of Design Technology program

The Curtiss Institute of Design Technology program is a part of the MJF Charitable Foundation Moratuwa and Kalkudah Centers. It is an IT skills training program that fulfils all national competency standards of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC). Over 6000 youth and adults have benefited from the courses offered in IT and graphic design.

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Life Through Cricket

The “Life Through Cricket” programme created by the MJF Foundation and Cricket Live Foundation (CLF) New Zealand commemorates a decade of uplifting the lives of young children through sports. Around 1,000 boys and girls have been impacted by this program.

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Rainbow Horizons Programme

3500 youth and children supported through the Rainbow Horizons programs in Moratuwa and Kalkudah, and 230 children and infants supported at the Center for Children with Cerebral Palsy and other Developmental Disorders. The Early Intervention Clinic in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo was launched. This ground-breaking facility is dedicated to enhancing the lives of young children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and other developmental disorders. Around 1,000 boys and girls have been impacted by this program.

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People's Market - Small Entrepreneur Programme

The People's market falls within the scope of the Small Entrepreneur Program. It was initiated in the aftermath of COVID-19 to help revive small enterprises and support individuals who were made unemployed by the pandemic. Today the Peoples Market takes place every quarter at the Moratuwa or Weligama Centers. Each market supports up to 100 small businesses, female-led enterprises and entrepreneurs with disabilities. The Markets attract a footfall between 700 to 1700 shoppers, allowing small enterprises to grow their networks.

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Dilmah Tea Fights to Eradicate the Cervical Cancer

Dilmah Tea, through its Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation, entered into agreement with Ministry of Health and the Rotary Club of Colombo, to restart a national initiative to eradicate cervical cancer in Sri Lanka by 2030. The initial grant of Rs. 75 million from Dilmah - MJF Foundation with fund test kits for early detection and treatment, to reduce approximately 800 preventable deaths from cervical cancer in Sri Lanka every year.

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Empowering Plantation Community

Meeting the needs & demands of a resident population of 155,000 in the plantation community through updated infrastructure and facilities. 131 young beneficiaries supported through Scholarships; 88 university undergraduates, 32 of our beneficiaries are university graduates. Gifting of a passbook savings account to over 40 newborns of plantation employees.

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