John Keells celebrates World Environment Day

The John Keells Group commemorated World Environment Day through many environmentally-friendly initiatives spearheaded by John Keells Social Responsibility Foundation (the Foundation).

A poster campaign was carried out across the Group's business premises with posters printed on recycled paper. As the Group's contribution to The Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign the Foundation initiated a tree planting campaign with planting of trees across the Group's business locations with Chairman, Susantha Ratnayake, planting a Na sapling at the JKH premises, Glennie Street. Strategic Group IT, planted 20 Ehala saplings in the Vihara Maha Devi Park with the collaboration of the Colombo Municipal Council, while Ceylon Cold Stores planted 12 fruit and other saplings in its factory premises in Ranala. Cinnamon Lodge Habarana planted 100 trees within the hotel premises and close to Habarana Tank. Yala Village planted over 50 trees of Kohomba, Kumbuk, Agil and Esala. Bentota Beach inaugurated a 'herb garden' with Sri Lankan spice plants and planted 30 coconut plants.

Chaaya Blu, Chaaya Citadel, Chaaya Island Dhonveli, Chaaya Lagoon Hakura Huraa, Chaaya Reef Ellaidhoo, Cinnamon Grand, Cinnamon Island Alidhoo, Cinnamon Lakeside, JK Stock Brokers, Lanka Marine Services, Tea Small Holder Factories PLC, Union Assurance PLC and Walkers Tours Ltd and Whittalls Travels Ltd. also took part in the initiative.

Reef cleanups were launched under the 'Go Green' initiative in the four Maldivian resorts belonging to the Group. A beach cleanup was initiated by Bentota Beach Hotel and a lake clean up and an art competition for schoolchildren organised by Chaaya Village Habarana.

The Foundation together with Cinnamon Lakeside launched the newly-landscaped area of the railway reservation bordering Masjidul Jalmiya Road in Slave Island as the first in a series of steps planned to mark 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity.

The Foundation supports ongoing 'green' initiatives of the Group such as the Rumassala Nature Field Centre, Keells Super Red Bag Project, the Butterfly Garden and the Compost project at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana as well as environment-friendly initiatives under the Village Adoption Project.

The JKH Sustainability Report 2009/10 details the Group's sustainability initiatives and policies with regard to the environment.