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Brandix World First to Achieve Net Zero Carbon Status for a Manufacturing Facility

The Batticaloa factory of leading Sri Lankan apparel solutions p..

Brandix World First to Achieve Net Zero Carbon Status for a Manufacturing Facility

The Batticaloa factory of leading Sri Lankan apparel solutions provider, Brandix, is the world’s first manufacturing facility to achieve ‘Net Zero Carbon’ status. This signifies that the Brandix factory in Batticaloa has completely neutralized its environmental impact through carbon dioxide emissions by being highly energy efficient and using on-site renewable energy resources.

Recognised by the World Green Building Council (WGBC), the ‘Net Zero Carbon’ certification is issued by the Leonardo Academy and comes in the background of countries around the world examining ways in which to minimise their contribution towards drastic climate change.

“In 2007, when we began our journey in Sustainability, we envisioned Brandix becoming the most sustainable apparel manufacturer in Asia. Soon after, we went on to achieve a global milestone in 2008 by securing the world’s first LEED Platinum certification for our factory in Seeduwa, setting the trend for other manufacturers to follow in our wake. It is truly a monumental milestone for us, therefore, to secure another world first, by achieving Net Zero Carbon status for our factory in Batticaloa, as the first Sri Lankan company and apparel manufacturer to join in on the World Green Building Council Commitment. Striving for excellence at every stage of our business, we will continue to work towards our goals in Environmental Sustainability on an inspired journey to lead the way and become a global benchmark,” said Ashroff Omar, Group Chief Executive Officer of Brandix.

The achievement of this milestone is in alignment with Brandix’s commitment to the WGBC, where Brandix has pledged that all factories located in Sri Lanka, under the company’s direct control, will be Net Zero Carbon in operation by 2023. To achieve this ambitious goal, its decarbonisation strategy involves on-site renewable energy generation - with Brandix currently adding nearly 20MW of solar and biomass to its current energy mix, and resource optimisation strategies with installation of technologically advanced and energy efficient air compressors, HVAC systems, sewing machines, lighting and building fabric.

"We welcome the sustainability leadership action demonstrated by Brandix in joining the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment,” said Cristina Gamboa, Chief Executive Officer of the World Green Building Council. “As both the first Sri Lankan company and the first apparel manufacturer to commit to net zero carbon buildings across its operations, Brandix is setting an example in leading the transition towards net-zero buildings in Sri Lanka and within its industry.”

This is the second major sustainability milestone for the Brandix Batticaloa factory, which achieved the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum rating in Sri Lanka, which is also the second highest rating in the world.

Brandix Continues Commitment to Inspire Education through ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ Initiative

Brandix, in a continued commitment to inspire the education of its A..

Brandix Continues Commitment to Inspire Education through ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ Initiative

Brandix, in a continued commitment to inspire the education of its Associates’ children, conducted the ‘Randaru Thilina’ programme across the Group for the fourth consecutive year, providing over 6,500 children with school bags and stationery items for the new school year.

Since its inception in 2016, ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ has enriched the lives of over 20,000 children of Brandix Associates from nursery age to Grade 5. The school bag for children between Grade 3 – 5 contains exercise books, drawing books, colouring and standard pencils, rulers, glue, and other essential items, while the school bags of younger children also include modelling clay, scissors and crayons.

This year, significantly, the Executive workforce of Brandix participated in the distribution of school bags to children at their respective facilities, ensuring that the ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ initiative was a success in engaging employees across the Group.

Commenting on the initiative, Anusha Alles, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of Brandix Apparel Limited said, “We are happy to play an empowering role in the education of our Associates’ children through the ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ initiative for a fourth consecutive year. As a leader in the Apparel industry, we have the potential to make a positive and inspiring change in the lives of over 55,000 Associates, their families and communities, and this is a responsibility we take to heart. By rolling out Ran Daru Thilina year after year, we are able to alleviate the burden of any additional expenses for our Associates and take care of our own, whilst inspiring the future generation to continue their education and become well-rounded, developed individuals.”

This year, children of over 5,000 Brandix Associates employed at 22 manufacturing locations around Sri Lanka benefitted from the Brandix ‘Ran Daru Thilina’ initiative. Additionally, Brandix has a scholarship scheme titled ‘Ran Daru Scholarships’, under which financial assistance is extended to Grade 5 children of Associates.

Brandix, the single largest employer in Sri Lanka’s Export sector and adjudged ‘Globally Operated Highest Foreign Exchange Earner’ at the 2018 Presidential Export Awards, operates apparel manufacturing units in Sri Lanka, India (a 1000-acre self-sufficient industrial park) and Bangladesh, with operations in Haiti, Cambodia and UK. The company continues its journey in developing, manufacturing and marketing end-to-end apparel solutions to world-renowned brands, whilst empowering sustainable development in the communities it operates in.