November 2022, Colombo: Brandix Apparel Ltd. is gearing up to host its much-anticipated Sustainability Summit for 2022. Held for the second consecutive year, Brandix intends to focus this year’s iteration on discussions encompassing varied aspects of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) through this virtual summit.
Taking place on Tuesday 22nd of November 2022 from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (IST), the virtual platform will bring together experts who will speak on pressing issues that we face in our world, with specific focus on manufacturing industries. Each of the speakers bring a wealth of knowledge in policies and initiatives at global, national, or organisational levels toward sustainable development, the risks that would be faced with insufficient focus on this crucial area, and the rewards that can be gained with steps forward.
This year’s panel of international speakers are devoted to true sustainable development and include, Claire Kells, Senior Manager Corporate Engagement – UN Global Compact; Ruby Ojha, Senior Environmental and Social Development Specialist – International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group; and Tejas Sampat, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility (SA) and Global Sustainability (Offshore) – PVH Corp.
The panellists will be backed by members of the team from Brandix, namely, Akila Fernando, Deputy General Manager, Group Engineering and Vinura Jayewardene, Group Sustainability Engineer, who will draw from examples of the organisation’s own sustainability framework anchored to the pillars of Air, Water and Earth.
In Brandix’s own social and environmental sustainability journey that spans over a decade and a half, significant milestones have been reached. These include the plant in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka being recognised as the world’s first Net Zero Carbon Apparel Manufacturing facility in 2019. This was not the first time the company broke new ground – In 2008, it’s factory in Seeduwa, Sri Lanka became the World’s first LEED Platinum certified facility under the US Green Building Council, and today the Group has multiple other LEED certified facilities across Sri Lanka and India. The lessons learnt and rewards will interest those in the manufacturing sphere in particular.
Brandix also works with the objective to make each location where it establishes its facilities, a better place than it was when we arrived, through enhancing the living conditions and wellbeing of the community, mapped to the pillars of Provide, Educate and Engage. In Sri Lanka, its flagship initiative of Water Projects has provided access to clean water for drinking and household needs to over a quarter of a million people, whilst in India free eye camps screen patients and extend medical support and spectacles, with over 35,000 beneficiaries to date.
With attendance figures exceeding the 1,000s for last year’s Summit, Brandix is confident that this year too, a global community of like-minded participants who strive to make an impact on our environment and society, will come together once again. It is expected that the Summit will unlock the power of sustainable growth through championing efforts to address critical issues, and to drive true impact across many industries.
Brandix extends the invitation to all those interested to follow their social media platforms for more details on this summit, and to join the discussion, listen to experts in the field and share views, as they unlock the power of sustainable growth.
The efforts of Brandix to conduct such an event of this scale reflects its work to move from commitments to actions and is parallel to its belief of caring for the people, communities in which it operates and the planet. Yet another significant depiction of this commitment is the company’s pledge to be Net Zero Carbon across all manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka by 2023, and all facilities in India by 2025.