26th January 2023, Colombo: Suwanda Industries, the Sri Lankan manufacturer of the world’s largest incense stick brand Cycle Pure Agarbathi, and also the value addition arm of the world’s largest exporter of incense and fragrance products, N. Ranga Rao & Sons (NRRS), has obtained the ZeroCarbon Certification from the Climate & Conservation Consortium (CCC) further enhancing its standing as a company committed to sustainable manufacturing. Back in 2020, Suwanda Industries made history by becoming the first company in its industry in Sri Lanka to be awarded CarbonNeutral Certification.
ZeroCarbon Certificate is in accordance with the ZeroCarbon Guideline based on the PAS 2060 standard, the pioneering framework for carbon neutrality published by the renowned British Standards Institute (BSI). PAS 2060 specifies additional requirements compared to The CarbonNeutral Protocol. It provides greater focus on emission reductions and performance metrics and requires a Carbon Management Plan.
The Climate & Conservation Consortium conducted an organisational Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Assessment for Suwanda Industries to assess the GHG emissions arising from its operations. This GHG assessment was based on the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol, which is also compliant with the Carbon Disclosure Project and the PAS 2060 Standard. The GHG emissions for this assessment were quantified by uplifting the GHG emissions of the previous GHG assessment corresponding with production fluctuations.
Chaiman of Suwanda Industries Sri Lanka, Subramaniam Eassuwaren stated, “Over the years, Suwanda Industries has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment towards the environment and environmental sustainability and this Zero Carbon Certification is further evidence of this. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing mankind and as a forward-thinking company we want to do our part to combat this global crisis. Being a responsible corporate citizen, becoming ZeroCarbon certified is one way of giving back to the planet. We have also commenced multiple corporate social responsibility initiatives that have made a positive impact on the environment and communities.”
As part of a company with a track record of three generations in fragrance creation, Suwanda Industries has built a reputation as a company that offers ethical products made according to the best global practices. It manufactures and distributes a wide range of products including Agarbathies, Dhoop, Cones, Sambranis, Home Fragrances, Air Care and Prayer products. The products are exported to 65 countries and meet all international fragrance standards, use the purest ingredients available, come in recyclable packaging, and undergo 14 quality checks.
Suwanda Industries have been empowering women since 1948 while promoting gender equality to accelerate sustainable development and uplifts rural women of war affected communities as a community service to support household income of marginalised areas in Sri Lanka and women headed household in Sri Lanka. Other social responsibility initiatives include schooling for dropped out children, a school for differently abled children, scholarships for children and grandchildren of the group employees, and vocational training for women.
The Climate & Conservation Consortium (CCC) is a firm that helps organisations develop and communicate effective sustainability practices. The company’s consultants help organisations reduce their environmental impact and maximize the resulting CSR and marketing opportunities. It provides professional services based on the fundamental principles of calculation, mitigation and communication.