HSBC Premier Center receives ISO14001:2004

Lumbini Edirisinghe

The HSBC Premier Center opened its first financial Green office last week and received the prestigious ISO14001:2004 certificate which is one of the world's most stringent environment management systems.

The HSBC Premier Centre Chief Executive Officer, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Nick A Nicolaou speaking to Daily News Business said that receiving the ISO14001:2004 certification was a great achievement for the HSBC Premier Centre and hope to get this certification to other branches of the HSBC soon."

"In a highly competitive market, our stakeholders are increasingly demanding environmentally responsible products and service and I think everyone have a role to play as a global citizen," he said.

Locally and Globally HSBC is conscious about eco-friendly environment and gives priority to reduce carbon emission and are taking steps to reduce global warming.

Country Manager of SGS Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd, the certification body, N. Sriram said that this achievement by HSBC would be a benchmark for other companies to follow in the awakening of global economic and environmental development.

Environmental pollution will result in the rising of sea level, unexpected floods, melting down of ice, floods and many other natural disasters.

Sustainable development is the best practice to stand against these disasters," he said.

HSBC Premier Centre also plays an active role in the water, waste and energy management areas.

HSBC Premier Center has taken a lead demonstrating its commitment to the environment by reducing paper, water and electricity consumption by 5 per cent.

It also recycles all of its print and photocopy cartridges, converts all synthetic detergent to environmental friendly natural detergents and maintains a temperature at 26c to reduce the electricity wastage from air conditioners in 2009.