IEPSL to set up biodiversity, CSR group

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The Institute of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka (IEPSL) will set up a Biodiversity and Corporate Responsibility Group with the assistance of IUCN Sri Lanka soon. This was revealed by Professor Hemanthi Ranasinghe at a meeting chaired by her at the Central Environment Authority (CEA) in Battaramulla recently.

IUCN, Thailand Regional Business and Biodiversity Program Head Shiranee Yasaratne said that the private sector is looking for some professional assistance as the environment and climate change is a global issue. Although few leading companies are doing it most of the companies do not know where to invest.

Therefore she elaborated on how the Institute of Environmental Professionals could extent its services to the private sector especially in the areas of biodiversity and corporate environmental responsibility.

She said that the present knowledge is limited on biodiversity among multinational, national and medium level corporate organizations and IEPSL is an institute with a multi-disciplinary membership which holds a very good potential to cater to the demand of the corporate sector.

She insisted that the IEPSL could act as a Think Tank. Currently, IEPSL is working with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), and she proposed that the IEPSL should work with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and also the Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL) as they are the umbrella organizations for the industrialists.

Among the activities she proposed, are, holding seminars and workshops to enhance the knowledge of the industrialists and other private sector organizations, preparing a database of experts so that the institute could facilitate the private sector in environment related tasks and conducting consultancies to the private sector through its membership.

Prof Ranasinghe proposed to prepare a work plan on this aspect, through a working committee with the leadership of Yasarathne and submit a report.

Prof Niranjanie Ratnayake (only in hotel sector) Prof Udith Jayasinghe. Ramani Ellepola, Dr W L Sumathipala, Janaka Wijesekara and Chalaka Fernando, were appointed to the committee while Secretary IEPSL Senaka A Samarasinghe was appointed the Convener.