SL B&B second meeting of members, CEO Forum today- 6 October 2015- Daily FT
SL B&B second meeting of members, CEO Forum today
Tuesday, 6 October 2015 00:02
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The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity (SL B&B) platform of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will hold its second meeting of members and CEO Forum focusing on the platform’s achievements so far and some key initiatives it has developed for the benefit of its membership and the Sri Lankan private sector at large. The event will be held today, 6 October, at the Ramada Colombo.
The overall mandate of the platform is to encourage dialogue and raise awareness on biodiversity and environmental issues amongst the Sri Lankan business community. Backed by 29 Patron Member companies and 24 General Member companies, the platform works to assist the private sector in understanding and mainstreaming biodiversity within their core businesses, partnering with the Government, non-government sectors as well as academia.
At this event, the SL B&B Platform will relaunch as an autonomous body – Biodiversity Sri Lanka – taking its status to a higher level with refined focus on addressing national priorities with regard to biodiversity conservation. In addition, the CEOs and focal points of its member companies will also witness the launch of a ranking scheme for biodiversity projects, a biodiversity credit accrual system for Sri Lanka, and an online biodiversity/environmental project bank, at this meeting.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and Dilmah Conservation established the Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform to encourage and provide services to Sri Lankan businesses to engage more vigorously in the conservation and sustainable use of Sri Lanka’s unique biodiversity.
One of the aims of the platform is to be a one-stop-shop for information, advice and scientific assistance to companies to preserve our natural heritage. The platform is committed to publicise the efforts of the private sector and to create a network linking Sri Lanka’s businesses, Government agencies and biodiversity conservation organisations. https://biodiversitysrilanka.org/old/.
THE SRI LANKA BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY PLATFORM REBRANDS AS BIODIVERSITY SRI LANKA
THE SRI LANKA BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY PLATFORM REBRANDS AS BIODIVERSITY SRI LANKA
The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity (SL B&B)Platform, today rebrands itself as Biodiversity Sri Lanka, at its second Meeting of Members and CEO Forum,taking a bold step further in focusing on national priorities that would set higher standards for Sri Lanka’s private sector to further commit towards the conservation of our valuable biological heritage.
Initiated in August 2012 by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Dilmah Conservation, the Platform has now completed three years of operations gaining to date the support of 29 Patron Members and 24 General Members representing six different industry sectors – Banking and Finance, Engineering and Construction, Information and Communications Technology, Plantations and Agribusiness, Production and Manufacturing and Tourism and Hospitality.
Biodiversity Sri Lanka will strive to expand its current status as a private sector-led, member-driven, nationally-owned initiative serving to promote dialogue, exchange knowledge and link networks,both local and global, to a body that would be identified directly with Sri Lanka’s private sector leadership in biodiversity conservation.
Three new initiatives will also be launched at this event. A Biodiversity Project Ranking Scheme – a set of criteria which can be applied to systematically rank biodiversity projectswill attempt to drive the private sector in incorporating well-defined scientific approaches in projects, devise action plan-based operations including community involvement and achieving core objectives, thereby devising a scheme that recognizes the importance of these projects in addressing national biodiversity conservation priorities.
A Biodiversity Credit Accrual System for Sri Lanka will also be introduced at this forum, a novel concept to enable biodiversity conservation project owners to accrue credits from the enhancement and protection of biodiversity on their land. Biodiversity Sri Lanka, with the expertise of a specialized sub-committee will work towards establishing a modality for such a mechanism on par with the requirements and standards already available in other parts of the world.
An Online Project Bank – a collection of project identification documents in line with national priorities will also be unveiled at the evening event. This bank will feature numerous project ideas in various thematic areas such asAssessment of biodiversity, Biodiversity and communities, Education, Awareness and Culture, Inland waters and wetland conservation, Marine and coastal conservation, Reforestation, Ecosystems and Habitat restoration and Species conservation will be available for development and implementation by the private sector.
