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Business and conservation, inextricably linked to each other, will be taken to a higher level with the launch on Tuesday of ‘Biodiversity Sri Lanka’ with a clear focus on national priorities.

It would also see the metamorphosis of the Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform (SL B&B Platform) set up under the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) with no legal status to ‘Biodiversity Sri Lanka’, an autonomous body with its own niche as a ‘company limited by guarantee’ giving it more muscle.

The event on Tuesday at the Ramada Hotel in Colombo marks this transformation of the Platform from a seed planted three years ago by a small group of companies to safeguard the country’s environment, to a beautiful tree with its canopy reaching far and wide.

The event is supported by Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC, Dilmah Conservation, Jetwing Hotels Ltd., National Development Bank PLC, People’s Leasing and Finance PLC and Sampath Bank PLC.

Giving the backdrop, it is Platform Advisor Shiranee E. Yasaratne who explains that having serious concerns about the little focus on the environment and the need to have coordination and consistency and no duplication, it was the CCC that acted as the catalyst to form the SL B&B Platform.

Earlier, there were only isolated corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and small ad hoc conservation projects, she says, citing numerous tree planting campaigns, around 85% of which died a natural death after a while.

With a need for the bigger picture including biodiversity and environmental conservation to be looked at, the Platform has now moved in the direction of ‘Biodiversity Sri Lanka’.

Platform Coordinator R.M. Harshini de Silva talks of the Platform’s beginnings three years ago – how the CCC joined the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Dilmah Conservation to provide a valuable service to businesses investing in sustainable development and conserving natural resources.

The Platform has as its initial six-member Board of Directors, high-level representatives from the CCC, IUCN, Dilmah Conservation, Rainforest Ecolodge (Pvt.) Ltd., Hatton National Bank PLC and Access Group.

While there are 29 Patron Members and 24 General Members, thetea-giant Dilmah funded the setting up of the Secretariat to facilitate this business-led initiative.

Word got around of the work being carried out by the Platform, the Sunday Times learns, with others showing “enormous interest”.

Now three years on, much behind-the-scenes work has taken place, with the movers and shakers of the Platform being in agreement that it would be better if businesses engaging in conservation could channel their efforts to achieving national priorities without just picking up any project.

It was to list these ‘Biodiversity Priorities of Sri Lanka’ that Sherani Ruberu, under the guidance of the Platform’s Projects and Communications Coordinator Buddhi Seneviratne went a-knocking on the doors of numerous people and groups including Government officials, non-governmental representatives, scientists, researchers, the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society, et al.

Pointing out that the mandate of the Platform is fostering dialogue between the private sector and conservation agencies, Ms. de Silva says the purpose is to be a knowledge-sharing system, nationally-owned, member-driven mechanism, while also providing assistance to businesses to find solutions to adjust their activities to ensure environmentally-responsible management and sustainable growth.

One of the objectives is also to add economic value to biodiversity conservation and integrate it into the core business of companies.

The Platform, meanwhile, has set up the Technical Resource Bank which provides an insight into sectoral best practices in biodiversity conservation and also a ‘Project Bank’ on all on-going and proposed projects.

“It also helps businesses to build on their green credentials and be eligible for Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards and other awards in the realm of environment,” adds Ms. de Silva.

The conservation projects currently being implemented by the Platform’s wide-ranging member-companies are diverse: Reforestation; Species Conservation; Education, Awareness and Culture; Coastal and Coral Conservation; Marine Conservation; Inland Waters Conservation; Solid and E-waste Management; Assessment of Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Communities; and Terrestrial Ecosystem and Habitat Restoration.

These projects are scattered across the country from Colombo to Bundala, Arugam Bay to Mannar, Anuradhapura to Horton Plains, Hanwella to Pannala, Hiyare to Adam’s Peak, Dambulla to Kalutara, Yagirala to Endana and Minneriya to Hiniduma.

However, not satisfied with what they have achieved and always striving to do more, the Platform in three short years has now decided to spread its canopy to cover small and medium enterprises, having received “an overwhelming response” from its members, according to Ms. Yasaratne.