Heritance Ahungalla clinches Gold at Green Awards
6 December 2012 08:32 am
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Heritance Hotels was once again in the spotlight when Heritance Ahungalla was presented with the Gold Award at the National Green Awards concluded recently at the BMICH.
Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurs, industrialists, and other stakeholders who contribute their share for environmental conservation and anti pollution were recognized for their excellence in green practice, strategy and products. Organized by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), The National Green Awards scheme was initiated in order to provide an alternative system to controlling pollution and greening the environment instead of the existing command and control approaches and education & awareness programmes. The main aim of the all island programme is to promote sustainable management of the environment in order to achieve a green country through a clean green environment.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa graced the occasion which was held for the second consecutive year. Forty nine awards were presented under 16 categories with environmentally-friendly organizations being selected by an expert panel of judges after a lengthy review of their performance.
Heritance Ahungalla, a hotel committed to sustainable practices has been recognized both locally and internationally for service excellence, culinary expertise as well as its sustainability initiatives. The Hotel was certified for Energy Management System ISO 50001:2011 and was recognized as the first resort in the world to receive the certification. The Heritance Ahungalla Team consciously makes efforts to conserve energy and preserve the ecological balance around its stunning property. To minimise social risk in the environment the hotel operates, Heritance Ahungalla offers internships that also helps to build community relations. The hotel donates generously to the local community particularly to help children and elder care programmes.
“It is a tremendous achievement that all our properties in Sri Lanka have sustainability policies which are adhered to stringently which has resulted in all our local hotels including Hotel Hilltop and Bandarawela Hotel attaining the prestigious Earth Check Silver status. We will continue to drive our commitment towards a sustainable operation with a sustainability focus that transcends beyond mere operational to one that is strategic, we seek to create an organization-wide culture that in turn will inspire individuals to act as catalysts for global change”, said Malin Hapugoda, Managing Director, Aitken Spence Hotels.
Aitken Spence Hotels has set precedence to other hotels on how they too can be effective responsible tourism players by contributing in terms of conserving the natural environment, protecting bio diversity, empowering local communities, supporting livelihoods dependent on tourism, preserving local traditions, arts and crafts and mitigating climate change especially by using bio mass as renewable energy.
The company’s premier resorts operate under Heritance Hotels & Resorts. The award-winning Heritance Hotels & Resorts portfolio consisting of Heritance Kandalama, Heritance Ahungalla and Heritance.