Hirdaramani extends sustainability, CSR reach to Mullaitivu
25 Jun 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Following the opening of its newest factory in Mullaitivu, the Hirdaramani group is also actively implementing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability programmes in the region.
Fully-owned and operated by the Hirdaramani group, the factory is the 21st facility in the company’s islandwide network and the 35th facility in its global portfolio. The new factory provides 100s of people with employment and the company has also invested in a local school and training centre, which will play a crucial role in supporting the social and economic development of the area.
The Hirdaramani group is one of Sri Lanka’s leading apparel manufacturing companies. With a fully-integrated infrastructure encompassing manufacturing, product development, design, printing, embroidery, washing and packaging, Hirdaramani provides a one-stop shop solution in the apparel industry and the company also has extensive experience handling a range of internationally renowned brands. The Hirdaramani group is also committed to building a sustainable industry and supports the communities it operates in, by running a variety of CSR initiatives.
As part of its commitment to support the local community, the Hirdaramani group rebuilt a local school in the area - the Puthukkudiyiruppu Roman Catholic Vidyalaya. Hirdaramani’s Special Project team led by Hudson Wewalage and Aasiri Ediriweera successfully completed the project in March 2015 with the assistance of the school staff and members of the community. A total of five new classrooms were constructed, the new school building was equipped with new furniture and improvements were made to the sanitation system. The completely refurbished school has been handed over to the community and at present 440 students are enrolled in classes which run from Grade 1 to Grade 11.
Commenting on the project, Puthukkudiyiruppu Roman Catholic Vidyalaya Principal stated, “Due to the state of our school premises, it was challenging for us to offer the children of our community, a high-quality education. However, the upgraded school building and facilities have given us renewed hope. This project has shown our students that there are people in this world, who do care about them and are willing to invest in them, so they can have a brighter future. The impact of the renovated building on the students and teachers alike has been tremendous and thanks to this investment, we will be able to provide our students with a better education.”
Commenting on Hirdaramani’s commitment to supporting the local community, Hirdaramani Group Director Ranil Pathirana stated, “The Hirdaramani group always tries to affect change in the communities in which we operate. This school, established in 1937, was forced to shut down in 2009 due to the ongoing civil war. Since then, the school has operated on a small scale in open huts and poor conditions. The Hirdaramani group built a new facility consisting of classroom blocks which replaced the huts and we also provided upgraded water and sanitation systems.”
Commenting on the impact of the school project, Hirdaramani Group Human Resources Group Head Chamindra Perera Dassanayake stated, “Our experience in Mullaitivu has been very positive. Coming here and seeing how much effort people have put into rebuilding their lives after the war, has galvanized our own commitment. By investing in this school, we are investing in the potential of each student in this village, in the same way that we have invested in communities across Sri Lanka. Investing in this school is one of the most significant contributions we can make, to ensure that the members of this community enjoy a brighter future.”
The Hirdaramani Group also runs a training centre in the area, to provide employees with the skills they need to fulfil a cross-section of roles in the factory. The training centre through specially tailored programmes, helps to motivate staff and provides them with the knowledge and training they need to excel in their jobs, it also helps them to strengthen a variety of skills.
