Sampath Bank continues to ramp up efforts to protect environment

Sampath Bank is one responsible enterprise that has continued to champion the cause of the environment.

The bank’s commitment to the environment extends to its business dealings too. Serving as an active partner of the country’s Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) sector, Sampath Bank has offered financing for several renewable energy projects around the island. 

Taking a hard look at every element of its operations, Sampath Bank strives to continuously identify more ways in which it can minimize its impact on the environment. 

The bank has been scaling up the deployment of energy efficient lighting and air conditioning solutions to drive energy efficiency and reduce its energy consumption levels. Simultaneously, Sampath Bank has also been diligently looking at using alternative sources of energy for powering its operations. The bank embarked on a solar migration project in 2016 and has rolled out rooftop solar systems across several of its branches.

The bank is well aware of the fact that the things that get measured, get done. Hence it tracks its environmental performance and benchmarks its progress against peers.

Sampath Bank monitors its Carbon Footprint closely and measures its direct and indirect emissions using the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol. Captured in the bank’s annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventory report, this data helps it strengthen its carbon management strategy and pursue new opportunities for carbon reduction.

“Sri Lankan society has always placed great emphasis on living in harmony with nature. Conserving natural resources and protecting the environment has been an integral part of our culture. 

Being a responsible enterprise that takes great pride in its Sri Lankan roots, Sampath Bank remains committed to championing environmental sustainability through our eco-conscious business model as well as our continued investments in energy conservation and environment-centred CSR initiatives”said Nanda Fernando, Managing Director, Sampath Bank PLC.

Going beyond its business activities, Sampath Bank has been investing heavily on the environment through its strategic corporate social responsibility initiatives as well.

Sampath Bank has always taken great pride in Sri Lanka’s heritage and is hence well aware of the significance of the country’s network of inland tanks or ‘wewas’, built eons ago by our kings.

The bank has been restoring dilapidated tanks through its flagship CSR programme, ‘Wewata Jeewayak’. To-date, 10 tanks have been renovated under the project, and work on 3 more tanks is currently underway. 

The bank is also involved in a 5-year project together with Biodiversity Sri Lanka to restore ten hectares of degraded forest land in the Halgahawala Forest Reserve in Opatha, Galle. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Forest Department of Sri Lanka are offering technical assistance to the program which is aimed at increasing the number of plants in the area from 9,000 to 30,000. A plant nursery consisting of 4,500 plants has been set up to nurture a variety 
of species.

In addition to these programmes, Sampath Bank has been supporting the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) of Sri Lanka’s conservation efforts for over 27 years. The bank has been contributing a sum of Rs. 5 to the Society for every new Sampath debit card issued.