In an era where environmental conservation has become a pressing concern, organisations are increasingly recognising the need to embrace sustainable practices. With a clear vision and comprehensive action plan, sustainability efforts have become an integral part of DIMO’s operations and long-term strategy on its journey to fostering sustainability and preserving the planet for future generations.

The ‘DIMO Sustainability Agenda 2030’ is a long-term approach that sets clear focus areas through its three clearly defined pillars: being a resilient business, creating a resilient community and conserving a living planet.

This philosophy is derived from the triple bottom line – the business concept that emphasises the measurement of social and environmental impacts in addition to financial performance. The agenda is driven by the environmental, social and governance (ESG) structure, and led by the Group Chief Executive Officer with the support of pillar heads who are also members of the Group Management Committee.

Commenting on its sustainability efforts, Chairman and Managing Director of DIMO Ranjith Pandithage says: “There is an urgent and critical need for businesses to prioritise environmental responsibility and take sustainable actions to protect our planet for future generations. It is crucial for businesses to understand that their responsibility to the environment extends beyond meeting legal and regulatory requirements.”

“At DIMO, environmental sustainability goes beyond a mere keyword – it defines our corporate purpose of fuelling dreams and aspirations of the communities, while shaping our decisions and propelling us forward,” he notes.

The pillar of ‘conserving a living planet’ focusses on consciously minimising DIMO’s footprint to reduce environmental impacts, and actively restoring and enhancing the planet’s ecosystems.

Moreover, the DIMO Sustainability Agenda 2030 has established ambitious targets under environmental sustainability. These include reducing carbon emissions by 50 percent, 100 percent use of treated water, zero landfills, 1:1 restoration by 2030 to minimise its environmental impacts and endorsing sustainable practices.

With this journey, the company has been able to reduce carbon emissions by 23.3 percent while reporting a 30 percent reuse rate of treated water in 2022/23. The company also restored 7.6 hectares of land in 2022/23 under its 1:1 restoration initiative.

DIMO adopts a holistic approach to its operations by engaging all stakeholders in achieving environmental sustainability.

With a customer-centric approach, DIMO provides environmentally-friendly products to its customers. One such product is Graphenstone paint, which utilises graphene-based technology combined with natural minerals such as lime and silicate to purify the air inside homes.

Additionally, DIMO offers organic, value added fruits and coconut products under the Miditer brand.

DIMO provides advanced solutions in the renewable energy sphere, offering energy efficient and optimal power supply solutions through collaborations with global industry leaders. Energy efficient building solutions and electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and TATA are also among the environmentally-friendly products offered by DIMO to its valued customers.

As the perfect partner, DIMO works with suppliers that endorse environmental sustainability. For example, SIEMENS – one of DIMO’s longstanding partners – promotes environmental conservation through all its activities.

Michelin and Mercedes-Benz are also among DIMO’s partners leading the way in promoting environmentally-friendly practices and contributing to a greener future. Michelin is the first company to design a tire integrating 58 percent sustainable materials while Mercedes-Benz now offers at least one fully electric model in every segment that it serves.

DIMO Nature Club is another initiative that underscores the commitment of the ‘DIMO Tribe’ to environmental sustainability. Through this platform, the DIMO Tribe actively contributes to various volunteer projects while gaining invaluable knowledge about the significance of environmental conservation.

“Our commitment to protecting and preserving the environment is not only an act of responsibility but also a source of innovation and competitive advantage. By integrating environmental stewardship into every aspect of DIMO’s operations, we strive to pave the way for a world where economic prosperity coexists harmoniously with ecological wellbeing,” states Gahanath Pandithage, the Group Chief Executive Officer of DIMO.

DIMO has embarked on several noteworthy projects focussed on environmental conservation in Sri Lanka. Its efforts include mangrove restoration in Galle together with MAS Holdings and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Galle, to preserve biodiversity and protect coastal areas.

And DIMO also partnered with Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) and the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) on the ‘Life to Our Beaches’ project, taking on the responsibility of ensuring that two of the selected beach stretches in Dikkowita remain free from plastic pollution.

DIMO also participated in ‘Project LIFE,’ a pilot project by BSL, with the aim of restoring biodiversity in a degraded area of the Kanneliya Forest Reserve while restoring 12 hectares.

The company’s long running turtle conservation project in Panama with Wildlife & Ocean Resource Conservation (WORC) is now in its 11th consecutive year, having released a little over 10,000 hatchlings during 2022/23.

DIMO also provided financial assistance to The Pearl Protectors for its ‘Turtle Patrol’ project in the Colombo District. Furthermore, DIMO’s ‘Life to Reef’ coral restoration project in Rumassala in partnership with WORC has restored over 3.5 acres of coral reef in the area.

– Compiled by Yamini Sequeira

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