John Keells releases first sustainability report

The John Keells Group released its stand-alone Sustainability Report for 2008/09 on Friday, May 29, 2009. This is the first report the conglomerate has published in adherence to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI-G3) framework, as well as with external verification from Det Norske Veritas AS (DNV AS). The report has gained assurance as per Account Ability’s AA1000 Assurance Standard (2008) for a ‘C+’ GRI application level.
The report further discloses information on twelve GRI-G3 indicators addressing economic, environmental and social concerns, through which the ‘Triple bottom line performance’ of the group is elaborated. Designed and written on the theme of ‘what it means’ to be a sustainable business organisation,’ the report also reiterates the Group’s commitment to the United Nations Global Compact.
Commenting on the report, Chairman, John Keells Holdings PLC, Susantha Ratnayake said, “Today, as we continue towards achieving our vision of ‘Building businesses that are leaders in the region’, we need to renew and reinvigorate our efforts to conduct our business on the principles of sustainability, optimising our economic, social and environmental responsibilities through our business priorities, so that our Group will continue to be a strong and sustainable business leader of the future.
As discussed in the Annual Report of 2007/08, we have implemented our decision to publish a stand-alone Sustainability Report, aligned with the GRI framework. This initiative and the changes it entailed have helped us in better integrating sustainability within the Group’s value chain.”
The report details the work carried out by the Group’s sustainability initiative ‘Change for the BEST – Building an Equitable and Sustainable Tomorrow’. The initiative comprises seven task forces that address the Group’s sustainability priorities – namely those in the areas of product and services, environment, employee health and safety, labour and human rights, society and economic.
Ratnayake added, “It is my strong belief that our renewed commitment to the highest levels of corporate citizenship in all spheres of our daily work, will lead to a stronger John Keells brand, differentiated products and services, better risk management, improved efficiencies, reduced costs and, most importantly, contribute to our common goals of protecting the environment for future generations and achieving equitable social progress for all. Never before has this been the most important business imperative, as it is today.”