GLOBAL COMPACT NETWORK SRI LANKA

Asia-Pacific-Oceania Regional Meeting 24-26 February 2014

IGCN, Jakarta

Vision of Sri Lanka Network

It strives to sustainably drive Sri Lanka’s economic growth and position Sri Lankan businesses committed to incorporating UNGC principles into their practices

onto a global platform.

Event: Workshop on GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines G4

Det Nnorske Veritas (DNV) in partnership with UN Global Compact Sri Lanka and Smart Media he Annual Report Company successfully concluded a Workshop on Sustainability Management and Reporting on the recently released standard for reporting by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4.

Event: Think-Act Sustainable Workshop

In keeping with the mission of promoting sustainability within Sri Lankan businesses, the UNGC Sri Lanka Network organized a one day introductory workshop on Sustainability for professionals.

The program was conducted in close collaboration with the Sustainability Learning Center Sri Lanka (SLCSL), the first learning center in Sri Lanka dedicated to providing technical and management solutions in Sustainability and Green Business.

Sri Lanka Water Mandate Initiative in 2014

Concept

Sri Lanka Network Plan 2014 -2015

1. Learning Development Programs – target audiencesa. Businesses – regular training program in partnerships with Trainers

b. Budding professionals Sustainability Competition in partnership c. Secondary level students

2. Showcasing ‘Sustainability Leadership’ (High profile ‘Walk the Talk’ programs

3. Establishment of Mandates/Platforms – criteria for establishmenta. A national priorityb. Existing/Willing Business Champion(s)c. Availability of resources/best practices with UNGC

3 major Water issues in Sri Lanka

1. Poor accessibility to safe drinking water and sanitation

2. Health problems due to contaminated water

3. The threat to Sri Lanka’s aquatic flora.

Other water issues like a. the desalination of water &

b. rainwater harvesting,

have become more prominent predicaments in recent years.

1. Poor accessibility to safe drinking water and sanitation

Sri Lanka suffers from water scarcity due to precipitation seasonality and spatial variability.

• The dry zone of Sri Lanka consists of 75% of the country’s land area

• it only receives 50% of total surface runoff from October-March

• 30% of total surface runoff from April-September

• Sri Lanka needs to rely on social effort to provide accessibility to safe drinking water to its citizens

• 60% of the country’s citizens depend on unorganized water supply facilities

• 16% of rural Sri Lankans consuming water from unprotected sources.

2. Health Problems due to Contaminated Water

• High levels of fluoride:• Excess fluoride levels can result in dental fluorosis, skeletal

fluorosis and increased risks of cancer• Dust, industrial production of fertilizers and dental products

exacerbate fluoride concentrations in drinking water.

• Chronic Kidney Disease• In 2012, it was estimated that and excess of 8,000 Sri Lankans were

being treated for CKD• The prevalence of CKD is 15.3% higher than previously believed • Therefore the statistics that 59.4% of Sri Lankans depend on

unorganized water supply facilities is a cause for concern

3. Threat to Sri Lanka’s Flora and Fauna

• 32% of Sri Lanka’s threatened vertebrate species are found in the country’s aquatic ecosystems

• 41% of the country’s aquatic flora is currently listed as threatened

• The threat to Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna affects the livelihood of its community because biodiversity is an important source of natural products, like medicine, and economic value through fishing and tourism.

Sri Lanka Water Mandate

• The UNGC CEO Water Mandate is a voluntary public-private initiative - practice sustainable water policies and practices.

• The Sri Lankan Water Mandate follows this program by seeking to engage a critical mass of Sri Lankan private sector businesses to combat local water issues through advancing sustainable water solutions

• Brandix (Leading apparel group)

• Since 2012, Brandix has been a member of the GCNS Board • Brandix expanded over 3,000 water supply projects around the country• The Brandix expressed interest to broad base their water initiative project

to join hands with GCNS to set up the SL Water Mandate

• Coco Cola Sri Lanka (2nd business champion)

Sri Lanka Water Mandate

Sri Lanka Water Mandate co-partners with

Business for Peace (B4P) PlatformThe Business for Peace platform will support infrastructure development; providing food, water and shelter for refugees or other victims of conflict; job training, especially for ex-combatants and youth; foster entrepreneurship and job creation; and promoting inter-cultural and inter-faith understanding and tolerance.

Rationale being:• Scope of work will cover Post conflict zone• Prevent any future social unrest

Governance of the Water Mandate

• The GCNS CEO Water Mandate to be governed by a Steering Committee, which would be in charge of administrative, financial and strategic arrangements and generally composed of 5 -10 Corporates/NGO.

• To participate in the Water Mandate, a business must already be a UNGC endorser or guarantee endorsement of the UNGC within six months of endorsing the Water Mandate.

• Endorsers of the Water Mandate are required to produce a COP Water Report on an annual basis, communicating their progress in the Mandate’s six key areas to their stakeholders